God doesn't speak from Heaven often, but when He does, He tells you to listen to Jesus. Gospels: Week 6 - Confession, offense, glory, and resurrection power Mark 9:2–13 (NASB95) 2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” 8 All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead. 10 They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant. 11 They asked Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 “But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.” Heidelberg Catechism Q. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be: our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance... Summary Today's Summary and Dig Deeper are reposted from March 21, 2023. Jesus’ earthly life is usually described as His time of humiliation until His resurrection and ascension to heaven, which is then His exaltation. The transfiguration was a unique moment when a few of Jesus’ disciples glimpsed His divine glory. It is also a confirmation of His office as the chief prophet of God. Mark mentions in verse 2 that after six days, the transfiguration occurred. Six days prior, Jesus was with His disciples in Caesarea Philippi, and Peter had testified that Jesus is the Christ (Mark 8:29). Then, on this mountain, Peter, James, and John saw Jesus speaking with two prominent Old Testament prophets, Moses and Elijah. Plus, Jesus radiates such a pure light, reminiscent of Moses’ encounter with meeting the Lord on the mountain. It's recorded in Exodus that “When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him (34:30).” Next, a cloud overshadowed them, just like the pillar cloud would descend over the tabernacle in the Israelites’ time in the wilderness to show God’s presence. All these elements on the mountain point to the fulfillment of Jesus as the Messiah. The voice in the cloud confirms He speaks for God, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” This is divine approval that Jesus, the Son of God, would declare the Word of God to His people, fulfilling His office as a prophet. At the close of this event, the other prophets disappear, and only Jesus is in front of them. Jesus was not only a prophet but the chief prophet and the one the other prophets prophesied of and pointed to (cf. Deuteronomy 18:15; Malachi 4:5). Dig Deeper Jesus would confirm His prophetic message throughout His ministry by performing miracles, making predictions of things to come, and preaching and teaching with authority. Jesus did not just quote Scripture but was an embodiment of it and fulfillment before their eyes. As He states within the sermon of the mount in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” The way Jesus spoke was different from an ordinary teacher or prophet. Taken at His Word, He cannot merely be another prophet in a line of religious prophets or a great moral teacher. Even today, the Father’s voice calls us to listen to what Jesus says throughout Scripture. As Heidelberg Catechism QA31 notes, He perfectly reveals God’s secret counsel and will for our deliverance to us. He shows us the power of God to save: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).” The plan to rescue His people was made visible and fulfilled through the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the prophet representing God to His people and God for His people. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus is our chief prophet and teacher, the Word who became flesh who revealed the glory of God full of grace and truth (John 1:14) ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Jesus, as a prophet, spoke words of warning and promise. Pray that you'll listen to Him in whatever He tells you in His Word; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Where would you go if following Christ seems too difficult? Gospels: Week 6 - Confession, offense, glory, and resurrection power CONTEXT: Jesus has just explained that "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves" (John 6:53). John 6:60–69 (NASB95) 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? 62 “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” Belgic Confession Article 35: The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ...Christ has instituted an earthly and visible bread as the sacrament of his body and wine as the sacrament of his blood. He did this to testify to us that just as truly as we take and hold the sacraments in our hands and eat and drink it in our mouths, by which our life is then sustained, so truly we receive into our souls, for our spiritual life, the true body and true blood of Christ, our only Savior. We receive these by faith, which is the hand and mouth of our souls. Now it is certain that Jesus Christ did not prescribe his sacraments for us in vain, since he works in us all he represents by these holy signs, although the manner in which he does it goes beyond our understanding and is incomprehensible to us, just as the operation of God’s Spirit is hidden and incomprehensible. Summary All four of the gospel accounts show the same thing: right at the peak of Jesus' earthly ministry, when the crowds are the biggest, Jesus shifts tactics. The miracles and healings that are so prevalent as Jesus began begin to slow down, and Jesus' teachings become much more pointed. As the difficulty increases, the size of the crowds following Jesus rapidly diminish. After all, who could really listen to and accept an invitation to eat and drink their teacher's body and blood? Jesus never seems bothered that all of these people who'd been following Him hoping for a miracle show lose interest. He never was trying to build an earthly kingdom, so the size of the crowd never meant much to Him. Go back and page through these early chapters of the gospels and notice how often Jesus is trying to ditch the crowds following Him! But He's aware of the grumbling of His disciples. Other English translations render Jesus' question to them as, does this - that is, these difficult teachings - offend you? I like how the NASB put it much more literally: does this cause you to stumble? Jesus' question to them, as was so often the case, was met by silence from the twelve. So Jesus doesn't skip a beat. If you think this is difficult, He continues, what then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It's here in Jesus' rhetorical question that we find the reason that so many teachings in the Bible - especially those of Jesus - are so difficult. The difficult teachings here and now are preparing you for even more difficult things ahead. Things like Jesus' ascension and His second coming - things that are difficult to wrap our heads around now, but which usher in entire new realities. Wrestling with difficulty now prepares your mind to think different (= repent) enabling you to understand these wonderful new realities when they come. Dig Deeper Jesus doesn't let up. Not even a bit. In fact, He doubles down. He makes His teaching here even more difficult. He tells His confused disciples that their flesh - that is, our ability to think and reason and make decisions based on what we see, hear and feel - profits nothing. Rather, it's the Spirit who gives life, and this life comes through the words Jesus has spoken to us - words which can't be believed unless it has been granted from the Father. At this point, many of those still there finally had enough. Who is this Spirit Jesus keeps talking about, they must of wondered. This isn't the first time that Jesus mentioned it, but everything had been so cryptic. So they withdrew and were not walking with Jesus anymore. Again, Jesus isn't phased by their departure in the least. He simply said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" I wonder how long the awkward silence lasted as Jesus' haunting question hung over them. But it's really the most critically important question Jesus ever asks. He'd hand selected these twelve men and never really given them a choice. He'd simply commanded them to follow. So they did. Jesus' recruitment of them was probably more dramatic than the way He called you, but when it comes down to it, not very different. You were chosen to follow Him, and you have. But when life gets difficult or the Bible's teaching seems so contrary to that of the world, you face this same question as well: do you want to go away too? But you don't, because you're answer is the same as Peter's: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life! It's this solid belief and conviction, instilled in you by the Holy Spirit through difficult teachings and the words of Jesus found in all of Scripture, that not only prepare you for the wonderful reality to come, but keep you bound to Christ as you come closer to it. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Triune God: Our Father, the Spirit who gives life, and the Son, who is the Holy One of God; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that through the Spirit you would persevere even through life's difficult times; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

It's easy to say what other people think about Jesus, but who do YOU say He is? Gospels: Week 6 - Confession, offense, glory, and resurrection power Logos.com Matthew 16:13–20 (NASB95) 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. Canons of Dordt Point III/IV, Article 11: The Holy Spirit’s Work in Conversion When God carries out this good pleasure in his chosen ones by working true conversion in them, He not only sees to it that the gospel is proclaimed to them outwardly, and enlightens their minds powerfully by the Holy Spirit so that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God, but, by the effective operation of the same regenerating Spirit, he also penetrates into the inmost being of man, opens the closed heart, softens the hard heart, and circumcises the heart that is uncircumcised. He infuses new qualities into the will, making the dead will alive, the evil one good, the unwilling one willing, and the stubborn one compliant; he activates and strengthens the will so that, like a good tree, it may be enabled to produce the fruits of good deeds. Summary The disciples were likely used to pop quizzes like this from their Teacher, where as they traveled, Jesus would ask them a question and listen to their answers. What they might have been relieved about this time is the easy question Jesus lobs at them. You see, it's always easy to report on what other people are saying. So when Jesus asks them who do people say the Son of Man is, the disciples are quick with their answers. Some say you're John the Baptist - whom Herod had beheaded months earlier - and others, the disciples continue, think you're a prophet. It must have felt good for these guys to finally be able to answer one of Jesus' questions correctly! There might have even been a few celebratory high fives and fist bumps when Jesus wasn't looking. But then Jesus tightened the screws. He said to them, "Who do you think that I am." This time, the sound of silence from the disciples following Jesus must have been deafening. Nobody dared chime in on this one. Nobody, of course, except for Simon, whom we know better for the name Jesus gave him in today's passage, whose mouth often engaged quicker than his mind. But this was Simon's moment. This time, the words that flowed out of his mouth form one of the Bible's boldest declarations of truth. Simon replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Dig Deeper For most of us, this isn't the first time we've read these words. And like anything else, the more times we encounter something stunning, the less impressive it seems. Of course Jesus is the Christ - that is, the Messiah or the anointed one that God had promised for so long. Of course Jesus is the Son of the living God. People like us have known this for longer than we've known how to count to five. But take a moment to consider just how monumental Simon's confession of Christ is. Or better yet, meditate on it throughout the day (meditate simply means to chew on it throughout the day, the way a cow chews her cud): Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God! There was likely another moment of acute silence after Simon replied. Whereas the silence that came after Jesus' pointed question about who they thought He was came as the result of twelve heads pointed to the ground in an attempt to evade Jesus' gaze, this time, all twenty four of those eyeballs would have been riveted on Jesus. How would He reply to this incredible thing Simon had just uttered? Had Simon said too much? Had his impulsive honesty drug him into blasphemy? It didn't take long for Jesus to relieve the tension with the very next word He spoke, calling Simon blessed. Jesus then explained that the only way Simon could come to this conclusion was to have it directly revealed to him by Jesus' Father who is in heaven. For the first time, these disciples now knew beyond any shadow of doubt that Jesus was indeed the promised Christ. How do you think this changed the disciples' lives from this moment forward? How does it change yours? (To Dig Deeper into Jesus' famously difficult declaration that Simon, whose name would now be Peter, would be the rock upon which Jesus would build His church, click here and here). AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the living God; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the boldness Simon demonstrated here, and that his confession would not just be your own, but that it would shape your entire perception of reality; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Psalm 95 is a joyful song with a stern warning. Psalm 95 (NASB95) 1 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3 For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods, 4 In whose hand are the depths of the earth, The peaks of the mountains are His also. 5 The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness, 9 “When your fathers tested Me, They tried Me, though they had seen My work. 10 “For forty years I loathed that generation, And said they are a people who err in their heart, And they do not know My ways. 11 “Therefore I swore in My anger, Truly they shall not enter into My rest.” Canons of Dordt Point II, Article 6: Unbelief Man’s Responsibility The fact that many who have been called through the gospel do not repent or believe in Christ but perish in unbelief is not because the sacrifice of Christ offered on the cross is deficient or insufficient, but because they themselves are at fault. Summary Psalm 95 is most decidedly a psalm of thanksgiving, a purpose which it makes clear in its opening strophe: that God's people must come before His presence with thanksgiving. Most of us are pretty good at saying 'thank you', mostly because society mandates that we say it so often - to the store clerk, to the person who served you cookies at church or held the door open for you, even to the cop who just wrote you up for speeding. But Psalm 95 shows us how to express genuine and heartfelt thanksgiving - not just to other people who may truly deserve it, but to the LORD. First of all, the psalm tells us that to truly express thanksgiving to the LORD, you must know who you're thanking - that is, you must know both who and what God is. The rock of our salvation - the LORD - is a great God. Not just that, He's a great King above all gods (the psalmist here isn't saying there are really other gods - just the 'gods' our idol-factory minds cook up). The LORD God holds all things in His hand: both the depths of the earth and the peaks of the mountains. Both the sea and the dry land are His, because He made it, forming it all in His hands. But this transcendent God (a word we use in theology to describe how God is above all things) isn't just a powerful, yet detached force. The LORD is our maker, and even more than that, He's our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Psalm 95 doesn't just explain who we ought to give thanksgiving to, it tells us how. The opening words command us to come to the LORD, repeating and expanding the command a few lines later: let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. There's something to chew on today: what does it mean to come before God's presence? But the psalmist isn't finished yet; once again he repeats the command to come, this time worshipping and bowing down, kneeling before the LORD our maker. Fulfilling this command to come with thanksgiving is a noisy endeavor. You must sing for joy to the LORD, shouting joyfully! Singing isn't optional for God's people! So important the command is repeated: shout joyfully to Him. Not just by making a loud noise, though. Shout with psalms. In other words, when you gather with the LORD's people to give thanksgiving each Sunday, sing loudly. Like me, compensate for your lack of talent with volume. Dig Deeper Remember those old western movie scenes showing a crowded saloon with the piano playing and people noisily having a good time, when all of the sudden the doors swing open, the hero strolls in looking for the bad guy, and the music and fun come to a screeching halt? That's what happens half way through Psalm 95. God suddenly stops the music and interrupts this joyful psalm. Anybody can sing for joy and shout joyfully to the LORD, even if they don't really know whose presence they've come into. But true thanksgiving requires more than just music and song. It requires full submission: not hardening your heart or testing the LORD. Our God doesn't look lightly up such sins, for they caused Him to loath the generation of Israelites crossing the desert who erred in their heart and did not know His ways. God was so angry with these people that He swore in His anger that they shall not enter His rest. Their unfaithfulness resulted in them wandering in the wilderness till they died. For nearly a millennia, this dark cloud of God's interrupting anger hung over the joyful thanksgiving of the first half of Psalm 95. But the music starts again in the third chapter of Hebrews, telling us that unlike that unfaithful generation of old, Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house! And we are His house , if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, our great God and the rock of our salvation; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will demonstrate the true and genuine thanksgiving that Psalm 95 calls you to in Christ; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Fear and faith are in a continual battle for control of your mind. Gospels: Week 5 - Jesus' power over creation, demons, hunger and unbelief Logos.com CONTEXT: Five thousand men, besides women and children, have just eaten their fill of bread and fish that the disciples fed them in the middle of nowhere through Jesus' power. Matthew 14:22–33 (NASB95) 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” Nicene Creed ...And we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made... Summary Yesterday's passage began with Jesus looking privately for a solitary place. But His rest was cut short when the crowd showed up hoping for Him to heal their sick. When the massive crowd became massively hungry, Jesus had enabled His disciples to feed them all with just five loaves of bread and a couple of fish. But now that supper was over, Jesus sent His disciples on ahead of Him to the other side of the lake, and after He'd sent the crowds away, He finally found the rest He'd been hoping for - by going up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. How often don't we try and squeeze rest and relaxation out of manufactured experiences, only to exhaust ourselves even more in the process? We should follow Jesus' pattern of solitary prayer more often. It wasn't until the fourth watch of the night - almost dawn - that Jesus finished His prayer and went out to the disciples' boat, which was being battered by waves driven by a contrary wind. But it's Jesus' mode of transportation that deservedly captures the attention in today's passage: He came to them, walking on the sea! The disciples are understandably terrified because they think they're seeing a ghost (Greek = phantasma). But Peter - of course it's Peter! - boldly and faithfully calls out to his Lord, asking Jesus to command him to come to You on the water. After hearing Jesus utter the simple word come, Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Dig Deeper Faith has a mortal enemy: fear. It wasn't Peter's feet that failed as he put one foot in front of the other on top of the churning water, it was his eyes. Notice that it was when he saw the wind that fear got the upper hand in his mind and he began to sink. So often it's our sensory perception of reality that calls the shots. It has been so ever since Adam and Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye. But even in Peter's fear filled failure, it was only his faith that was left standing. As he sank, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Matthew notes that Jesus' response was immediate. He stretched out His hand and took hold of him. One thing we miss when we read written discourse, like this short conversation between Jesus and Peter, is the tone of voice the words are spoken with. Was Jesus angrily rebuking Peter with His famous and terse reply of You of little faith, why did you doubt?!? Or was there a gentle and reassuring smile on Jesus' face as he helped Peter back into the boat as the wind suddenly stopped? What do you think? Peter, as he does so often, provides a myriad of lessons for us to learn from in this famous Bible story. But it wasn't Peter that Matthew, or any of the other disciples huddled in that boat, wants you to focus on here. They want you to know what they discovered on that dark and stormy night: that Jesus certainly is God's Son! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose Son has power over all that He has made; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will walk by faith, and not by sight; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God often seeks to work His power through you! Gospels: Week 5 - Jesus' power over creation, demons, hunger and unbelief CONTEXT: John the Baptist has just been beheaded while in custody... Matthew 14:13–21 (NASB95) 13 Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14 When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” 17 They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, 20 and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. 21 There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 116 Q. Why do Christians need to pray? A. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking him for them. Summary This is one of several times throughout the gospels where Jesus needed to take a break. Remember, Jesus is fully God, but He's also fully man, and He experienced the same physical and emotional exhaustion as everybody else. And the news of John's sudden execution hit him hard. So when Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. He just wanted to be alone for awhile. But the quietness Jesus craved wouldn't last long. Hearing that Jesus had left by boat, the crowds followed Him on foot. How would you feel if you were in Jesus' place, and you looked up and saw a crowd - to the tune of about five thousand men, besides women and children. And they weren't there to support Jesus in His time of need, but rather so that Jesus could pour more of Himself into them. But instead of losing His temper or lashing out at this unwelcome intrusion, Jesus had compassion on them and healed their sick. What a beautiful example of how much Jesus cares for His people - how much He cares for you! Even when He's physically and emotionally drained and desperately needs rest and time alone with His Father, He sets His own needs to the side to attend to those who've come to cling to Him. But it quickly becomes apparent as it was already getting late that this crowd hadn't even brought basic provisions with them to this remote place. So the disciples, presumably not wanting to stress their burdened Teacher even more, suggest that Jesus send the crowds away, so that they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food. Dig Deeper The disciples' request, even if it did come from the best of intentions, betrays their significant lack of faith. By this point in their time with Jesus they've seen Him miraculously provide for all sorts of needs - even turning water into wine at a wedding reception. Yet they shy away here from even asking Jesus for anything supernatural. The disciples likely think they're doing Jesus a favor by presenting a solution - send the crowds away so they can buy food - rather than just dumping the problem of hunger on Jesus. So often our prayers reflect the disciples. Rather than simply praying for God's will to be done as Jesus' has instructed, or even boldly asking for a miracle as we've been invited, our prayers are often merely a presentation of our own well intended plans and desires before God. Jesus doesn't miss the teachable moment, telling His disciples to give them something to eat. That sounds harsh and mockingly impossible, as if Jesus had lost His temper for a moment with them. After all these twelve men have only five loaves and two fish to give a hungry crowd pushing close to ten thousand, if not more. But Jesus was serious. Notice here that it's not Jesus who fed the crowd, but the disciples gave this measly amount of food to the people, who all ate and were satisfied. Plus they picked up twelve basketfuls of left overs! Now certainly this was all done by Jesus' power, but it's significant that He worked this power through these ordinary men. All Jesus did was gave thanks and broke the loaves. It was the disciples that actually fed this crowd. God in His Word often tells you to do things that seem outlandish and impossible. And humanly speaking, keeping God's law and following His will are impossible! But you've been filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and enabled to do the impossible (Ephesians 3:20-21). So spend less time in prayer presenting your half baked plans and ideas to God, and more time asking Him to powerfully work His will through you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has given us His Holy Spirit that so that we're equipped to glorify Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Instead of presenting your plans to God, ask that He would work His will through you, even if it seems impossible; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The Kingdom of God has invaded to purify the defiled. Gospels: Week 5 - Jesus' power over creation, demons, hunger and unbelief CONTEXT: Today's episode comes immediately after Jesus calmed the sea, which we read about yesterday. Mark 5:1–20 (NASB95) 1 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2 When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. 6 Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8 For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. 12 The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” 13 Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea. 14 Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. 16 Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. 17 And they began to implore Him to leave their region. 18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. 19 And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1 Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death? A. That I am not my own, but belong— body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil... Summary We left off our reading in Mark's gospel yesterday with him describing the disciples as very much afraid after witnessing that even the wind and seas obey Jesus. But their night was just beginning, and things would quickly get worse for them. It was quite likely dark by the time they came to the other side of the sea, and now they were in Gentile country. Mark, using his trademark fast paced style indicates that when Jesus got out of the boat, immediately a man ran from the tombs with an unclean spirit to meet him. This was a mad man that no one was able to bind, even with chains and shackles. He constantly screamed among the tombs and gashed himself with stones. But then an amazingly remarkable thing happened: this man, previously unable to be contained or controlled, ran up and bowed before Jesus. This legion of demons who'd posessed a gentile man recognized what neither the disciples nor any other Jew at this point had: that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God. Dig Deeper This story is filthy. Literally. Everything about it is unclean, starting with its location in the country of the Gerasenes. That's not so helpful for us as we read it 2,000 years later, but the name of the surrounding towns gives a big clue to the problem: the Decapolis - a very Greek sounding name simply meaning the Ten Cities. Jesus and His disciples disembarked their boat in Gentile territory, which immediately rendered them unclean by Jewish law. Then they're met by a man possessed by an unclean spirit, who just happened to have had his dwelling among the tombs - unclean by virtue that all of his neighbors there were corpses. Then there's the fact that there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain - beasts very different from our modern farm animals that topped the list of uncleanliness by Jewish dietary regulations. But there's a point to all of this filthiness. Walter Wessel writes, "Through Jesus, the kingdom of God is invading and purifying the defiled realm of Satan." After encountering Jesus the Son of the Most High God, the previously uncontrollable man who had been demon-possessed was observed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind. Ironically, this frightened the people of the Decapolis even more, so much so that they implored Jesus to leave their region. John Calvin aptly summarizes what this filthy story means for us: “Though we are not tortured by the devil, yet he holds us as his slaves, till the Son of God delivers us from his tyranny. Naked, torn, and disfigured, we wander about, till he restores us to soundness of mind.” AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the Most High God, who sent us His Son to deliver us from the devil's tyranny; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that having been "restored to soundness of mind" by Jesus, you will keep yourself clean and pure; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Jesus calls you to a theologically guided faith. Gospels: Week 5 - Jesus' power over creation, demons, hunger and unbelief Photo: Matt Hardy, via Unsplash Mark 4:35–41 (NASB95) 35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 28 Q. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us? A. We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from his love. All creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved. Summary It had already been a long day filled with hours of Jesus teaching His disciples and the crowds that showed up everywhere that they did, when Jesus, for reasons Mark doesn't explain, gives orders to go over to the other side. This would have been a night journey of at least 5-7 miles across a lake - fairly described as a sea by the locals - known for its unpredictable squalls. Mark frames the crossing in an interesting way, writing that as they left the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat. This they, of course, were the disciples, and Jesus was on the their 'turf' now. Several of them had run commercial fishing operations before Jesus called them and knew this sea like the back of their own hands. They had everything under control, so much so that there was nothing for Jesus to do except move to the stern and fall asleep on a cushion. But as a fierce gale of wind arose, the confidence of these experienced sailors quickly sank, as did their boat that was already filling up from the waves breaking over it. The ensuing chaos quickly gave way to panic and fear, even as Jesus continued sleeping in the stern, culminating in their waking Him with a question they likely regretted for a long time afterwards: Teacher, don't you care?!? Jesus, who at this point says not a word to His terrified crew, got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And instantly the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. The roaring of the wind and waves dissipated, but all that could be heard on the boat was the sound of silence from the stunned disciples. Dig Deeper The disciples - men who'd spent most of their life on this sea - had good reason to be afraid. They'd fought storms and won before. But as the boat filled up, they knew that they'd lose against this one. So why, then, does Jesus treat them so harshly? His first words to them - why are you so afraid? - seems as ridiculous as their accusation of not caring was to Him. What Jesus can't understand is why they have no faith. But they had lots of faith! After all, they'd left everything to follow their miracle working teacher, and they'd sailed off into the darkness that night, demonstrating faith in their equipment and skills. What Jesus meant was that these men - boys, really - were not assessing their dire situation theologically. That is, they weren't applying the truth of scripture (which they were witnessing unfold in real time) to the trials of life. They'd seen Jesus heal various ailments and cast out demons, but when they saw that even the wind and the sea obeyed Him, they became very much afraid. In their minds, they had limited Jesus' power to what they'd seen Him do before, rather than theologically extrapolate that if Jesus had power over some things, He must have power over all things. That was the element of faith they were missing, which they discovered there on a sea which had just become eerily calm. They learned in a very glorious fashion that Jesus was more than their teacher or friend. It was there that they began to realize that He is the Son of God. Anybody can have faith in what they've seen happen before. Is this what your faith in Christ is limited to - the little bit that you've personally experienced Him do for you before or heard about Him doing in the lives of others? If so, hear Jesus calling out to you from today's passage, how is it that you have no faith? The Gospels tell of all sorts of things that Jesus did do, but obviously they don't list out everything that Jesus can do. This is why your faith needs to be theologically rooted, applying what the Bible teaches about God’s sovereignty over all things to the chaotic storms of life, so that you will not be afraid. For whether Jesus calms your storm or your boat sinks, you can know that you are always firmly held in the sovereign hands of the one who fully cares for you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has promised that nothing will separate us from His love; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your faith will be theologically guided by scripture; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Faithlife.com Psalm 91 (ESV) 91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 28 Q. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us? A. We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from his love. All creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved. Summary Psalm 91 is considered a psalm of refuge that can be broken into 3 parts, also known as strophes. The 3 parts are: an affirmation that God is our refuge, how the Lord is our refuge, and confirmation that God is our refuge. The first two verses of this psalm affirm that God is our refuge. Those who draw near to God will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. No matter the circumstances, God is your refuge and can give you peace. Verses 3-13 go on to describe how God is our refuge. Verse 4 speaks of finding refuge under his wings, instilling the imagery of a baby bird being protected by its mother. Along with God as our refuge, this section also speaks of God’s protection. Verse 11 speaks of God’s use of angels in providing this protection. The remaining 3 verses of this Psalm give confirmation that God is our refuge. This confirmation comes from the viewpoint of God, declaring His promise to protect those whose faith is in him. Dig Deeper One verse that might have stuck out to you is verse 12, On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. This is one of the passages quoted by Satan while tempting Jesus in the wilderness. In Matthew 4, Satan brought Jesus to the top of the temple and challenged him to throw Himself off. The provocation was that if Jesus really was the son of God, then the angels would save Him from harm. Satan was trying to trick Jesus into turning faith into presumption. Jesus does not fall for Satan’s trap, instead responding with: “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’”. Psalm 91 is a beautiful Psalm describing how God is our refuge. Find comfort in how God cares for you and protects you. However, make sure to not put God’s protection to the test. Do not fall for Satan’s attempt to cast doubt on the faithfulness of God. If you trust in the Lord and draw near to him, you can have peace no matter what circumstances life may send your way. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, our God in whom we trust; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will make the LORD your dwelling place in every way; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Jesus wants you to keep looking for the lost. Gospels: Week 4 - Kingdom Teaching and Parables logos.com Luke 15:1–10 (NASB95) 1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ 10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Canons of Dordt Point III/IV, Article 10: Conversion as the Work of God The fact that others who are called through the ministry of the gospel do come and are brought to conversion must not be credited to man, as though one distinguishes himself by free choice from others who are furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion (as the proud heresy of Pelagius maintains). No, it must be credited to God: just as from eternity he chose his own in Christ, so within time he effectively calls them, grants them faith and repentance, and, having rescued them from the dominion of darkness, brings them into the kingdom of his Son, in order that they may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called them out of darkness into this marvelous light, and may boast not in themselves, but in the Lord, as apostolic words frequently testify in Scripture. Summary Luke 15 opens with a couple of parables, the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost Coin. The parables are spoken in response to the Pharisees and scribes doing what they are so often remembered for, grumbling over something Jesus did. This time they took issue with the way that Jesus was associating with people identified as “sinners”. While we are all sinners, this label is used to describe a group of people who the rabbi’s generally believed that a person should not associate. This label of “sinners” was earned from their immorality or for those whose professions the rabbis viewed as incompatible with keeping the law. Also named alongside these “sinners” were the tax collectors. Tax collectors were hated by the people because they worked on behalf of their Roman occupiers to collect taxes from their brethren. In many regards, tax collectors were seen as traitors to their own people. Jesus associated with the very same people who were considered unworthy by the religious leaders of the day. To explain his actions and the shortcomings of the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus responds through parables. Dig Deeper In the Parable of the Lost Sheep, Jesus describes a flock of one hundred sheep being tended to by a shepherd. One of the sheep is lost and the man must decide whether he goes after the sheep or abandons it. The suggestion is that any of these Pharisees or scribes would be willing to chase down a lost sheep that belonged to them, yet they fail to be willing to pursue a person who is spiritually lost. In the second parable, the Parable of the Lost Coin, a woman loses one of her ten silver coins. These coins were more than currency; they were a lifeline in case something happened to her husband. This was her protection against becoming destitute and what she could use to start a new life. These coins were important to her, if one was lost, she would put great effort into searching for it. Since homes typically had dirt floors, the search could be difficult. This involved sweeping around the home and using a lantern to see all the shadow covered parts of the house. And when this coin was finally found, she, like the shepherd, celebrated. These parables show how even though others may look down on them, these people still mattered to God. The inclusion of even just one of these “sinners” in the kingdom of God is worthy of celebration. Who is it that you have been overlooking? Who is it that you may have instinctually considered beyond the reach of God’s grace? Don’t make the same mistake as the Pharisees and scribes. Do not write anyone off as unredeemable. Think of someone you know that you consider far from God and spend time today praying for their salvation. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sent His Son to seek us, His lost sheep; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will have the same drive to seek the lost that the shepherd and woman in Jesus' parables do; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Pray for the salvation of those who remain lost;