Approved Workmen

A Bible Exposition Of Mark 3:20-35

We will be in Mark 3:20-35 today. This is a longer section than we normally take. That’s Mark’s decision though, not ours. These sixteen verses form one unit of thought that he has assembled. Mark is going to be all about how people relate to Jesus here.

The whole section reads like a screen play—storyboards that show scene by scene. And Mark here is editing the video to go from one camera angle to the next capturing together the full story of one part of one day from every camera angle, recording what each member of the cast is doing and how they are responding as we go.

I want as much time in the passage this morning so we are going to dive right in with only a few introductory thoughts. I want to answer the question up front—why did Mark put this record in his account of the life of Christ.

There are two purposes I see it: 

The first, is that it continues to chronicle the rejection of Jesus by His people. This is the historical account of how His own people reacted to Jesus. Fulfillment of prophecies that He would be rejected. It is the historical account of what took place. This included…

• Full on attack of the Pharisees
• Indifference of the crowds (the masses, the populous)

The second, is that it guides and directs us as to how we relate to Jesus. Unbelief is sinister. It has many faces and at times is difficult to spot for what it is. These testimonies stand as examples and illustrations that shepherd our hearts.

This passage is all about how you relate to Jesus. I’ve titled it, “Jesus, All or Nothing.” Mark’s point is that you either take Jesus for all He claims to be, or you don’t get Him at all. We will cover the notorious “unpardonable sin” in this text, but that’s really background information to the main story line.

I’m sure it was this passage and others like it that were on the mind of C.S Lewis when he framed up the brilliant apologetic that Jesus, because He claimed to be God, requires a judgment to be made about that claim. He is either Lunatic, Liar, or Lord.

If Jesus said He is God and He is not, but He truly believes it then He is a lunatic. He is irrational and has lost the ability to discern reality. He certainly cannot be trusted then because someone who isn’t God, but believes he is, then that one is delusional.

If He said He is God, and He is not, and He knows He is not, then He is a liar. He is trying to deceive and lead astray. He is like any cult leader who is hungry for power and influence, and lies about their identity. He is nefarious and everything He said must be rejected.

But If He said He is God, He believes He is God and He demonstrates He is God, then He is Lord. He is the sovereign master. He is worthy of complete devotion and reverence and homage. You can’t have a distant relationship with Him and still call Him Lord. The claim if He is Lord is total.

C.S. Lewis said to come to Him any other way is simply patronizing. It isn’t dealing with Him honestly based upon the claims He made. He rules out the good, moral teacher category. Choose your assessment and stick with it. Those are the three categories.

And each one of those three categories is in our text today.

Mark Records Three Ways of Relating to Jesus (only one of them results in salvation)

     1. You Can Soften Jesus (20-21)

          His family misunderstands Him… they believe He is a lunatic

     2. You Can Spurn Jesus (22-30)

          His foes malign Him… they believe He is a liar

     3. You Can Surrender to Jesus (31-35)

          His followers yield to Him… they believe He is Lord

One more comment before we dive in. Today Mark is going to introduce us to a literary device that he will continue to employ here and there throughout his Gospel. It is called bracketing, (intercalation) or more commonly, sandwiching.

It is a story within a story.

It draws attention to a main theme as they are woven together. So today we open with a scene, move to a different scene, and then pick up the original story at the end.

Our passage is long this morning and so we will just read the verses as we go and let the narrative unfold the way Mark wrote it, line by line.

Mark 3:20–35—20 And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. 21 When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” 22 The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” 23 And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 “If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! 27 “But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house. 28 “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” 31 Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. 32 A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” 33 Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 35 “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” 

A Bible Exposition Of Mark 3:9-19

Several months back when we began our study in Mark I told you to prepare to be changed as we spent time studying Jesus. Of course, we know that He is the pinnacle of revelation, and in many ways the Scriptures point to our Savior or our need for a Savior. So, in this way we do gain insights about Christ from all of revelation.

But the Gospels (at least Matthew, Mark and Luke) function in a unique way to reveal the person Himself. It isn’t propositional truth—doctrinal statements and theological principles—like the ones we find in Romans, or Ephesians or Galatians.

Instead the focus is on the man. His life. His character. How He operates. I told you to except to learn Him more as we study.

And I have to say, I believed all of that when I said it. But now we are here and it has been such a joy. I am finding that as we learn about Jesus it impacts daily life in so many ways. My perception of His sovereignty, and His patience, His wisdom and His love results in worship and exaltation in my heart to Him for who He is.

And then it is strengthening and empowering to walk in newness of life. I pray that God would be working this in our hearts… a greater understanding of our Savior and His love for us, and then a response of worship and love for Him that changes us from the inside out.

Well this morning our message is titled, “the Succession Plan of Jesus.”

Succession planning, if you aren’t familiar with the term, is a vital part of protecting the long-term success of an organization. 

In business, for example, if you build a successful company to the point that you have a board, and a CEO, it is vital that the board who makes the decision on who the CEO is, has a plan for what happens if something happens to the CEO. 

The principle at work is this: regardless of how skilled or capable you are as a leader, at some point you will leave behind your life’s work and someone else will pick it up and carry on where you left off. And so, the preparing a plan for who will be the replacement is called succession planning. 

A good board understands this. And understand that you have to begin the preparation process before the leader is gone. If you wait until the CEO has a heart attack to figure out a succession plan, then you leave the business in a lurch. 

These fundamentals of succession are what we will see in our passage today. Jesus has a limited mission. He has a limited time on earth. He has a limited amount of ministry leadership. And knowing that the end is coming, He begins to execute his succession plan. He begins today to prepare for the day when He will no longer be leading in flesh and blood. He is starting the process of preparing the ones to whom He will hand things over when He departs.

This is a critical mission. Think of it this way, if something happened to all of us here at Cornerstone, nothing changes in the mission of the church. It is established worldwide, even in our community it is established. But for this stage. This is the first ever church plant that these men will be a part of. If it fails as the prototype then there is no backup plan. And so setting things up properly here is very important.

There is much here for us today:

• Jesus’ blueprint for ministry is instructive for us. The apostles have since left us, but the paradigm, the framework, the principles out which we do ministry today is in their tradition. In that way, it is instructive for us.
• Our calling is different. Our commission is different. We aren’t laying a foundation for the church. We don’t receive direct revelation from God. We can’t work miracles personally. And yet there is a great deal of overlap in how similar and related our ministry still is to that of the apostles.

Mark 3:13–19—13 And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons. 16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

Three Components of the Master’s Succession Plan (and the timeless truths that relate to our calling today)

1. The mandate (13-14a)
2. The mission (14b-15)
3. The men (16-19)

 

A Bible Exposition Of Mark 3:7-12

We return to Mark today after two months away. Jesus has been waiting patiently for us. We left him where the opposition against his life and ministry has intensified to the point of people plotting to kill Him. It was a pretty good place to pause our study because now Mark is transitioning into a new section of his recounting of the life and ministry of Jesus. It was an intentional stopping point because this serves as the perfect re-entry point.

As we dive back in we need to get our bearings on where we left off once again. Jesus has just finished round after round with the Pharisees. We know that they had sent some of their emissaries up to Galilee from Jerusalem to spy on Him.

Jesus is upsetting the synagogues as He goes about defying the tradition of man by honoring His heavenly Father. Mark organizes five situations that happened and packages them all together in this section:

• Forgiving and Healing the Paralytic (2:1-12)
• Calling Levi into Discipleship (2:13-17)
• Fasting & New Wine (2:18-22)
• Sabbath & the Grain fields (2:23-28)
• Sabbath Healing (3:1-6)

These are the arenas that the outright, in your face opposition to Jesus surfaces. This is the hostility that everyone could see. It was public. It was bold.

But, meanwhile there is an alternative to outright opposition. It isn’t in your face rejection. It is a subtle form of rejection. It is indifference. 

Not indifference as in a lack of passion or zeal. As we will see the crowds are filled with passion and zeal for Jesus. But when it comes to embracing Jesus, the Son of God, they are absolutely indifferent.

And so we will see as we have been that Jesus presents the dividing line. It comes down to who you believe He is, and how you respond to his identity. 

Most important fact about you is how you relate to Him!

In Israel right now admirers are many, but true worshippers are few. As we will see it is possible to be among God’s people, interact with Jesus, engage with Him, even have your life impacted by Him, and yet still remain separated from God… spiritually blind.

• Admirers are not the same as those who abandon all to follow Him.
• The crowds, (i.e., the masses) are so far away from understanding Jesus.

An important question for us to answer is: Why does Mark put this account here? 

The answer is because he is chronicling the rejection of Jesus by His own people. And what’s so applicable to us, is that it is possible to be face to face with Christ, and totally miss Him.

This is John’s testimony played out in real time:

• John 1:5—The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
• John 1:11—He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

Please hear this message today. Don’t disregard this message because you have heard Jesus preached about so many times before.

Mark Summarizes Two Inadequate Responses to Jesus (that provide clarity in assessing our own relationship to Him)

1. Misjudged yet admired by the masses (7-10)
   • Crowds are coming broadly (7-8)
   • Crowds are coming enthusiastically (9)
   • Crowds are coming superficially (10)
2. Recognized yet despised by the demons (11-12)

Mark 3:7–12—7 Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, 8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. 9 And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; 10 for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. 11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” 12 And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.

 

A Bible Exposition Of Romans 1:18-32

One of the most terrifying realities imaginable is the wrath of God. But so often when we think of the wrath of God, we imagine only the eschatological wrath of God, which will be poured out upon all of those outside of Christ in the day of final judgment. 

But the wrath of God isn’t just a future reality. In fact, the wrath of God is currently being poured out. So, what does this expression of the wrath of God look like? 

God pulls back His influence from a culture. He removes the restraint of sin. And God starts giving people what they want—more of their sin, and less of Himself.

As society is given over to sin, greater levels of degradation take place until mankind defiles both their bodies and their minds. Things go from bad to worse as the morality that once preserved a culture begins to dim.

This is a humbling truth. It is a truth that calls sinners to repentance, and reminds those who have been saved, what God has so graciously rescued us from. If it weren’t for sovereign grace, then we would be in the same place.

In this message, we will see:

2 Steps as The Wrath of God Is Expressed Upon a Culture

1. A Culture Denies the Reality of God—Reason for the Wrath of God on Unrighteous Suppressors (18-23)
   • Man Without Excuse
     • God’s Existence is Internally Visible (19)
     • God’s Existence is Externally Visible (20a)
   • Man Withholds Glory & Gratitude (21-23)
2. A Culture Loses the Reality of God—Revelation of the Wrath of God on Unrighteous Suppressors (24-31)
   • God Gives Them Over to Debauched Sexuality (24-25)
   • God Gives Them Over to Dishonorable Passions (26-27)
   • God Gives Them Over to Debased Minds (28-31)

Romans 1:18–32—18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

 

 

A Bible Exposition Of 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Grab your Bible this morning and turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 4:1. Today we are going to continue working through some areas of Christian living before we jump back into Mark’s Gospel.

This morning we are going to study the topic of sexual purity. Sexuality is a delicate topic. It is possible to mishandle the topic in a couple of ways. One way is to ignore it altogether, to say that is it uncomfortable so we are going to avoid it. But God deals with it so clearly in Scripture, we want to preach whole counsel, and we believe it is necessary to teach about.

The other way to mishandle the topic is to be undignified. In other words, to spend too much time in unnecessary details, or to make light of certain elements. But when God addresses sexuality it isn’t flippant or crass, or overly detailed… there is a measure of dignity and restraint.

So this is the same approach and balance we are striving for. Today’s message is a bit of a heavy one. It is sobering. Note I didn’t say depressing or discouraging. It is a message of hope and power, but it certainly isn’t light either.

I’m not going to spend time giving you statistics on internet pornography, or sexually transmitted infections, or human trafficking or abortion. Certainly the cost of sexual sin on society is profound. But statistics don’t contain power for change.

I’m not going to spend time giving you stories of how heartbreaking and damaging sexual sin is to individuals. That would awake your sense of emotion, but you would leave hear and not be convinced or compelled from Scripture.

Instead, what I aim to do over the next forty-five minutes or so is to equip your heart and mind with a right theology concerning sexuality. What we need is a renewed mind and heart.

Our understanding of sexuality as Christians is rooted and grounded in theology. Namely, that we are created by God. He sets the boundaries, He defines our purpose, He determines the standards of what is in bounds and out of bounds. This is our starting point.

Furthermore, we are (if we are saved) in a relationship now with God through his Son Jesus Christ. And because we belong to Christ now, every part of our lives is connected in relationship to Him. We live now, not for ourselves, but by faith, for Him.

And so today isn’t going to be tips and tricks. I’ve shared before I marvel at the un-helpfulness of some of the writing on this topic. I say unhelpful because it focuses on efforts to control the flesh by implementing a system.

Fight sexual sin by installing a filter on your computer, and having an accountability partner, and don’t compliment people of the opposite sex. Those aren’t bad things if you want to do them, but they have zero power. 

They are all in effort to do something in the flesh to control a spiritual issue.

Paul’s approach is theological. No practical guidelines. No strategies. Instead he is going to define the standard, the remind the Thessalonians where the power for change exists.

Paul brings Trinitarian theology to bear on sexual ethics. You have the Trinity at your disposal. The Father’s revealed will and calling upon your life, a new identity gifted to you by the Son to whom you are now united, the power of the Spirit that lives within you working and willing in your behalf.

This morning we will be in 1 Thessalonians. Paul is writing to a church that he loved very much. He had spent time ministering there, and then had been away for some time.

Paul had sent Timothy to Thessalonica (3:1-2) who brought the report back to Paul of how the church was doing. Apparently as we will find out today, this little flock needed to be reminded concerning sexuality and what pleases God.

Paul’s thesis: if you are a new creature in Christ, then make sure not to return to your old ways of viewing sexuality, but instead grow in purity.

A message like this is timely for us.

We live in a culture that is increasingly calling evil, good, and calling good, evil. There is a celebration and affirmation of things that are base, and defiling and degrading. 

You can hardly open your web browser to read the news without being bombarded by the enticements of base things that shouldn’t even be named among the people of God. Headlines day after day throughout our nation are chronicling the decline, which is happening at an unprecedented rate.

But as bad as you might think our culture is, we aren’t to the point of Greece and Rome. Thessalonica had digressed and was more debauched than modern American culture is right now. There is nothing new under the sun.

But if we are going to be useful to Christ we need to understand the battle. We need to have the weapons in our arsenal to deal with the onslaught and honor Christ. We want to encourage one another in these things. 

See honoring the Lord in the arena of sexuality really comes down to believing what God says over the lies that sin promises to deliver on. And so when I use words such as battle and arsenal, what we are really talking about is truths that when accepted by faith, will conquer the lies that you are tempted to believe.

And in a culture declining as rapidly as our is, we will need to be able to give these truths to those who come into the church with no understanding of a theology of sexuality.

Our outline today is…

8 Considerations to Progress Your Purity:

1. Consider Your Spiritual Mentors (1a)
2. Consider Your Previous Obedience (1b)
3. Consider Your Precious Savior (2)
4. Consider Your Father’s Will (3-5)
5. Consider Your Impact on Others (6a)
6. Consider Your Divine Accountability (6b)
7. Consider Your Calling to Purity (7)
8. Consider Your Indwelling Spirit (8)

A Bible Exposition Of 1 Timothy 4:6-10

A magazine editor named Geoff Colvin wrote a book titled Talent Is Overrated—What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else. The premise of the book is that genetics, while helpful are not what make high performers. So many of the greats weren’t “born that way.” 

Jerry Rice, for example, the greatest football player of all time—was slower in speed tests than top high school athletes. How could the greatest receiver in the history of football be slower than high school students and yet season after season set records?

It wasn’t merely work ethic. Many hard workers are diligent, but never excel. So in 20 years there isn’t much professional progress. Whatever level of expertise you had at the beginning after many years of doing the same thing you are at the same spot.

Colvin’s thesis is that the greatest achievers aren’t the fastest or the smartest in terms of IQ they aren’t the hardest workers, but they are the most focused people who have a discipline practice to achieve an outcome.

Amadeus Mozart was being trained by his father, an accomplished composer and music teacher beginning at age four.

Tiger Woods was trained starting at 7 months of age when he received his first golf club and his father would have him watch him putt for hours when he was a in a highchair… before he could talk.

Many of the greatest chess players in the world have average IQs, some even below average IQs. 

One of the biggest take-a-ways in the book is that we make excuses for why some people make progress and why we don’t. And his point is that progress and a measure of achievement exists if you are willing to work for it.

Many great achievers didn’t have great opportunities, or gifting. They aren’t the highest IQs. They didn’t have a silver spoon in their mouth. But they were focused and disciplined in how they trained to be successful.

What we are going to see in our passage today are some marks of a good minister. Some of the ingredients that make a great pastor (and by way of implication a great Christian).

It isn’t as we will see about your spiritual gifting or lack thereof. It isn’t about your station or calling in life. But a huge factor in your growth will be your personal discipline. Discipline is your level of self-control to achieve a desired outcome. 

Biblically speaking discipline is not optional for the Christian. And spiritual discipline is related to physical discipline, but they are not the same. Spiritual discipline relates to your thought life, your imagination, your desires, and your behavior.

A disciplined Christian brings those things under submission to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. And it is a key to growth in the Christian life. And for a pastor (or elder) it is a key ingredient to effectiveness. 

We all fall short in many ways. But this topic is vital, and it is such a worthy pursuit. With that being said let’s read our passage together this morning.

1 Timothy 4:6–10—6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. 7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

3 Marks of a Good Servant

     1.His Duty (6)

     2.His Denial (7a)

     3.His Discipline (7b-10)

A Bible Exposition Of 1 John 2:15-17

A Reader’s Digest article titled “The Anonymous Confessions of a Con Artist” 

 chronicles the saga of a heroin-addict-turned-con-artist who ripped off thousands of people to the tune of millions of dollars, and eventually landed himself in Federal prison. Years later he came out a changed man, and began a career working for the federal government to help train them on how to prevent fraud.

The article is fascinating. Known in the story only as “Jim” this man describes how as a child growing up in Brooklyn he learned to manipulate not only his friends and family, but the people in his neighborhood. He perfected the skill, and as a drug addict fed his need by continually using his skills of persuasion.

As a middle-aged adult he began his career of taking money from the masses. His target? Not the uneducated as some might assume. It was educated people that made his best victims. Doctors. Lawyers. Engineers. College Professors. People with $50k laying around, that would seem too smart to fall for a scam.

The process was simple. Run an infomercial on television promising a get rich quick scheme that required a significant initial investment. When they would call the call center (at one point receiving 10,000 calls per day), Jim was one of the closers who would get the yes and secure the funds.

This man ripped off thousands of individuals millions of dollars. And I’m sure that created hardships. Strained marriages. Debt. Perhaps even a suicide. How did so may people get ripped off? 

Jim’s approach was very simple. He said smart people get duped because he is playing on emotions not their intellect. Scams are never logical, but they are desirable. His approach was to find out what concerned his victim—someone who just lost their job and was financially unstable, or needed more money to pay for their kids college tuition—Jim would sympathize and then he promised them that he had a solution to make their problems go away. 

Jim knew how to exploit their vulnerabilities. He knew that within each of us is insecurities, fears, desires to feel good or safe or important. Jim’s scams never delivered anything he promised. All of his victims ended up worse than when they started.

But do you realize that these scams only impacted things that were temporary. At some point they were going to go away anyway.

Satan, is far craftier than any human con artist, and he has been applying his strategy to destroy humanity for millennia. He is a master manipulator. He understands human behavior. He knows how to get people vulnerable and what will appeal to their flesh. As the father of lies he knows just what you need to hear to give in to temptation.

Thank God that Jesus has overcome the world, including Satan. But he is nevertheless a formidable foe. And the reason Satan is so dangerous is because of our own hearts. Just like in our illustration—a person who was rational, asking questions, doing do-diligence was not going to be a victim. In fact, Jim said if people started asking any questions he would promptly hang-up. So Satan is only powerful because of our flesh. James says resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Today then we want to have our minds prepared for action… prepared for the truths that will protect us from the scams that we are so vulnerable to become victims of.

I titled this message, “Stripping the World’s Veneer” because that’s exactly what this is about. Veneer is a shiny surface that covers up what’s really going on underneath. What looks like real wood is actually particle board. Get it wet and find out.

We need the shiny veneer pulled off the spiritual scam so that we can see it for what it really is. 

Grab your Bibles and turn with me to 1 John 2:15-17.

John is going to help us understand Satan’s attack plan. And he is going to fortify our thinking about how to deal with the world. And he will put before us what we ultimately need if we will ever be immune to loving this world.

My goal (and John’s) is to wither the allure of this world. To see it dry up and wilt in light of God’s glorious worthiness. And I’m here to tell you that the only thing that could ever compel you to not love the world is to have a better love.

Sub-Introduction

1 John is a short letter written by John (the apostle who wrote the Gospel of John and penned the Revelation). John’s purpose in writing is so that his readers might know that they are saved (5:13). He gives three tests… 

Do you believe sound doctrine? 

Do you love the people of God? 

Do you obey the commands of God?

A Bible Exposition Of 2 Timothy 2:20-22

Our text today is in 2 Timothy. We will take a few minutes to set this letter up before we get into our passage.

This letter was written by the Apostle Paul to his trusted son in the faith, Timothy. The letter is directed to Timothy as an individual more than a broad letter to the church. Paul addresses it not to the believers or all the saints at Ephesus in 1:2, but to Timothy, my beloved son… Paul closes out the letter by saying in 4:22, The Lord be with your [singular] spirit... there is a plural form (ya’ll) but Paul uses the singular.

It is a personal letter. From a spiritual father to his spiritual son.

And this is a so-called prison epistle. Means a letter written from prison. Paul is in Rome right now in chains (1:16, 2:9). This is not the house arrest he was experiencing when he wrote Philippians. He is sitting in squalor in a dungeon that was likely underground, dark, overcrowded, full of filth and cold (4:9-13).

He’s about to die. In 4:6 he will say the time of my departure has come. Beautiful poetry. My ship is about to set sail. My ministry is ending. 

These are Paul’s dying words to a faithful friend. Context is huge. These words have some profound gravitas behind them. At the end of life you have winnowed away the chaff and focused on what matters most. You see through the fluff.

Timothy is probably mid-thirties right now. He is 15 years into ministry and likely began his tutelage under Paul when he was twenty. He is well equipped for the work he is called to. He is about as spiritually robust as they come.

Timothy has a sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5) 

Timothy is exceptional from the many servants Paul worked alongside in his selfless devotion to the interests of Christ and others (Philippians 2:20-22)

Timothy is called a fellow-worker by Paul (Romans 16:21)

Paul entrusted a vital ministry to him in Ephesus. And yet ministry has begun to wear on him. It is taking its toll on this pastor. There are significant issues going on in Ephesus right now. 

For all of his spiritual fortitude Timothy has human weaknesses. Clay feet we like to say.

He is still younger than many of the men whom he faces opposition with…

He is prone to illness and physical ailments (1 Tim. 5:23 “frequent”), 

He is probably somewhat timid by natural disposition

Opposition has brought weariness and discouragement. Possibly even a shrinking back from ministry altogether. Hymenaeus appears in both letters (1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:17). He won’t go away. And has others with him.

And so Paul has to encourage this pastor in his mid-thirties in the midst of his discouragement to rekindle the romance… kindle afresh the gift of God (1:6). Remember the high calling you have received and whom it is who has called you.

This is the first of 25 commands that Paul gives Timothy in this letter. Listen as I read a few of them to give you the flavor of what’s happening in Timothy’s heart and mind:

Don’t be ashamed (1:8)

Join in suffering (1:8)

Retain the pattern (1:13)

Guard the treasure (1:14)

Be strong in the grace of Christ (2:1)

Entrust these truths to others (2:2)

Suffer hardship (2:3)

Remember Jesus Christ (2:8)

Remind them of salvation in Christ and not to wrangle about words (2:14)

Be diligent to handle the word rightly (2:15)

Avoid empty talk (2:16)

Preach the word in season and out of season (4:2)

Combined with a reminder in 1:7 that the Spirit of God grants great power and love and discipline and boldness it is obvious. Timothy is in his younger years, facing an onslaught of opposition to faithfulness, and his spiritual father is trying to encourage him.

He has fears about his effectiveness. There is a perhaps a temptation to throw in the towel.

And the fact that Paul is nearing death ups the ante. Final instructions carry a profound weight. Give me a faithful saint nearing the end of this life’s mission and I’m all ears.

Primary context is related to pastors, but there are broad implications for all of us here. 

The thrust of what Paul is going to tell Timothy today is to focus on devoting Himself to Christ. Timothy, you keep your life set apart, and let God worry about how He uses you.

Paul wants to breathe life into his protégé. Focus on character and let God worry about your influence. Paul is encouraging him by giving metaphors of what it looks like to serve God faithfully:

The Dedicated Soldier (verses 3, 4)

The Law-Abiding Athlete (verse 5)

The Hardworking Farmer (verse 6)

The Unashamed Workman (verses 14–19)

The Clean Vessel (verses 20–22)

3 Lessons in Becoming Useful to the Master

     1.The illustration: two alternative lifestyles (20)

     2.The implication: spiritual usefulness comes from sanctification (21) 

     3.The instruction: pursue the Lord from a pure heart (22) 

In the fifth and final vignette of this section of Mark we see Jesus expose the pharisees’s pride which in turn shows their desire to kill Him.

A Bible Exposition Of Mark 2:23-28

We have a lot of ground to cover so we are going to dive in quickly. This is the fourth vignette in a series of five where Jesus goes toe to toe with the religious leaders in Israel. Things are heating up quickly and Mark is on the move quickly establishing this for us.

The danger for us is that if we have been in Christ for any length of time, there is such familiarity with the words and the stories and the accounts, and sometimes we can almost dismiss the realities taking place here.

But these situations are raw and intense. The modern-day equivalent would be Jesus attending some gathering of pastors and priests and clergy. To a watching world it would be the spiritual leaders. And yet as He dives in He finds false systems of works righteousness, unbelief, confusion about the true Gospel.

And instead of exercising compassion, Jesus angrily indicts and challenges these pastors and priests. He is incensed because the spiritual leaders are misleading the masses. They are self-satisfied in their own righteousness.

The rebukes are public. They are piercingly clear and embarrassing for those who are indicted. He is cleaning house. This is the imagery of the lion and the lamb. Jesus is not soft, gentle, reserved, or tender right now.

He is angry. He is disturbed and perplexed. He is shrewd in His communication—to the point of belittling with sarcasm. It is motivated by a zeal for God. The Scriptures say that Jesus was consumed with this zeal (John 2:17, quoting Psalm 69:9).

In other words, Jesus heart and mind were so closely aligned with the purposes of God, and these leaders were so opposed to that purpose, that the righteous response was indignation. And so Jesus doesn’t help or encourage, but He admonishes (1 Thessalonians 5:14). 

Today He is going to provoke conflict.

Sub-Introduction

We are going to take some time to set this thing up and then the text is going to unfold so naturally for us. Track with me for a little bit, while we bring ourselves up to speed on the original context. 

I’m going to take a while to explain the background to the Sabbath in v. 23 and then it’s all going to flow once we have that established in our minds.

5 Parts to the Sabbath Showdown 

     1. The innocent deed of eating (23)

     2. The incredulous accusation of lawbreaking (24)

     3. The insightful lesson from the Old Testament (25-26)

     4. The initial purpose of the Sabbath (27)

     5. The incredible claim of Jesus’ Lordship (28)

23 And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And He *said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”