God knows, God cares and God rules are promises for me during these perplexing times. I can go even further and believe that God has designed this time as a blessing not a curse. How can I believe this? I believe His blessings flow as we allow the Lord to mold us and make us after His will. The Bible gives us clear behaviors to emulate during our current Coronavirus crisis that bless us and bless those around us. They are found in 1 Thess 5:16-18.

Mark continues to show his readers that Jesus Christ, the Son of God has the power and authority that goes along with His title. Jesus knew in the next encounter that His words and actions would cause the Pharisees outrage beyond comparison and would eventually lead to His death. Jesus called Himself Lord of the Sabbath, again making Himself equal to God. This event drove the Pharisees to begin to plot how they might kill Him.

Mark is declaring from his first words that Jesus Christ, the Son of God is in fact God in the flesh, or God in a bod! Mark supports that claim by recording Jesus’ authority over Satan, disease, sin and with his very words. Now Jesus is really going to make His opposition angry by claiming authority over the Law He spoke to Moses!

What is mankind’s greatest need…Peace? Saving planet earth? Morality? Social responsibility? Love? Happiness? Simply put, mankind’s greatest need is to escape the wrath of God poured out on sinners eternally in hell. Mark begins his book by sharing “the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” He has recorded Jesus’ coronation, His authority over Satan, demons, disease., and His teachings are with authority. In our Bible passage we read that Jesus has authority to forgive sin.

Mark is writing to show us that Jesus Christ, the Son of God is our new King from heaven. The groundwork was laid by John the Baptist. After the King’s coronation attended by the Trinity, Mark immediately records King Jesus’ authority over Satan in the wilderness, Now Mark begins to explain how Jesus is making His Kingdom strategy known.

Mark begins his account of Jesus Christ , the Son of God not with angels and genealogies, or Mary and Joseph, or shepherds and wise men. Mark begins when Jesus is 30 (Lk 3:23) at His first public event. Mark begins with the authority of this promised King.

I'd like to be a fly on your wall during your Sunday lunch! If the topic of church came up, what might I hear?

The hymns were beautiful…too long…not peppy enough…

The prayers were right from the heart…too long…forgot to mention my request…

The sermon really spoke to me…was too long…boring…too much Bible…not enough application…

The treats were really tasty…not healthy enough…not homemade…

In every home there would probably be a little of each of these comments! If I may be so bold, may I suggest one question that might be raised at Sunday lunch…it’s found in James 1:22-25 and it’s the theme for 2020.