Grace Baptist Santa Clarita: Service Podcast

Sadly, the report on marriage today isn’t encouraging. Nearly 50% of those who marry this year will end in divorce, if the national trends continue as they have over the past two decades. For a growing number of our friends and neighbors, marriage no longer makes sense; it doesn’t seem to work! Yet as Christ-followers, we know that marriage was God’s idea. In fact, God designed it to be good for us, to provide us with the companionship and life-partnership He knew would make life more satisfying and complete. He also designed it to illustrate the love between Jesus and His followers. So if marriage is really God’s gift to us, how do we make it work? How can we have marriages that satisfy and complete us?

Today many are turning away from the Bible and the Church. Attacks on the credibility of the Bible and the validity of Christianity are growing as militant atheists, secular humanists, and the unchurched are increasingly branding those who follow Christ as hypocritical, unloving, judgmental, and insensitive to the plight of the world around us and the people in it. And the truth is that we - those who claim to be under the Lordship of Christ - all too often give them the very evidence they use as ammunition against us. The fact is this: If Christ has risen, and if He brings a new way of living, then following Him ought to produce a better kind of person. The only way to silence our opponents is with lives that live up to the promises of God and the dictates of the Gospel.Today, as we celebrate the foundational event in the Christian worldview, we also commit ourselves to living lives that measure up to the radical change Jesus has brought us. As He was raised to new life, so also we have been raised to walk i

Every successful group activity has a mission, and every successful mission has a goal. But what is the mission of the church? What is the goal? Why do we exist? These questions have been asked and answered many times and in many ways over the years of church history. And, one thing has become very clear: The mission of the church isn’t up to the church! As the Body of Christ, our mission has already been defined by our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. In fact, as we will see, the mission isn’t actually ours; it is His, and He is actively pursuing His mission through us! Given that, it is very important that we understand and pursue just what in the world He wants us to be doing!

Every successful group activity has a mission, and every successful mission has a goal. But what is the mission of the church? What is the goal? Why do we exist? These questions have been asked and answered many times and in many ways over the years of church history. And, one thing has become very clear: The mission of the church isn’t up to the church! As the Body of Christ, our mission has already been defined by our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. In fact, as we will see, the mission isn’t actually ours; it is His, and He is actively pursuing His mission through us! Given that, it is very important that we understand and pursue just what in the world He wants us to be doing!

With this final question in opposition to Jesus’ mission and message, we come to the close of the first section in Mark’s Gospel. Jesus has come with power and authority, both in His teaching and His miraculous works. And now we see this authority leveled at the religious forms and traditions that had become so prevalent in His day. In a most ironic way, those charged with the religious instruction and spiritual nurturing of the people - the religious leaders - had actually become the enemies of true spiritual maturity. Through their legalism - holding people to the standards of tradition rather than Scripture - they had led the people far away from the truth God intended them to know and love, and into the tangled web of legalistic opinion and judgment. The Law was meant by God to lead people to see their need of something more. But the religious leaders of Jesus’ day had, instead, made the Law the goal of life. Jesus came to set the record straight: The Son of Man is the Lord of all!

As Jesus’ popularity has grown, so has the suspicion of the religious leaders of the day. Who is this guy? Is he a threat to our position and power? All the crowds think he’s great and we could lose our authority in their lives if they find what they want in him!Mark records the first round of opposition to Jesus in 2:14-3:6. By means of 3 questions, the Pharisees lead the way in trying to discredit Jesus. First, they question the fact that He associates with those seen as sinners (2:14-17). Jesus’ answer: Well, isn’t it right for a physician to be with those who are sick? Second, they question the fact that His disciples are not participating in the weekly fasts (2:18-22). Jesus’ answer: Your opposition and reliance on externals is not the appropriate response to the Kingdom message I am bringing. Third, they charge Him with allowing His disciples to break the law (2:23-3:6). Jesus’ answer: The presence and authority of the Son of Man changes everything!

So far in this gospel, Jesus has been riding a wave of popularity no doubt unprecedented for its day. His power, His teaching, and His compassion have made Him a huge attraction. Crowds are large and amazed. But as His Kingdom establishes itself, the inevitable reaction begins to materialize - the systems in existence at the time, both spiritual and human, are threatened by this new kingdom, and start to push back.Today’s passage is the first of three that show the beginning of opposition to Jesus Christ, His authority and His kingdom. Religious leaders, fearing the weakening of their own authority, question His willingness to hang out with the "riff-raff" of the day. In response, Jesus makes His mission clear, and in so doing makes our mission clear as well.

Jesus has arrived on the scene displaying real authority. Crowds are starting to grow around him. Miracles are being performed. Powerful teaching is being heard. And so, as you might expect, here comes the opposition. As Jesus calls Matthew, the tax collector, as one of his disciples and engages in friendship with other sinful, unholy people, the religious elite pose the first of 3 foundational questions about Jesus. Why does he associate with sinners? Jesus’ simple but profound response says so much about the mission of the Savior and our mission as followers of His today.

Mark has been carefully introducing Jesus Christ,and has strung stories together to make one thematic sentence.This sentence reaches its climax in the healing of the paralyzedman when Jesus declares "Your sins are forgiven!" In this one statement, Mark shows that all of Jesus’ Kingdom authority andpower - demonstrated in His teaching and miracles - is for one purpose: to deal decisively and eternally with the presence and power of sin so as to reconcile us back to God!The forgiveness of sins stands at the heart of the Gospelmessage. Yet, it also poses an important question: How can a just and holy God simply forgive those who have broken His law? Howcan He be just if He does not require lawbreakers to pay the penalty of their crimes? What kind of judge lets the guilty go free? The answer to these fundamental questions lies in understanding the mission that Jesus Christ accomplished through His sinless life, His redeeming death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection from the dead for us!

Mark has presented Jesus as the King of Heaven,coming with divine authority. His teaching has astounded thecrowds, and His power over demons and disease has made Himthe most popular man in the region! Everyone is looking for Him!But Jesus did not come just to make lives better; He came to bringreal life. This is what Mark wants the readers to understand:Jesus’ power over Satan and disease is just a preview of thefocus of Jesus’ mission: the cleansing of the sinner through theforgiveness of sins! These two themes come together in the twohealing stories found in Mark 1:40-2:13This week we look at the healing of a leper. And while all diseasemust be understood as evidence that our world has beencorrupted by sin, leprosy is an especially good symbol of the uttersinfulness and destructive power of sin. When Jesus cleanses theleper He is demonstrating that He can also cleanse the sinner.

Jesus has come announcing that the Kingdom authority of Heaven has come to earth in a new and decisive way! His proclamation of the heavenly message has set the people of Capernaum back on their heels: Who is this guy? What is this teaching with authority?Even more, Jesus has demonstrated the power of Heaven in confronting and completely controlling the demonic powers that threaten the citizens of the city. This has added to their amazement: Who is this, that even the unclean spirits obey Him?In today’s text we see that Jesus is not finished in Capernaum. Leaving the synagogue, He moves to Peter’s home and once again the power of Heaven is demonstrated, this time in the physical healing of a woman. When news gets out that Jesus can cast out both demons and disease, the city rushes to His door. But Jesus has come to do much more than make lives better; He has come to proclaim the message of eternal life.

Last week we watched as Jesus called Simon andAndrew, and James and John to follow Him. His call on their liveswas really an invitation to become His apprentices in declaring theKingdom of God, and the message of rescue that Jesus wasbringing to our broken world. But, Jesus gave them a ratherstrange “job description”: “Follow Me and I will make you becomefishers of men.” What did Jesus mean?Today we’ll answer that question, as we study Jesus’ firstencounter with the people of His day, and the demonic powersthat had long had their way in the world. What we will find is thatthe call to follow Jesus is an offer to partner with Him in declaringthe authority and power of God to repair all that sin has destroyed.It is giving our lives to shine the authority of God on those aroundus for the purpose of rescue and reformation. That’s what itmeans to go fishing for men.

Imagine what the Roman audience of Mark’s gospelmust have thought when they heard that this Jesus had comeannouncing the impending presence of the Kingdom of God!These Romans knew something about kingdoms, about empires,and they would certainly have been curious to know what thisKingdom entailed, and what its citizens would be like.In the passage we study today we are introduced to Jesus’method (preaching), His message (the Gospel of God) and Hiskingdom command (repent and believe in the Gospel). And lestwe think that His call is simply to accept the facts, we are shownthat this belief will be demonstrated in a radical re-alignment oflife. Those who believe in the Gospel will recognize that their verybest option is to entrust both their present and eternal well-beinginto the hands of Jesus Christ, and leave all to follow Him.

Today we begin a new series through the Gospel ofMark. Through his writing, Mark presents Jesus as the SovereignSon of God, come to earth bringing the redemptive authority of theKingdom of God, accomplishing His mission as the SufferingServant.In Mark’s Gospel we see that there is a new sheriff in town, and allthat sin has so drastically corrupted is now subject to His renewingpower. But, even though Jesus came to right the wrongs of a brokencreation, He was not readily welcomed. Many saw Him as a threat totheir views and way of life. Even some who became His disciplesfailed to grasp the reality of His life and mission, and turned awayfrom Him in the end.In many ways, things are no different today. Far too often those inour world fail to see the reality of Jesus’ life and His cosmicaccomplishment through the cross and the empty grave. The greatquestions continue to demand an answer: Just who is Jesus? Whatdoes He stand for? Does it really matter what I think about Him?Over the next several months, we will let

Jesus has a plan that is so much bigger than us.  He loves and saves people we know well, andHe loves and saves people we are ignorant of; He loves and saves people welike, and He loves and saves people we can’t stand.  His flock includes people who are radicallydifferent from us, and He refers to them as “other sheep,” belonging to Him,part of one flock with one shepherd.  Wemust ask ourselves the same question the disciples had to ask: are we going tomake this a problem, or are we going to make this a passion?  Our level of enthusiasm for seeing “othersheep” come into His flock is one reflection of our level of Christ-likeness –we are called to love what he loves!

Set in the midst of Jesus’ most famoussermon, He begins to tell us what His Kingdom is all about.  And, as with much of Jesus’ teaching, itprobably caught many of its hearers by surprise.  In our day to day and week to week living,Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth and the light of theworld.  We ARE salt and light.  It’s not what we do.  It’s not what we say.  It’s who we ARE.  As we recognize the full power of ouridentity in Jesus, we come to see the privilege, not the obligation, offlavoring our neighborhoods and lighting our city for God’s glory.

While the exact chronology is difficult to determine, it is most probable that the Magi visited Joseph, Mary and Jesus sometime after the birth. Joseph had found a house for his family, and it was there that these scholars from the East – led by the star – found the baby. In this story we see the continued sovereign workings of Almighty God, who first used Caesar Augustus to get Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. Here, God uses a spectacular astronomical event to bring Gentile dignitaries to worship Christ, perhaps in fulfillment of Isaiah 60:3. The contrast is stark: While both the secular and religious rulers of Jerusalem have no interest in the birth of Jesus, these Gentile foreigners demonstrate the greatest urgency and commitment to find and honor God’s Messiah.

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent we hear the declaration of the angelic choir that the birth of Jesus Christ has brought peace “on earth among men with whom He is pleased.” But what does this mean? What is this peace? How is it obtained? These actually form the fundamental questions of Christmas! The core of our celebration comes not from the fact that a babe was born in Bethlehem, but in the certainty that that Baby is Jesus Christ the Lord, the bringer of forgiveness, peace, and eternal life.

On this Third Sunday of Advent we pay particular attention to the shepherds whom God Himself chose to be the first to hear of the birth of the Promised King. It was to these, whose job it was to raise and guard the Temple lambs, that the invitation first came to worship the Lamb of God. They were the first to experience the reality that the promise of a Savior had been fulfilled.

Today - the second weekend of Advent -we light the Bethlehemcandle, reminding us that God chose a humble village as the birthplace ofMessiah. As well, he chose a humble maid to give birth to the very Son of God.Mary’s story reminds us that God has always chosen to work through those whosegreat humility was evidenced in a robust fear of God coupled with a radicaltrust in Him. This is who God is! He will bring about His plan, and will do soby performing mighty things through those whom society sees as weak and lowly …who are left with no other option but to trust fully in the strength andpromises of the Almighty. Just think of it: God’s sovereignty working itselfout through our humility. Only God could accomplish such a thing! Consequently,in the end we find that it is always best to respond to God as Mary did: “May it be done to me according to yourWord.”