Grasp the Bible

Welcome to episode 42 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Mark, covering chapter 1:14-28.  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we discuss: 

• Proclaiming the kingdom of God (vv. 14-15) 
• Jesus calling four disciples (vv. 16-20) 
• Jesus in the synagogue (vv. 21-28) 

Key takeaways: 

• The period of preparation, that of ancient Israel and John, was complete. The divinely appointed time had come. The prophecies were being fulfilled in Jesus. 
• For Mark the “Kingdom of God” refers to a present, spiritual kingdom rather than a future, earthly one. The expression refers to the kingly rule, the reign, the dominion, the sovereignty of God in the hearts of people. 
• The kingdom of God in Mark must be seen as both a present reality and a future hope. It is “already” and “not yet.” The reign of God began to take place in the life and ministry of Jesus, but it was not fully manifested then and will not be until Jesus returns.   
• Jesus called people to repent and believe. 
• Jesus does not invite people to follow him...he commands them. 
• Things happened immediately around Jesus because he was empowered by the Spirit of God. 
• Jesus spoke with authority because he preached God’s Word, not about God’s Word. 
• It is very possible to recognize Jesus for who he is and hate him all the more. 
• The combination of teaching and miracle in the synagogue shows that Jesus was powerful in both word and deed. 

Quotable: 

If we want to communicate in our walk and talk, God’s authority must be part of our life. We need not so much to possess the message, but rather to let the message possess us. 

Application: 

• If the “Kingdom of God” has already arrived, why is there still sin in the world?  While it arrived with the birth of Jesus, it will not be fulfilled completely until his return. 
• Believing the gospel means affirming what God does, particularly when our expectations are not met. Repentance alone is not enough to save us, even though God expects believers to turn from their sins. 
• When a superior commands us to do something, we are supposed to do it.  Jesus commands people to follow him immediately, completely, and willingly. 
• Christ does transformational work in us and empowers us for his work when we are obedient to him. 
• Jesus calls his followers to minister in his authority. 

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Welcome to episode 41 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Mark, covering chapter 1:1-13 (the prologue).  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we discuss: 

• Jesus is the unique servant of God (v. 1) 
• John the Baptist prepares the way for the sacrificial servant (vv. 2-8) 
• The Presentation and Preparation of the Sacrificial Servant (vv. 9–11) 
• Testing the Sacrificial Servant (vv. 12-13) 

Key takeaways: 

• The point of these opening scenes is, therefore, to let the reader know from the start who Jesus is and to stress that he comes to fulfill divine promises and his divine commission. 
• Mark makes it clear from the beginning that the “Gospel of Jesus Christ” is the Good News that God’s Son has come into the world and died for our sins. 
• Mark’s theme is “Jesus Christ, the suffering servant.” 
• John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by calling the nation to repent. 
• Baptism was never practiced for Jews.  John’s practice and teachings completely upended how the Old Testament practices dealt with sin. 
• John’s actions readied the people to enter into a new covenant with Yahweh. 
• The voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism speaks words from the three sections of the Hebrew Bible:  The law, the prophets, and the writings.  Mark is demonstrating that Jesus fulfills all of them. 
• After his baptism, Jesus (the servant) had a job to do and was driven by the Holy Spirit to a desolate place to be tempted by Satan. 

Quotable: 

If we want to have more effect, we must humbly ask God to make our lives demonstrations of the truth of our message. 

Application: 

• Words are one thing.  Action is another.  But when our words align with our actions, our Christian witness is magnified. 
• Baptism is an outward symbol of the washing away of sin that Christ performs on the inside of us. 
• All of the Old Testament points to and testifies about Jesus. 
• Jesus’ encounter with Satan in the wilderness was not a one-time temptation.  Mark (and the other gospel writers) will show that the adversary continually confronts Jesus during his time on earth.  As Jesus followers, we should expect the same.  Satan does not give up on tempting us while we live on this planet. 

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Welcome to episode 40 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we begin our study in the Book of Mark, covering background information to the book.  The series is called “Get in, buckle up, and hold on!”  Today, we discuss: 

• Interesting facts about the book 
• Authorship 
• Genre 
• Place of writing and initial audience 
• Date 
• Occasion and purpose 
• Structure 

Key takeaways: 

• Mark was probably the first gospel written, with Matthew and Luke using much of his content. 
• Although the book does not provide the name of the author, early church historians stated that it was John Mark who wrote the book. 
• The gospels provide written records of the oral accounts of the life of Jesus and are unlike other biblical genres.  The gospels contain history, narrative, parables, prophecy, and end-times material. 
• Mark wrote to a Gentile (principally Roman) audience probably from Rome. 
• The date of the writing is uncertain, with some arguing for an early date (Mid 50’s - early 60’s), a middle date (Mid 60’s), and a later date (late 60’s or early 70’s). 
• It appears that Mark had several purposes when writing the book: 
• To collect and arrange various individual traditions 
• To develop his Christology (his understanding of the Christ) 
• To record what it means to be a disciple of Jesus 
• To clarify Jesus’ teachings about the future 
• Some divide the book along geographical lines while others opt for theological lines.  I argue for three acts: 
• Act 1:  Chapters 1 – 8:26 
• Act 2:  Chapters 8:27 – 10 
• Act 3:  Chapters 11-16 

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Welcome to episode 39 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we conclude our study in the Book of James, covering chapter 5.  The series is called “Having a faith that works.”  Today, we discuss: 

• Misused money (vv. 1-6) 
• Some good reasons for a good thing (vv. 7-12) 
• Concerning prayer (vv. 13-18) 
• Concerning the wanderer (vv. 19-20) 

Key takeaways: 

• Scripture never tells us that we should not save money.  But hoarding takes place when we continue to accumulate above and beyond that which is necessary. 
• The ungodly rich will continue to flourish in this sin-laden world, but their time will soon end when Christ returns as conqueror. 
• All believers must be trustworthy and stand by their word. There should never be a need for an artificial oath to supplement the dependency of their promises. 
• America needs more confessing churches and churches that engage in powerful prayer. 
• Many people today change what they believe to accommodate their moral behavior. We like the sins we participate in and seek to justify them so we can continue in them. 

Quotable: 

God rewards those who trust Him and remain faithful through misfortune and suffering. 

Application: 

• Believers are to be patient toward both outsiders who oppress them and insiders (other believers) who irritate them. 
• Patience is the self-restraint that does not retaliate. 
• Patience comes from God, and prayer is an effective way to obtain it. 

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Welcome to episode 38 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of James, covering chapter 4.  The series is called “Having a faith that works.”  Today, we discuss the outworking of worldly wisdom and cover: 

• The source of conflict (vv. 1-6) 
• The gravity of grace (vv. 7-10) 
• Finding fault (vv. 11-12) 
• Arrogant self-sufficiency (vv. 13-17) 

Key takeaways: 

• The struggle against the evil desires that are in all of us must be won daily and is accomplished by willfully and completely submitting to the Word of God. 
• Coveting is willingness to turn an earthly object of human desire into something of ultimate concern. 
• At times, we ask God for things to gratify ourselves, rather than to please and serve Him. 
• The world is the enemy of God, and whoever wills to be a friend of the world cannot be the friend of God. 
• When we slander others, we become a judge of God’s law. 
• To make plans without considering God’s plan is the same thing as arrogantly claiming to be in full command of the future. 

Quotable: 

God in grace gives His people the help they need to resist the appeal of the world and to remain loyal to Him. 

Application: 

• Prayer that is consistent with true faith will not make selfish requests. 
• When we ask God for things out of wrong motive or we ask for things to squander on our pleasure, we make God a dispenser of vices. 
• Without active faith, making prayerful request for wisdom from God, you will be at the mercy of your most base desires. 
• Unconditional surrender is the only way to complete victory. If there is any area of the life kept back from God, there will always be battles. 
• Humbling ourselves is a matter of relating whole-heartedly to God in recognition of His total claim upon your life. 

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Welcome to episode 37 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of James, covering chapter 3.  The series is called “Having a faith that works.”  Today, we discuss our use of speech and cover: 

• The importance of the tongue (vv. 1-2) 
• The illustrations of the tongue (vv. 3-5) 
• The incorrigibility of the tongue (vv. 7-8) 
• The inconsistency of the tongue (vv. 9-12) 
• Instructions for the tongue (vv. 13-18) 

Key takeaways: 

• Genuine religion should exert a controlling influence over a person’s tongue. 
• Those who teach will be judged more strictly than those who listen. The reason for this is that the teacher’s essential instrument—the tongue which is so easily misused, has great influence. 
• Just as the horse needs a guide, and the rudder needs a pilot, so our tongues need the Lord to control them.  Our problem is that the wrong captain is in control of our tongues. 
• There are few sins people commit in which the tongue is not involved. 
• People who would never think about setting fire to their neighbor’s house can and do commit spiritual arson when they slander and gossip about others! 
• Praising God and cursing men is tantamount to praising and cursing the same person, for in v. 9 James describes man as “made in God’s likeness.” 

Quotable: 

Your speech reflects what you are thinking and who you are. Evil speech comes from an evil heart, and the tongue is the mouthpiece of the heart. 

Application: 

• The kind of person you are determines the kinds of things you will say to others.  The fruit will flow out of the kind of tree that produces it. 
• You will never be able to control your tongue until you change your heart. 
• God’s people also are to be marked by consideration of others, not insisting on their rights according to the letter of the law, but exercising love’s leniency instead. 

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Welcome to episode 36 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of James, covering chapter 2.  The series is called “Having a faith that works.”  Today, we discuss: 

• Favoritism is forbidden (vv. 1-7) 
• Just judgment (vv. 8-13) 
• Practical proof (vv. 14-20) 
• Biblical basis (vv. 21-26) 

Key takeaways: 

• When we show favoritism, it makes us judges, and only God can honestly judge a person. 
• The “royal law” for the believer is the law of love (love your neighbor as yourself). It is called “royal” because it is the supreme law to which all other laws governing human relationships are subordinate. 
• The presence of love (or mercy) shows that God has performed a work of grace in the believer’s heart, making him or her like Christ. 
• James is considering man in relation to his fellowman, in which case works are the visible evidence of faith. 
• It is impossible to show faith without works, but it is possible to show faith through works. 
• The problem with those who give no evidence of faith, James says, is nothing less than this: they do not possess true faith. 
• Justification means to be declared righteous.  It’s not that we are righteous, for we still sin.  Rather, Christ’s righteousness is credited to us. 

Quotable: 

We do not have a works faith, but we believe that faith works. 

Application: 

• The right course of action is to show favor to everyone, whether they are rich or poor. 
• To violate God’s law at any one point is not to violate one commandment only; it is to violate the will of God and to contradict the character of God. 
• The cure for passing judgment on others is to remember that we must all face judgment ourselves. 
• Good works cannot produce salvation, but salvation most certainly produces good works.  Good works are a byproduct of saving faith. 
• Action is the proper fruit of living faith. 
• Deeds are the evidence that saving faith is present in a person’s life. 

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Welcome to episode 35 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we begin our study in the Book of James, covering chapter 1.  The series is called “Having a faith that works.”  Today, we discuss trials and temptations, treasure, trusting, treasure, and true religion and cover: 

• Background information 
• The theme of the book 
• Testing trials (vv. 1-8) 
• Temporary treasure (vv. 9-11) 
• Temptation truth (vv. 12-15) 
• Totally trustworthy (vv. 16-18) 
• Total transparency (vv. 19-20) 
• A treasure (vv. 21-25) 
• A tamed tongue (vv. 26-27) 

Key takeaways: 

• When God’s people go through personal trials, they discover what kind of faith they really possess. 
• It is in struggling against difficulty and opposition that spiritual stamina is developed. 
• Knowledge is information; wisdom is application. Knowledge is comprehending facts; wisdom is handling life. Knowledge is theoretical; wisdom is practical.  In this context wisdom is understanding the nature and purpose of trials and knowing how to meet them victoriously. 
• God sends trials to bring out the best in us, but Satan sends temptations to bring out the worst in us.  Temptation does not come from God because God cannot be tempted by evil. 
• The call to “do what it says” lies at the center of all that James teaches. It sums up the message of the whole book: Put into practice what you profess to believe. 
• It is not reading the Bible that makes a person happy; it is obeying what it says. 

Quotable: 

True faith is a faith that works. 

Application: 

• What is God’s purpose in trials? It is the perfection of Christian character in His children. He wants His children to be mature (perfect), and maturity is developed only in the laboratory of life. 
• Trials demand wisdom, wisdom demands prayer, and prayer demands faith. 
• Faith is not believing that God will do what we want done. Rather it is believing that God will do what He has promised to do. 
• The reception of the Word demands a readiness to listen.  It also demands restrained speech. A continual talker will not hear when God speaks to him. 
• The moral filth and the evil that is so abundant in our lives are to be stripped off like dirty clothes in preparation for accepting God’s Word. 
• The person whose religious experience is genuine will put spiritual truth into practice, and his life will be marked by love for others and holiness before God. 

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Welcome to episode 34 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we conclude our study of the Book of Jonah, covering chapter 4.  The series is called “God loves your enemies.”  Today, we discuss Jonah’s resentment and God’s compassion and cover: 

• Jonah’s twofold complaint (vv. 1-9) 
• God’s manifold compassion (vv. 10-11) 

Key takeaways: 

• Countless numbers of modern-day believers miss much of the joy of being involved in God’s wonderful work because of self-centeredness. 
• It is possible to obey God but to do so with such a degree of unwillingness and anger that, so far as we are concerned, the obedience is no better than disobedience. 
• This question is central to the whole book. “What right do we have to demand that God should favor us and not others? 
• God’s wish for His creation is salvation, not destruction. He will work to see that the salvation is accomplished if there is willingness on the creation’s part. 

Quotable: 

It is easier to assume that God is with “us” more than He is with our foes. 

Application: 

• We need to learn that we are not sufficient to pass on the appropriateness or inappropriateness of the outcome, nor are we responsible for it. We are responsible only for performing the whole will of God. 
• We ought to be careful when we become angry. We begin by being angry at big things, but quickly we become angry at petty things. First, we are angry with God. Next, we express our anger at circumstances, then minor circumstances. Finally, our shoelace breaks one morning, and we find ourselves swearing. 

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Welcome to episode 33 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study of the Book of Jonah, covering chapter 3.  The series is called “God loves your enemies.”  Today, we discuss how Nineveh’s revival shows God’s pardon and cover: 

• Jonah’s commission (vv. 1-4) 
• Nineveh’s confession (vv. 5-9) 
• God’s compassion (v. 10) 

Key takeaways: 

• Although God gave Jonah a second chance to do His will, not everyone is given such an opportunity. 
• God cares deeply for those outside of His will and He uses His disciples in the grand plan of reconciliation. 
• God’s compassionate heart is always sensitive to those who cry out for mercy. 
• God wishes not for the destruction of the sinner but for the redemption and reconciliation of all His creation. 

Quotable: 

We often base the fervency of our prayers on the urgency in our lives. 

Application: 

• Christians are called, like Jonah was, to deliver a message from God to a lost world (Matthew 28:18-20).  We are not to change or critique the message. 
• The Ninevites’ reaction to Jonah’s message is a blueprint for those who come to faith.  The response is inward, articulated, and outward.  To come to faith, we must believe in our hearts the person and work of Jesus, declare him to be so with our lips, and then put on the new self. 
• The task is not over when repentance occurs but only when the following generations have been discipled with the truth. 

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