If God asked, "Ask! What shall I give you?," for what would you ask? Solomon's answer pleased the Lord. Be with us tonight as we begin our study in the life and times of King Solomon. Reading Scripture: 1 Kings 3: 1-15

"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home in Him" (John 14:23). When a person is "in Christ Jesus," he has been led by the Holy Spirit into a union which involves the Trinity. He is called by the Spirit, saved by the Savior, and declared righteous by the Father. To be "in Christ Jesus" (8:1) is to be "led by the Spirit" (8:14), who leads us to "cry out, Abba Father." Paul uses the Roman law of adoption to illustrate our new relationship with God the Father. To be adopted a child was brought into a Roman court, his former relationships would be dissolved, and the new father would declare the privileges of being joint heirs with the other children. Paul shows how life in the Spirit provides intimacy with the Father.

What a voyage! When Jesus got into the boat with His disciples, they had no idea what a wild voyage they would be taking. First, they feared for their lives in a violent storm. When they reached their destination, they were confronted by a man who was the terror of the town. They had survived a storm they could see. Now, they were confronted by a demonic world they could not see.

Jesus was under no illusion as to why He was drawing great crowds. Miracles of healing and casting out demons attracted much attention. There were three groups of people in the crowds. There were the curious hearers. Then, there were those who believed Him but were uncommitted in following Him. Finally, there were His disciples who had submitted to His teaching. The purpose of His parables is stated in Mark 4:11,12. Many would hear, but only those who believe in Him could understand the depth of His teaching. Those who were not committed to following Him cannot understand (Psalm 25:14). The parable of the sower is the only parable recorded by all three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). It is always the first parable and serves as a pattern for those which follow.

The Gospels are a proclamation of the "good news" of the Lord Jesus Christ, not a biography. He came to "seek and to save that which is lost" (Luke 19:10). Matthew states that His very name defines His mission: "for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:26). Jesus is the promised Messiah. In his Gospel, Matthew quotes or alludes to the Old Testament sixty-five times stressing that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises. In straight-forward fashion, Matthew states the circumstances of Jesus' birth. "Now this is what happened" (1:18).

Opposition to Jesus' ministry came in many forms. The crowds found Jesus and His disciples refreshing themselves in an unnamed person's residence. The familiar press of the crowds caused familiar problems.

Mark 3: 7-19 Knowing the hostility of the Pharisees, our Lord withdrew from Capernaum and sought more secluded areas around the Sea of Galilee. His withdrawal was not for fear. His purpose was to give Himself an offering for sinners. No one would deter Him from His path to the cross.

The book of II Samuel ends with a sad episode near the end of King David's reign. However, in all the confusion, we see God's hand at work and His plan for the coming Messiah. Be with us tonight as we continue our study in the life and times of a great, but flawed man.

The angel came to the shepherds with "the glad tidings of great joy." The term glad tidings (or good news) comes from the Greek word from which we get "evangelism." The Greeks used to proclaim news of victory or some other happy event. The angel came to the shepherds and proclaimed the good news of Jesus' birth. The promised Messiah had finally come! A world darkened by sin had received sin's remedy. In the Gospels and the book of Acts, the gospel (good news) was proclaimed. In the epistles, the gospel is explained. Paul alone uses the word over sixty times. "Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ; called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God...." "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:1,16).

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark introduces us to Jesus' early ministry in Galilee. In rapid fire fashion, the Lord Jesus is introduced, and the purpose of His ministry is stated (1:1-15). This is followed by the call of His first disciples and a series of miracles illustrating His authority, power and compassion (1:16-45). These momentous events caused such a stir in Galilee that Jesus and His disciples were forced to leave the area. After some time away, Jesus returned to His "home city" (Matthew 9:1) and resumed His preaching. The scribes and Pharisees were waiting for Him. Mark records a series of five separate conflicts Jesus had with these religious leaders. Interestingly, the first and fifth conflicts center around Jesus' authority and power to heal. The middle three center around food, fellowship, and provision for His followers.