Christ the Liberator: Chapter 5

This week we began a new section of the Jesus Christ study, Paul's letters. Paul is indignant with the "foolish Galatians" because they are beginning to rely on themselves and their own acts to become righteous. Paul strongly reminds the Galatians that doing so would ensure their condemnation.

Are we that much different from the Galatians? Have we forgotten what it was when Christ entered our lives, how we were filled with the Spirit , and how we relied fully on him as the crucified savior and the one who took away all of our sin?

As I began studying this week, two images of "freedom" were stuck in my mind. They were both images from the Newseum's "Freedom Walk."

The first was a chunk out of the Berlin Wall:



The second was an upside down lawn mower chassis that was turned into a boat for a refugee who sought freedom from Cuba in the United States:

It was nearly time for church when God demonstrated two very interesting parallels between these images and our lesson.

1. The Berlin Wall

• The Communist built a wall in order to make their law stronger. But its effect didn't make for a stronger Germany or even a stronger East Germany. It's effect was to prevent families from reaching one another, to prevent friends from having relationships, and to create a form of slavery.
• This is what the Law can do to us if we try to obtain righteousness on our own. Reliance on the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ's crucifixion is the only way we will ever be righteous.
• This isn't to say that the law shouldn't be followed, as the Holy Spirit will help conquer the sins of the flesh. But, the key is to have our hearts in the right place. The key is recognizing that it is by faith that God counts us as righteous and it is by Christ's blood that the curse of the law was removed from us.

2. The Lawn Mower, turned Boat

• Imagine what it must have been to feel oppressed by a harsh dictatorship for your entire life. Imagine how badly Cuban refugees wanted to get to the United States. So badly, actually, that they would willingly risk their lives for freedom by traversing 90 miles of turbulent, shark-infested waters just to get a taste of freedom.
• Isn't that what Paul is saying in Galatians 3 and 5? With the transforming nature of our conversion and with Jesus Christ as the Great Liberator, shouldn't we have this amazing desire to be free? Would we traverse 90 miles of ocean in a tiny, one man boat made of a lawn mower so that we could taste the liberation given to us by Jesus?
• If so, then why would we ever try to earn that righteousness on our own? As soon as we try to earn righteousness, we are slaves again and not at all free. Yes, we become slaves to the law because if we don't follow every word of it, we will be cursed.
• So, let's have a joyful, emotional, powerful desire to allow the Holy Spirit power in our lives to battle against the desires of the flesh. In this way the fruits of the Spirit will ripen within us. Let's also have a joyful, emotional, powerful desire to be truly free from the curse of the law and reliant on Jesus Christ as a part of our identity.

So, read and pray over the scriptures:

Galatians 3:1-14 (click hyperlink) and Galatians 5:13-18 (click hyperlink)

Remember the following:

1. We cannot rely on ourselves for righteousness. Have faith in the power of God through Christ's crucifixion.
2. We must rely on the Spirit to give us strength to battle the desires of the flesh.
3. Then we too shall become sons and daughters of God.

Your turn, now. Please post comments on ways we can live according to the freedom we have received in Christ.

In Him,

The Word Became Flesh...

So, if you were in our Congregational Community this Sunday, you heard me talk about this already, but let me paint the picture of my life being a reflection of worldliness. Maybe this happens to you on occasion.

I started this week feeling tired, selfish and bitter which is a cycle that maybe I find myself in too often. It is a worldly cycle. Mind you, you need not be bitter to be worldly...but to be caught up in a world for yourself - personal accomplishment, happiness, materially-focused, creating idols of family or friends - now that is being of the world. So, that's where I was last Monday and Tuesday - completely caught up in mind and in spirit in the flesh. Oh, and let's add to this that I was trying to prepare a lesson on who is Jesus Christ according to John 1:1-14.

So, I suggest we all go back and read / pray over those scriptures. Do you see the same contrast I was feeling?! I was completely caught up in worldliness, but not in the world God created...a world where "All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that has been made." Yes, a world where Christ preceded creation, a world where Christ was a part of the plan for this world long before he ever became flesh and dwelt among us, a world where God and the Word ("who was with God and who was God") had a greater plan for creation than a plan for us to live for ourselves.

So, the contrast to me was amazing. Rather than living from a worldly perspective, I prayed that God would lead and teach on Sunday and that I, and my worldliness, would fade to the background. And here is what he revealed about Christ:

• As already mentioned, Christ was a part of creation
o He was involved and vested in the plan for this world (which, amazingly, included his life and death )

• Jesus is the giver of life
o He gives to us a life of completion, a life of joy and a life of peace
o He was God and he dwelt amongst us and related to us
o He was God and he was tempted in the flesh and fought the same battles we fight every day by ignoring his own royal nature and coming to live in the world and to be with us
o He wants a relationship with us. He had a relationship with God since before creation and he came to earth to dwell with us and to relate to us and with us

• Jesus is the light
o The light shines in the world and, though the world doesn’t understand it, he is what gives us life
o John the Baptist gave testimony to this light not because God needs it, but because the world needs it

So, what does that mean for us? I suppose it means quite a bit, but let's sum it up with three points:

1) It means that we can enjoy and appreciate this life that God has given us in Christ.

2) It means that we should live our lives as a testimony, not to ourselves and not for other people's pleasure, but as a testimony to the light which is Jesus Christ.

3) We also know that through prayer and devotion, we should have a relationship with God where we talk and listen because he does care for us. And we should be grateful and praiseworthy in our devotions to the life we receive through Christ in the midst of this world (which, unknown to most, is not life, but death).

So, for me, personally, what did I learn? I was made aware that I can often be drawn to a self-centeredness, and toward a life where God is a supplement to me. Maybe it makes me bitter one day, proud another, and, scariest still, is yet another day where I'm indifferent altogether to my egocentrism and to the contrariness this is to a life in Christ. I learned that I need to focus more on who Jesus Christ is - not a supplement to me, but a part of our God, one who took part in creation. He is one who took on the same mind, body and flesh and humbled himself for our sakes. So, I too will work to be grateful for the life I have in him. I too will work to focus my devotion time so that it has a grateful, praiseworthy relationship-driven aspect to it. And, I too will work to improve on my attitude so that my life can be a testimony to the light.

Amen.

I. Introduction

1. Mark is considered the “earliest” of the Gospels

• Scholars tend to believe that the authors of Matthew & Luke used Mark as a reference to some degree as part of their research
• Addressed to the Church in Rome (or Italy in general)
  John Mark was an interpreter for Peter on his travels (very possible that John Mark interpreted Peters epistles to Asia)
• This Gospel is obviously written to a gentile audience; many Jewish terms are interpreted

Major Themes of Book of Mark

• Jesus as the true Israelite (we talked about this last week)
• Jesus as the Son of God (again, last week)
  The Gospel as the Power of God – Mark emphasizes the importance of preaching and teaching
• Mission to the Gentiles – Mark emphasizes Jesus’ interest in the Gentiles and the validity of the church’s mission to the Gentiles
  

II. First: Peter’s Confession

1. Jesus asks, “Who to men say that I am?” – Does He ask this for informational purposes??? No!
   • If no, why would He ask His disciples a question to which He already knows the answer???
   • Christ asked them so that they would hear the answer and observe Peter’s confession themselves!
   • Key: What we say and do are usually different things.
   • Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ; Matt Ch 16 includes Jesus’ statement that God has revealed this to Peter and praises Peter’s confession
   • Mark’s version does not include this praise; again, perhaps it is Peter’s humility that causes John Mark to leave this out
2. After teaching them of His coming trial & death, Peter rebukes Jesus
   • Caveat: Peter is leading with his concern for Jesus’ well-being, BUT he is not exercising the belief to which he just confessed!
   • Do we identify with Peter? – I do; I often declare my love for Christ in one breath and disobey him with the next
3. What presuppositions or pre-conceived notions do we have about God/Jesus?
   i. Society – distant; not all powerful; not the Creator
   ii. How does this affect our belief system? Does society’s worldview affect our own?
   e) This is why Jesus, in verse 30, instructs them not to reveal who He really is!
   • Jesus does not want any political notions of the Messiah to compromise His ministry; His true calling is to serve and suffer – not solve political/military concerns!
   • Is it any wonder when the leader of the disciples (Peter) can’t believe the very words from his Savior’s mouth that Jesus would instruct them in this way?!
   

III. Second: True Discipleship

• As Christians, how are we to behave?
• Deny ourselves – humility
• Take up our cross – bear the burdens of others / Christ
• Follow Christ – obedience, worship, see Christ in our lives
• Lose our lives (not necessarily literally) for Christ

• Socially
• Financially
• Professionally
• Who has experienced any of these?

• What does this kind of Christian not look like?
• Desires
• Prayer life
• Relationships
• Actions

• As we are saved in Christ, we also take part in His suffering
  • Again, we look at Peter, in I Peter 4:12 – “Beloved, do not think it is strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”
  • Key: Peter speaks from experience as one who was given the chance to stand up for Christ (after his trial), failed (3 times), was restored by Christ, and prevailed in the end
• What does it mean to lose one’s life?
  • Not profit for one’s self – doesn’t mean that you should neglect your basic needs altogether
  • Do all for God’s glory – realize that we are in the positions we are in because it brings God the glory (His purposes)
  • Serve others
  

IV. Wrap-up

• How does Christ’s instructions on discipleship affect us in our day/time?
  • David Whitehead – “Unfortunately, we live in an age where Christianity has become a product. From Christian mints to bobble head Jesus, the faith has been commercialized to the point that we go to the church of our choice, we rate the preacher or music, we’ll even opt for online community because sacred space and live people seem too inconvenient. We’ve created a consumer Christian who, according to recent polls, is more dissatisfied with their spiritual walk than ever. But the true Christian message is one of denial, not convenience. A cross-less Christ becomes stale bread and cheap wine. It has not power and therefore can be easily parodied and marketed.”
• What is the good news?
  • (v 38) He is coming back in full glory for His people
  • There is forgiveness and redemption in spite of our worst sins (see Peter)
  • Eternally, we are all gaining even though we are constantly struggling.
  

John Stott's "Jesus Christ" - Lesson 1

I. Introduction

1. There are over 100 names for Jesus in the Old & New Testament
2. The book of Matthew was written for the church at Antioch - Jewish & Gentile audience
3. Matthew establishes Jesus' birth, life, & ministry as a fulfillment of the OT

II. Matthew 1:1-17 - Fulfillment of Prophecy

1. Matthew traces Jesus' lineage back to Abraham & David - fulfillment of OT
2. Jesus is identified as "Christ" or "Messiah," which means anointed one
3. As anointed one, just as in the OT, He fulfills the offices of prophet, priest, and king

III. Matthew 5:17-20 - Fulfillment of the Law

1. Jesus states He is the fulfillment of the Law
2. The Law is to be accomplished in its entirety; Jesus was not there to destroy the Law
3. Jesus calls out the Pharisees by declaring them unrighteous based on their hearts

IV. Matthew 21:28-45 - Fulfillment of the True Israel

1. Jesus declares harlots & tax collectors as more worthy of heaven than the chief theologians of the day (the Pharisees)
2. The Pharisees plot even more against Jesus after He convicts them and calls them out
3. Do we repeat this same behavior today?

V. Take-away

1. What are we to do about the Lord and His ministry? - Look at the Ascension (Acts 1:4-8); we are to be filled with joy instead of asking what, when, where, how.
2. Jesus says, "Be witnesses to me."
3. We ought to be able to receive our Lord's grace and mercy, we well as, His correction while still declaring Him to the world.