Luke (Program #15) – The Ministry of the Man-Savior in Galilee (6)

Have you ever noticed that shortly after introducing and baptizing the Lord Jesus, John the Baptist himself was imprisoned and held there until he was beheaded? But during his imprisonment, the Lord Jesus was healing and liberating many oppressed and suffering people. Yet for John the Baptist He offer no such miracle. Even pressed to do so by John and some of His followers. What He did offer to John, was a very unique word that outwardly seem to offer no help. But likely became an inner strengthening to John, even through his martyrdom. We will look at this case and two other interesting cases from Luke chapter 7.

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Luke (Program #12) – The Ministry of the Man-Savior in Galilee (3)

In Luke’s gospel, we find the account of just how the Lord Jesus called and attracted many of His disciples and followers.  With some He performed mighty miracles, yet with others it was simply His word or His sympathetic care that captivated them and drew them out of whatever held them to follow Him and serve Him absolutely.  What about you?  Are you waiting for a miracle?  Or is the realization of what He has already done or even the promise of His sweet presence enough to cause you to want to give up everything and follow Him?

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Luke (Program #10) – The Ministry of the Man-Savior in His Human Virtues with His Divine Attributes in Galilee (1)

The Bible is full of inspiring stories recounting the miracles performed by the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry.  Surely this demonstrates Christ is none other than the Son of God.  Yet it’s interesting that many of the touching stories are the ones not demonstrate not His divinity but His humanity.  It is His humanity that attracts us and causes us to love Him.  The gospel of Luke is particularly meaningful in this regard for in Luke more than any other book of the Bible, we see Christ as the Man-Savior.

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Mark (Program #46) – A Life Fully According To and For God’s New Testament Economy (2)

Most readers of the Bible appreciate the gospel of Mark partially as a wonderful collection of the stories concerning the miracles of Jesus. But much more than the mere collection of the Bible stories, during the course of this life study of the book of Mark, we have been brought into the view, that what Mark really presents is the biography of another kind of person, another kind of living, another kind of humanity, another kind of life, the life of the Godman, Jesus Christ. He was one Who fully rejected His natural life, even allowing that He would be put to death in every way. Instead He lives moment by moment by the very divine life that was also present within Him.

This brings up for our consideration today a profound and utterly crucial question, do we have the realization that the divine life of God is also present within us, and available for us to live by moment by moment?

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Mark (Program #29) – The Preparation of the Slave-Savior for His Redemptive Service (3)

During the period of His gospel service, the Lord Jesus was traveling from Galilee first north toward Caesarea Philippi and Mount Hermon.  Then returning south all the way to Jerusalem. With Him on this long journey which took roughly three years were a small number of faithful disciples particularly Peter, James and John were with the Lord step by step.  And thorough out this period they witness first hand all the items, including the miracles, the teachings, the healing and His dealing with the religious opposers.

As those who desire to know Him and to know His word richly today, we need to realize that this long journey and all these events were not random. From the beginning the Lord’s intention was to arrive at Jerusalem, the religious, cultural and governmental capital.  For it must be in Jerusalem during the specific month and even on the appointed day that He would be offered up as the Lamb of God to accomplish His all redeeming and all-inclusive death.  But we also need to realize that all the preceding event were part of the Lord’s preparation and in addition for the real preparation of His disciples not just to be witnesses but to be those who would pass through His death and enter into the reality of His resurrection.

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Mark (Program #28) – The Preparation of the Slave-Savior for His Redemptive Service (1) & (2)

At the end of a nearly three years long journey with His disciples the Lord Jesus at the end of His gospel ministry makes a triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Just six days before the time of His sacrificial death on the cross the Lord Jesus surprises His disciples confounds His opposers and thoroughly captivated the hearts of the people of the great city of Jerusalem.

During these final days, Jesus was finished performing the miracles, the great teachings, the casting out of demons even the healing and the cleansing of lepers. For now He is totally focus on the preparation necessary for His death, His burial, His resurrection and ultimately His ascension.  Mark chapter 11 gives us a marvelous account of these six days of preparation.

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Mark (Program #20) – The Move of the Slave-Savior’s Gospel Service (8)

In Matthew, Luke and John the order or sequence of the stories does not necessary follow the actual time sequence in which they took place.  The gospel of Mark is unique among the four in this way. Not only so, but the sequence of the healing and the miracles in Mark’s gospel are progressive. That means in each case signifies a step in our spiritual development and maturity and we are brought onward and always
higher.

Chapter 8 beginning at verse 27 and chapter 9 may be considered the high peak of the disciples’ experience in their contact with the Lord Jesus.  After been healed by the Lord in a general way that is when there were saved, they then experience His detailed and specific dealing until their heart had been dealt with. And then their spiritual ears were opened and their tongues were filled with His word and eventually even their eyes were healed of their blindness so that they can receive the high vision portrayed in this rich portion of God’s word.

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