Tag: Kingdom of God

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The Ministry of Jesus Begins

12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
    beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,
    in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
16 the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
    a light has shined.”

Isaiah 9:1-2

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Matthew 4:12-17

So where do we focus our attention today?

  • John being arrested?
  • Jesus hearing of the arrest and heading back to Galilee?
  • A prophesy fulfilled?
  • or – Jesus beginning His preaching ministry, with the message “repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of God is near? *note the message didn’t change, just the deliverer

I believe they must all be considered to gain the full impact of verse 17, where Jesus begins to preach. Clearly each event led to the next and was laced with the fingerprints of God’s perfect timing. John was sent as a messenger, to prepare the way for the Lord, the Messiah whom he had baptized. The one of whom he said, “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” . Once Jesus entered the scene , John was well aware that his ministry was nearing its end and this, by the Gospel’s accounts, began with John’s arrest. The same is true of Jesus who, when He heard that John had been arrested, did not hurry to his aid but rather back to Galilee. Why? Because He knew the message John had been preaching – one of repentance and turning to God because the Kingdom of Heaven is near- had to continue; He also knew God’s intention was for Him to carry the news to the lost, which according to the prophecy of Isaiah would begin with the Gentiles in Galilee “where so many Gentiles lived“.

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Luke 19:10

Both Jesus and John knew the Father’s plan was for Jesus to be exalted and they were committed to it. I do not suggest that John knew he would be arrested but simply that he understood things would be changing. He was yielded to God’s calling on his life, yielded to Christ increasing and him decreasing, but he continued to speak the truth in boldness, unapologetically preparing the way for the Lord. John’s message led him to prison and ultimately to his death. (Read the story) Jesus also knew and understood the Father’s plan – His timing, purpose, and the importance of the message – and He went in that direction. His commitment to the Father’s plan, like John’s, also led to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion.

Wow! If we didn’t know the rest of the story we might be tempted to think – “if commitment to God means heartache and death – why commit?” The answer can be found throughout Scripture, such as in Jesus’ answer to the thief on the cross – “today you will be with me in paradise”, or in the promise and pledged love of God to give all who believe in Him eternal life, or even in the words of Jesus to the crowd when He explained that to be His disciple they had to give up their own way, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. If you think the first two requirements are harder than the last check out what Jesus had just told them about His life in verse 22 of Luke 9, “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.“  Following Christ may not be easy or desirous at times but as He told them at the conclusion of His discipleship requirements … the end result is LIFE.

“if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

Luke 9:24

May we seek to know the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15), His purpose for the world (John 3:16-17), His call upon our life (Matt 28:18-20), and, like John and Jesus, may we be committed and yielded to follow accordingly.

MefromtheNsideout

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Quiet Time
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The Ministry of Jesus Begins

12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
    beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,
    in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
16 the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
    a light has shined.”

Isaiah 9:1-2

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Matthew 4:12-17

So where do we focus our attention today?

  • John being arrested?
  • Jesus hearing of the arrest and heading back to Galilee?
  • A prophesy fulfilled?
  • or – Jesus beginning His preaching ministry, with the message “repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of God is near? *note the message didn’t change, just the deliverer

I believe they must all be considered to gain the full impact of verse 17, where Jesus begins to preach. Clearly each event led to the next and was laced with the fingerprints of God’s perfect timing. John was sent as a messenger, to prepare the way for the Lord, the Messiah whom he had baptized. The one of whom he said, “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” . Once Jesus entered the scene , John was well aware that his ministry was nearing its end and this, by the Gospel’s accounts, began with John’s arrest. The same is true of Jesus who, when He heard that John had been arrested, did not hurry to his aid but rather back to Galilee. Why? Because He knew the message John had been preaching – one of repentance and turning to God because the Kingdom of Heaven is near- had to continue; He also knew God’s intention was for Him to carry the news to the lost, which according to the prophecy of Isaiah would begin with the Gentiles in Galilee “where so many Gentiles lived“.

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Luke 19:10

Both Jesus and John knew the Father’s plan was for Jesus to be exalted and they were committed to it. I do not suggest that John knew he would be arrested but simply that he understood things would be changing. He was yielded to God’s calling on his life, yielded to Christ increasing and him decreasing, but he continued to speak the truth in boldness, unapologetically preparing the way for the Lord. John’s message led him to prison and ultimately to his death. (Read the story) Jesus also knew and understood the Father’s plan – His timing, purpose, and the importance of the message – and He went in that direction. His commitment to the Father’s plan, like John’s, also led to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion.

Wow! If we didn’t know the rest of the story we might be tempted to think – “if commitment to God means heartache and death – why commit?” The answer can be found throughout Scripture, such as in Jesus’ answer to the thief on the cross – “today you will be with me in paradise”, or in the promise and pledged love of God to give all who believe in Him eternal life, or even in the words of Jesus to the crowd when He explained that to be His disciple they had to give up their own way, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. If you think the first two requirements are harder than the last check out what Jesus had just told them about His life in verse 22 of Luke 9, “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.“  Following Christ may not be easy or desirous at times but as He told them at the conclusion of His discipleship requirements … the end result is LIFE.

“if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

Luke 9:24

May we seek to know the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15), His purpose for the world (John 3:16-17), His call upon our life (Matt 28:18-20), and, like John and Jesus, may we be committed and yielded to follow accordingly.

MefromtheNsideout

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Gospel of Mark: Week 4, Tuesday All Things Are Possible

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Read: Mark 10:1-31; SOAP: Mark 10:27

Read the full story, including a discussion on “divorce and marriage”.

The Rich Man

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”

20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.

29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

If it is impossible for anyone to enter the kingdom of God, why did Jesus say, “all things are possible for God”?

Read the answer in today’s devotional
Posted in From the Insideout

Intently

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Today’s Reading

Jesus, knowing Nicodemus was both a Jew and a Pharisee, wanted him to know the most important truth – that knowing and/or acknowledging He was from God would not gain Him the kingdom of God. Christ wanted Nicodemus to know that his position in life nor anything he could do, nor any knowledge he attested to could gain him access to the Kingdom of God. He made it clear that only by God giving him life through His Spirit – would he be allowed to enjoy such a privilege. The words Nicodemus spoke were true -Jesus was from God. However, Christ knew his heart and didn’t settle for the “right words” neither did He ignore the words, but instead addressed them by delivering the truly life-changing message of the Gospel.

There is, I believe, a secondary lesson here for believers as well – James’ words that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17) seems fittingly applied – perhaps, even more rightly applied – to knowledge. We cannot just know what God’s Word says and affect change. We must live according to what His Word says, and can only hope to truly do this by the power of His Spirit in us. Think of the disciples – the Gospels teach us that they walked with Jesus, studied under Him, and served with Him for three years – however, the real, lasting, and distinctive change came only after they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8 and 2:1 and following). Christ, Himself, said it was better for Him to go away so that they could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). He is Christ’s power in us. It is only through His presence that we are able to be the light and salt and spread the hope of eternal life to those who may know the right words but not the true and living God.

So, here’s my encouragement for today – Let’s live and love like Jesus, who listened intently and spoke boldly. Let’s not be satisfied with merely knowing God but let’s seek a relationship with Him and walk according to the Spirit. When we do this, people will see that we, as Nicodemus said about Jesus, are from God. Then, we – like Jesus – will have the opportunity to give an answer for the hope that is within us.

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Today’s Scripture: John 3:1-8 (S.O.A.P. John 3:3)

Question of the Day: What did Jesus say had to happen before we can see the Kingdom of God? How is this possible?

Now a certain man, a Pharisee[a] named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council,[b] 2 came to Jesus[c] at night[d] and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs[e] that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus replied,[f] “I tell you the solemn truth,[g] unless a person is born from above,[h] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”[i] 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he?”[j]

Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth,[k] unless a person is born of water and spirit,[l] he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh,[m] and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all[n] be born from above.’[o] 8 The wind[p] blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”[q]

After Thoughts