Mark__4

ScriptureMark 4:38 “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” Observation-What does it say?Jesus and his disciples just finished a long day of ministry . It was evening time, so Jesus and his disciples got in a boat, and began to cross to the other side of the lake. While they began to cross the lake, a fierce storm came. High waves were breaking into the boat, and began to fill it with water. The disciples began to panic. They rushed to get Jesus for help. They found Jesus sleeping at the back of the boat in the midst of this storm. So the disciples woke Jesus up, and shouted, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to drown?” Understanding-What does it mean?Is there anyone else you would rather have in the boat with you during a storm?Jesus’ disciples have witnessed first hand some of the amazing things Jesus had done. From casting out demon possessed people, to healing all sorts of people with various sicknesses and diseases. Jesus performed miracles! Why were His disciples panicking and so frantic on the boat as the storm hit? Did they suddenly forget who was on the boat with them? Life ApplicationSeek Jesus first when life’s storms hit you.We can poke fun and laugh at the disciples all we want about their lack of faith, but if we were to look at our own lives, aren’t we the same way sometimes? I know I am. I know Jesus has gotten me through so many things in life. From my struggles while in the Marines, to my bout with Bells Palsy, through my financial debt, to the healings of not only my physical ailments, but my family’s as well. Jesus continuously comes through! Yet, when the next “storm” in my life arrives, there I go again, worrying, panicking, and forgetting who is on the boat with me. It’s quite silly when I think about it. It’s like I have short term memory or something! It’s almost as if the enemy wants me to forget all those miracles Jesus did for me so that I would rely on other avenues to deal with it. Just one problem though...not one of those avenues lead to Jesus! And why should I try these other avenues in life to help me through these storms?..When I have Jesus in my life! He is the One who has always been faithful to me. It would be foolish of me to go any other way. Why try to fight these “storms” in life on my own, or with anything else?..Especially when I have the God of the universe on the boat with me, who has the power to do ALL things!“When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”-Mark 4:39-41 -Moses Gaddi 

Mark_3

ScriptureMark 3:30-3530 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Observation- What does it say?Jesus had just appointed his 12 disciples and entered a house where a crowd had gathered. During this time, he was accused by His natural family for being out of His mind (vs. 21) and accused by the teachers in the law for being possessed by the devil and drawing His power from an evil spirit. Jesus put them in their place and then pointed out who His true brothers and sisters were….they were the ones who did the will of God. Understanding-What does it mean?Jesus works in community.Jesus’ community weren’t His natural family or the religious leaders of the time. His community were His 12 disciples and those who followed Him and listened to His teachings. His family and the church leaders of the time were actually the ones opposing Him! Life ApplicationLove your brothers and sisters in the Lord and stay connected to the Body of Christ, especially to those who live Spirit filled lives.Pastor Gary always says that a Christian without a Church family is a Contradiction. Putting God first on the throne of our lives is how we and the Body function in a healthy way. Here is what God’s Word says about loving the church (aka our brothers and sisters in Christ).His Word says in 1 John 4:19-21, "We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."The church (we, the bride) are not perfect, but Jesus is! We must stay connected together and forgive, reconcile differences and not give up meeting together, even if it is with 1 or 2 people for coffee and prayer. We need each other as much as we need Him. Jesus functioned in community when He was on earth because He chose 12 disciples. He continues to function in community through the Trinity. Let’s follow His example! “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 -Michelle Gaddi

Mark__2

Scripture  Mark 2:14-15 

As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.  And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. Observation-What does it say?  The book of Mark was most likely written by John Mark, a close associate of Peter.  This account of the life of Jesus Christ is a written version of Peter’s sermons to the early Christians and addresses their needs.  Evidence of Mark’s close ties to Peter, Paul and the early church comes several times throughout the book of Acts.  Mark even traveled with Paul and Barnabas during Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:5).  In the second chapter of Mark, we see the introduction of Levi, also known as Matthew (the author of the gospel).  Matthew was a tax collector, which was one of the most detestable groups of people.  “As a class, the tax collectors were hated by their fellow Jews. This was almost inevitable. They represented the foreign domination of Rome. Their methods were necessarily inquisitorial. That they often overcharged people and pocketed the surplus is almost certain. In the rabbinical writings they are classified with robbers” (biblegateway.com).  Jesus, through his interactions with characters like Matthew and Zacheous, showed his deep love for all humanity.  Additionally, Jesus proves himself to be a pursuer of the church, His bride, as described in the book of Song of Solomon.   Understanding-What does it mean?  As a young man I was quite persistent.  As I get older, that persistence looks a little more like stubbornness.  The persistence, though, is what made me successful as a runner.  My size, contrary to popular belief, makes me not very suitable to be a runner.  While my long legs could give me a longer stride, my height also gives me the disadvantage of carrying more weight than my competitors.  But, my persistence and my willingness to endure hardship also helped me to be able to outwork my competitors.My persistence also helped me marry a woman above my class.  When I began to show interest in my wife, she turned me down...a lot.  I asked Jen out for dates on several different occasions (somewhere north of ten times over a period of several months), before she finally told me yes.  If you ask her, she’ll probably tell you I pulled a fast one on her and left a bag in her trunk, which I needed to get and then had her cornered for a short period of time.  Luckily for me, my persistence paid off again.  Jesus is more persistent than me in His love for His chosen and beloved.  Where I would have taken a hint at some point, Jesus never took a hint, he showed His love for us and took it to the ultimate lengths by dying for us.  Jesus didn’t even care what people thought about his love.  He wasn’t ever embarrassed to be seen around those he loved.  He didn’t care about his reputation or his appearance, He just needed to be with the ones he loved, no matter what.  It didn’t matter to Jesus that Matthew wasn’t popular, He loved him anyway.  And Jesus loves us the same.  Jesus’ love knows no end. Life Application  Jesus, help me to love with abandon like you.  Help me to reach those who are on the fringes of society.  Help me to place the mission above my reputation.    
-Tyler Galloway