Grasp the Bible

Welcome to episode 93 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Mark, covering chapter 14:53-72.  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we look at Jesus’ trial before the religious leaders and Peter’s actions.  We will cover: 

• Jesus is denied by his follower [Part 1] (vv. 53-54) 
• Jesus is denounced by his foes (vv. 55-65) 
• Jesus is denied by his follower [Part 2] (vv. 66-72) 

Key takeaways: 

• Though seemingly a disaster for Jesus, God’s plan of redemption moves forward toward his death as a ransom for sins. 
• Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin is hardly a legitimate trial, since the goal is simply to find sufficient evidence to put Jesus to death. 
• Jesus’ immediate vindication will come when he ascends to the right hand of God. His ultimate vindication will occur when he comes in glory to judge and to save. At that time, those who are presently standing in judgment over the Son of Man will be judged by him.   
• We talked last time about Jesus’ humanity on display in the Garden of Gethsemane.  And in the passage today, we see his deity.  The apparent tragedy unfolding in Mark’s gospel is all part of God’s plan of salvation. 

Quotable: 

• Jesus represents the model disciple who refuses to deny his calling despite persecution and even death. 

Application: 

• Jesus’ messianic purpose is not to conquer the Romans, but to suffer and die as a ransom for sins. 
• All of us have experienced failure at various times in our Christian lives, whether by falling into sin, allowing our relationship with God to grow cold, or keeping silent about our faith at times of doubt. Peter’s story reminds us that God loves us despite our failings, and like the loving father in the parable of the prodigal son, He is always waiting with open arms to welcome us back into full fellowship with Him. 

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Welcome to episode 92 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Mark, covering chapter 14:32-52.  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we conclude our discussion on Jesus’ Olivet Discourse and cover: 

• The agony of Jesus (vv. 32-42) 
• The arrest of Jesus (vv. 43-49) 
• The abandonment of Jesus (vv. 50-52) 

Key takeaways: 

• Jesus’ experience in the garden of Gethsemane reveals his true humanity and faithfulness to the Father’s will and stands in stark contrast to the spiritual and physical dullness of the disciples. 
• It is ironic that Jesus is delivered over by Judas to sinners, but also by God for sinners. 
• The theme of God’s sovereign purpose continues in this episode as Jesus again points out that all that is happening—even his betrayal—is the fulfillment of Scripture and part of God’s saving purpose. God will accomplish His plan despite and even through the evil actions of sinful human beings. 

Quotable: 

• Jesus had to be fully human so that he could be our substitute. 

Application: 

• Jesus’ prayer represents a model for believers in that Jesus brings his needs and desires to God but emphasizes most of all his submission to God’s will. Prayer should not be focused primarily on getting what we want, but on aligning our will with God’s. 
• The various actions taken by those present also provide us with examples of inappropriate responses to Jesus: 
• Outright rejection. Judas, the religious leaders, and the crowd represent complete rejection of Jesus and his claims related to the kingdom of God 
• Abandonment. Another inappropriate response to Jesus is seen in the disciples, who, though vehemently proclaiming their allegiance, flee the scene at the first sign of trouble.  When temptations, difficulties, or hardships come, they decide it is not worth it and move on to other self-help fads. 
• Inappropriate action. The disciple who draws his sword to strike has good intentions—to advance Jesus’ cause—but uses inappropriate means to do so. Many people in this world seek to promote the Christian faith, but do so in inappropriate ways or with the wrong motives. 

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If you haven’t already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider. 

Welcome to episode 91 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Mark, covering chapter 14:1-31.  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we conclude our discussion on Jesus’ Olivet Discourse and cover: 

• The plot [part 1] (vv. 1-2) 
• The preparation (vv. 3-9) 
• The plot [part 2] (vv. 10-11) 
• The Passover meal (vv. 12-26) 
• The predictions (vv. 27-31) 

Key takeaways: 

• If one theme holds the narrative together, it is the sovereign purpose of God, who is accomplishing His saving work through His servant, Jesus the Messiah. 
• Jesus came for a purpose far greater than feeding the poor, healing the sick, and raising the dead. He came to bring reconciliation between God and His creation. 
• Meals were rituals of social status in the Mediterranean world, and to share a meal indicated trust and friendship. Because Judas is at the meal with Jesus, this is the worst kind of betrayal, coming from a close friend and confidant. 
• Just as a blood sacrifice sealed the first covenant, so Christ’s death seals or ratifies the new covenant.  Jesus’ one sacrifice will provide atonement for all. 
• Since Jesus is bodily present, his disciples would not have thought that he was saying the bread had literally become his body. In the same way, since Judaism forbade the drinking of blood, the disciples would not have thought the blood was literal.  The bread and the cup signify, or represent, his body and blood. 
• Whether called the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, or Communion, the ritual Jesus inaugurated at his last Passover is the most significant worship experience for the church today. 

Quotable: 

• God is sovereignly at work, even through those who oppose or fail Him.  God’s purpose is accomplished despite and even through the evil intention of sinners. 

Application: 

• While both evangelism and social concerns are essential tasks for churches, this passage reminds us that our ultimate purpose in life is to worship God and give Him the glory. 

Connect with us: 

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Welcome to episode 90 of Grasp the Bible.  Since it is January 2023, Pastor Darrell preached a two-part series called New Year, New You.  The first week, he talked about having a new focus through having a persistent prayer life.  Today, he talks about new friends.  The primary passage is 1 Samuel 18:1-3.

Key takeaways: 

1.   Real friendships overlook differences 

2.   Real friendships lookout for one another 

3.   Real friendships look to carry on the blessing 

Quotable: 

We can have friends who are very different from us when we focus on the person and not everything else around the person. We need to separate the person who
has such great value from the circumstances, values and beliefs that they hold.  

Application: 

·      What if we kept our beliefs intact, but we just listened and got to know other people?  

·      What if we weren’t threatened by someone else’s viewpoint?  

·      What if we used social media to make friends rather than enemies?  

·      What if we looked at getting to know the person rather than ignoring them because we disagree on a particular matter? 

·      Friends call you up when you’re hurting.  

·      Friends push you to take a step of faith.  

·      Friends help you stay connected to the church.  

·      Friends are examples of what you should be in your marriage, family, and career. 

Connect with us: 

Web site:  https://springbaptist.org 

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Need us to pray for you?  Submit your prayer request to https://springbaptist.org/prayer/ 

If you haven’t already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider. 

Welcome to episode 89 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our 4-week series on Advent.  Today we will talk about the love that God showed by sending His son in this week 4 episode.

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Welcome to episode 88 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our 4-week series on Advent.  Today we will talk about the joy we experience at Jesus' birth in this week 3 episode.

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If you haven’t already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider. 

Welcome to episode 87 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our 4-week series on Advent.  Today we will talk about how we prepare ourselves for Jesus' birth in this week 2 episode.

Connect with us: 

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Welcome to episode 86 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we begin a 4-week series on Advent.  Today we will talk about the history of advent, what it is, and the theme for week 1.

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Welcome to episode 85 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Mark, covering chapter 13:24-37.  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we conclude our discussion on Jesus’ Olivet Discourse and cover: 

• The second coming of Christ (vv. 24-27) 
• The Parable of the Fig Tree (vv. 28-31) 
• The Parable of the Alert Servants (vv. 32-37) 

Key takeaways: 

• From Mark’s perspective, the destruction of Jerusalem is direct vindication of God’s saving work through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah and also the precursor and preview of the consummation of the kingdom of God at the second coming. 
• The elements of creation go into confusion and fear because Jesus appears, not as a sign that he is about to do so. 
• Jesus’ use of the title “Son of Man” up to this point in Mark has mostly concerned the Son of Man’s authority on earth (2:10, 28) and his coming suffering.  The emphasis here is on revelation and vindication. 
• The only purpose of Jesus’ coming mentioned is the gathering of the scattered elect.  The purpose of the Son of Man’s return is to save and vindicate “his chosen ones.” 
• The parable of the fig tree relates to the destruction of Jerusalem and confirms that it will be preceded by signs to be recognized and will occur within the generation of the disciples. The second, the parable of the owner’s return, relates to the uncertain time of the return of the Son of Man and the end of the age. 

Quotable: 

• Although we are uncertain about when Christ will return, we are certain that he will return. 

Application: 

• Jesus’ parable of the servants calls for constant vigilance in light of the uncertainty of the return of the Son of Man and the end of the age. 
• Preparation for Christ’s return is not about calculating the date of Armageddon or linking world events to the fulfillment of biblical prophecies. It is about letting our spiritual lights shine by bearing the fruit of the Spirit. 

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If you haven’t already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider. 

Welcome to episode 84 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Mark, covering chapter 13:1-23.  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we discuss Jesus’ Olivet Discourse: 

• The introduction (vv. 1-4) 
• Signs that do not signal the end (vv. 5–13) 
• Warnings related to Jerusalem’s destruction (vv. 14-23) 

Key takeaways: 

• The Olivet Discourse is one of the most difficult texts in the New Testament.  Studying it requires humility and a willingness to admit that we do not know everything. 
• The central theme is a call for watchfulness, perseverance, and faithfulness in the face of coming crises. 
• Jesus warns his disciples to watch out for false messiahs, catastrophic events, and severe persecutions. 
• Jesus describes events that do not herald the end of time, but instead are part of the normal course of human history. 
• It seems that Mark sees the events Jesus describes as near future (destruction of the Temple in AD 70) and far (the return of Christ). 

Quotable: 

• The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Application: 

• Total allegiance to Jesus as Lord and a corresponding unwillingness to worship rulers and ideologies of this world will result in hatred from the general population.   
• False teachers will always be among us.  The focus and center of our faith must be Christ himself, not any human leader. 
• The natural tendency of human beings is to believe that catastrophic events threatening our own lives are also signs of the end of the world.  If my world is falling apart, then the entire world is. 
• Even in a passage full of end times images like this one, the message is not to calculate the end, but always to be alert and ready, living a life of spiritual preparation. 

Connect with us: 

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Need us to pray for you?  Submit your prayer request to https://springbaptist.org/prayer/ 

If you haven’t already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider.