The Surprising Genius of Jesus - Peter J Williams interview

This Generation - Mark 13:24-31

    “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, 

from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
    “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
(Mark 13:24-31 ESV)

Great Expectations - John 14:12-14

     “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
    (John 14:12-14 ESV)

Pastor Mark Scholten

 We welcomed to our pulpit this week at Redeemer Church Pastor Mark Scholten of Faith Presbyterian Church in Akron. Pastor Scholten graduated from Hope College (Holland, MI) in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion. He also studied at the Oregon Extension and at L’abri in Switzerland. He received an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson, MS) in 1992. Mark is married to Kathy, and they have been blessed with five children.

Why Study Theology?

This is just excellent - from my friend Joe Thorn.

Walking on Water - Matthew 14:22-33

    Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
    And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
    (Matthew 14:22-33 ESV)

This past Lord's day morning we welcomed Rev. Jason Strong to our pulpit. 

We were blessed by the word he brought to us.

Rev. Jason Strong

The Widow's Mite - Mark 12:41-44

    And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. (Mark 12:41-44 ESV)

The Scribes Conceit - Mark 12:38-40

    And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
(Mark 12:38-40 ESV)

Not Far But Not In - Mark 12:28-34

How far are you from the Kingdom of God?

    And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
(Mark 12:28-34 ESV)

Check out Redeemer Church's new website here.

Taxes & Caesar

    And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.
    (Mark 12:13-17 ESV)

Who Can Be Saved?

    And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
    (Mark 10:23-31 ESV)

Jesus is Sufficient

    Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
   
(Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV)

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
Composer: Davide C. Marney, 2004
Lyricist: Henry F. Lyte, 1824; text of 1833

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow thee;
Destitute despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shalt be:
Perish ev'ry fond ambition
All I've sought, or hoped, or known;
Yet how rich is my condition,
God and heav'n are still my own.

Man may trouble and distress me,
'Twill but drive me to thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me,
Heavn' will bring me sweetter rest:
O 'tis not in grief to harm me
While thy love is left to me;
O 'twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with thee.

Take, my soul, thy full salvation,
Rise o'er sin and fear and care;
Joy to find in ev'ry station
Something still to do or bear;
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
What a Father's smile is thine,
What a Saviour died to win thee:
Child of heav'n shouldst thou repine?

Haste then on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer;
Heav'n's eternal day's before thee,
God's own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthyly mission
Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise. 

This hymn has brought hope and encouragement to many throughout it's history. It has a wonderful story behind it. The author of this hymn, Henry Francis Lyte, ...was transferred to a community of fisherman at Lower Brixham, in Devonshire, England. Here he ministered faithfully to these humble people for the next twenty three years of his life. ..."Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken" reflects Lyte's own personal attitude toward the "cross" of his suffering and the fact that he had found refuge in Christ alone in learning to accept and use suffering in a spiritual manner. It is thought that in addition to Lyte's bodily afflictions, a difficulty with some individuals within his church also weighed heavily upon his spirit. This is possibly alluded to in such expressions from the second and third stanzas as: "human hearts and looks deceive me...," 'man may trouble and distress me...," 'foes may hate, and friends may shun me...;" Yet the glad anticipation of God's hereafter made these "pilgrim days" inconsequential for Lyte, since "hope shall change to glad fruition, faith to sight and prayer to praise."

(Taken from 101 More Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, pgs. 158-159.)

Enjoy the cool Indelible Grace video featuring this hymn...

Critical Question (3) Matthew 16:15

We continue... This week we look at who Jesus is.