Lessons for Living (Audio)

As we look at the life of Jesus, it is reasonable to ask why Jesus didn’t begin His ministry sooner. It seems He knew His calling at an early age, so why not begin then? Simply put, it wasn’t time yet. Pastor Mark will be reminding us that God’s will always includes God’s timing. Just as it was with Jesus, so it is with us. Thus, at the right time, Jesus began His ministry, calling people to repentance as well as warning them of the coming judgment. While some people don’t like to hear about judgment, the story displays Jesus’ love for the people in that he was willing to share the bad news alongside the good news despite the consequences.

It is common for one to be frustrated with their lot in life and to wish they had a different job or skill set. This sometimes leads to frustration with who we are, who we perceive that God has made us, ending with discontent on our part. Pastor Mark will be teaching on John the Baptist and his cousin, Jesus, and pointing out John’s satisfaction with who he was, even as he saw his followers leave him to follow Jesus. He understood that he had done the job God had made him to do, and he was content with that. We will be seeing how this lesson applies to us and the benefits of becoming content with who God made us to be.

It is common for one to be frustrated with their lot in life and to wish they had a different job or skill set. This sometimes leads to frustration with who we are, who we perceive that God has made us, ending with discontent on our part. Pastor Mark will be teaching on John the Baptist and his cousin, Jesus, and pointing out John’s satisfaction with who he was, even as he saw his followers leave him to follow Jesus. He understood that he had done the job God had made him to do, and he was content with that. We will be seeing how this lesson applies to us and the benefits of becoming content with who God made us to be.

Many that attend church services in America give little or nothing in monetary support to their “church home”. While the Jewish concept of tithing isn’t mandated in the New Testament, the concept of everything we possess ultimately belonging to God is supported. The apostle Paul stressed that we were to give with a cheerful heart and as we are able. Pastor Mark will stress that more than giving will be impacted by our repentance – we will see changes in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit will, if we let Him, come in and clean house inside us to the glory of God and as a witness to those around us of Christ’s transforming power.

Many that attend church services in America give little or nothing in monetary support to their “church home”. While the Jewish concept of tithing isn’t mandated in the New Testament, the concept of everything we possess ultimately belonging to God is supported. The apostle Paul stressed that we were to give with a cheerful heart and as we are able. Pastor Mark will stress that more than giving will be impacted by our repentance – we will see changes in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit will, if we let Him, come in and clean house inside us to the glory of God and as a witness to those around us of Christ’s transforming power.

All around us, commercials and marketing campaigns tell us how “special” we are and how valuable we are to the people trying to sell us stuff. Conversely, much of daily living tries to convince us that we have little value to the ones around us. People are bullied, taunted and ignored – often with tragic consequences. It was no different in the time of Jesus – they were ground down by the Roman government and daily life was rougher than most of us will ever know. Pastor Mark will be teaching on how the messages of John and Jesus told the people of the value that God saw in them and the hope they could have.

If you’ve studied the New Testament for any length of time you’re aware that the Jews of Jesus’ time were looking for the Messiah to be a conquering King who would overthrow the Romans and free them. As Pastor Mark will be reminding us, both Jesus and John the Baptist came with the message of the need for individual repentance and living a new life. Pastor will also be speaking about what repentance is and is not as well as teaching about the evidences of true repentance: being generous, honest, and content, being thankful and the like, and having a zeal for the things of God.

If you’ve studied the New Testament for any length of time you’re aware that the Jews of Jesus’ time were looking for the Messiah to be a conquering King who would overthrow the Romans and free them. As Pastor Mark will be reminding us, both Jesus and John the Baptist came with the message of the need for individual repentance and living a new life. Pastor will also be speaking about what repentance is and is not as well as teaching about the evidences of true repentance: being generous, honest, and content, being thankful and the like, and having a zeal for the things of God.

Jesus was often challenged by the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and astounded them with the answers He gave to their inquiries. The passage we’ve been studying under Pastor Mark, the book of Mark chapter two, indicates that Jesus’ source for wisdom was God the Father, not from Jesus’ God nature. He acquired this by asking God for wisdom, by trusting God to supply the wisdom needed for the situation. Jesus also grew in favor with man, by loving them and extending grace to all who sought it. Again, He is our example for life and we would be wise to apply His life lessons to ourselves.

Jesus was often challenged by the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and astounded them with the answers He gave to their inquiries. The passage we’ve been studying under Pastor Mark, the book of Mark chapter two, indicates that Jesus’ source for wisdom was God the Father, not from Jesus’ God nature. He acquired this by asking God for wisdom, by trusting God to supply the wisdom needed for the situation. Jesus also grew in favor with man, by loving them and extending grace to all who sought it. Again, He is our example for life and we would be wise to apply His life lessons to ourselves.