The old is gone the new has come
This week I wanted to share what I've been learning in community group this year so far. Community group is a weekly meeting gathering with fellow members of the church. We read the bible, discuss what we read, eat and sing songs = fellowship. We'll looking at the gospel of Mark which is also the sermon series were looking at on Sundays. So I guess its quite important to attend both cg (community group) and church. I wanted to share two points from what I've learnt over the last two weeks both in discussion and sermon talks.
1. God mission
As you know there are four gospel accounts in the bible- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (there were probably more eye witness accounts, but these four were the most 'famous' that recounts the life of Jesus). All the gospels include many of the same stories and are in similar sequence and have identical words, but like every human beings- who you are will determine how you approach and documents things. There is so much information about them so I would recommend to research them in your own time. Anyways like I said the sermons series at church is on the gospel of Mark- 'The King and I' (great series title). Mark is the shortest book of the four gospels- its straight to the point recounting the ministry of Jesus. I really liked how my pastor illustrated the book of Mark. He depicted it like the stars wars prologue- pretty much it gives the audience a sense of what will be happening or what is expected in the film.
From the get go, the start of Mark begins with a prophesy of a messenger that will prepare the way for the Lord. Not entirely sure what this prophesy meant but it was a reference during the time of King David that a messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way. Keep that in mind, we'll come to that later. Next we read that John (the baptist) baptised Jesus in the Jordon river (same river in exodus) then as "Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased". From that we presume that the voice from heaven is God in which he calls Jesus his son, whom he loves. Wow.... just from the introduction we learn that Jesus fulfils the prophesy spoken back hundreds of years and that Jesus is God's son.
Now if Jesus is the messenger what is he doing to prepare the way. Prepare us for what?? well Jesus answers this while John is in prison. Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come" "The kingdom of God is near" "Repent and Believe" (Mark 1:15). We see here God's plan for humanity, God's ultimate mission. Jesus didn't come to restore the world through miracles and wonders not saying he didn't want too. Jesus was actually indignant, he felt for the broken, the needy, the helpless. Thats why he was 'willing' to heal, but he tells everyone who he heals "not to tell anyone" Why? because Jesus mission or purpose like I said wasn't to go heal and do miracles BUT to proclaim the good news of God. *Spoilers no one could keep it a secret so the news spread. Rip.
The Time Has Come. The Kingdom Is Near. Repent and Believe.
2. A new beginning
Episode 2 of Mark is quite interesting because now we are introduced to some teachers of the law. Now the teachers of law were jewish people just like Jesus, however these guys would regard themselves as the religious leaders (the know it all). So Jesus gets in conflicts with the teachers of the law. In chapter 2, the teachers of law find four faults in Jesus. 1. Jesus is a blasphemer 2. Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners 3. Jesus doesn't fast and 4. Jesus 'worked' on the sabbath. I won't talk about them in detail, if you would like try and answer it for yourself. Anyways why were they not happy with Jesus? I'm explain number 3 you can figure out the rest :P
Read Mark 2: 19-22. Jesus answered "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? Now we sometimes associate fasting with not eating food- but here Jesus is talking about something else. The meaning of fasting as defined here is mourning or crying out. Fasting in the old testament was a way to draw closer to God through not eating or drinking. But here Jesus is saying why do you need to fast or mourn when I'm (bridegroom) here with you. Yes me too, I had a mind blown moment. Jesus is saying why do you need to mourn or cry out to God, when I'm right here with you now... Seems silly right? Well I'm sure we all forget sometimes who Jesus really is, He is Lord, He is King, He is our Comforter. In addition, that is why Jesus says "no one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an garment" "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wine skins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins". Because the kingdom is near, Jesus has come to restore the law- The law was just a shadow to whats to come. Jesus is the law "So the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath"(v22). Jesus has come to establish a new law not through traditions and laws but through rule and relationship. A law that is rooted in the heart not on stone. What is the greatest commandment? Jesus replied "To love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment" -Matthew 22:37-38. Something the teachers of law lacked, which was their downfall. As the kingdom approaches the old must go, because the new has come.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Rejoice - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Comments
Post a Comment