(44) The Book of Mark

Authority more than any other man.

Mark, as we know, was a companion of both Paul and Peter.  He has two names in the Bible.  His other known name is John Mark.  Mark is his Roman name.  In Hebrew it would have been Yochanan.  He was the cousin of one the secondary Apostles, Barnabas (Colossians 4:10).  His mother was named Mary but not the same one as Jesus or Magdelene or highly doubtful even the one of the two sisters Mary and Martha.  His Jewish name means "God gives Grace".  Mark wrote his inspired word around 60 AD, or around 20-25 years after the Resurrection of Christ, probably from the city of Rome.

Here are some interesting facts about the book:

• It only spans about 3-4 years of the life of Christ
• But the last 40% of the book only spans 8 days
• Uses more Latin terms than Greek or Hebrew
• Doesn't really include prophecies or Jewish customs
• Does have more miracles listed than the other Gospels
• Probably was co-written or dictated by Peter
• Focuses on Jesus' actions more than His words

Who was Mark?  With a Roman name it shows that he was somehow a Roman citizen which meant his parents were of some high stance in society.  He grew up in Jerusalem.  His mother's house was an early meeting place for the Church (Acts 12:12)  But he himself was not so prominent.  He was young and adventurous.  When Jesus was arrested in the Garden a young man was caught with them but ran away (Mark 14:52).  Why was this young man mentioned?  He is given no name.  It seems like his value to the story means nothing.  But perhaps it is Mark telling his own story.  Maybe he was the young boy.  If it was him then this event in his life started to shape who he was.  When Paul wants to take companions on his trips about 10 years later Paul doesn't want to take Mark.  Acts 15:37-38, shows that Mark in the eyes of some wasn't yet trusted in his faith.  Apparently Paul was counting on him for help and he deserted him.  But again maybe it's because Mark saw all that went down in the Garden and he wasn't too for sure if he wanted to do all of this.  He is the reason why Paul and Barnabas spilt in their ways.  But somewhere along the way in his life he gained the trust of others (1 Peter 5: 13).  Even Paul felt like Mark had restored himself (2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 24).  One of the main reasons for this book is to show people that if you are a failure in your life, you can be restored.

What is his Gospel about?  One word, authority.  One person, Christ.  One audience, Rome!  Some examples of His authority shown are

1. Jesus has authority over evil spirits (1: 23-28, 3:11, 5:1-20)
2. Jesus has authority over wealth (8:34-37, 10:17-31)
3. Jesus' authority was given to Him by God the Father (9:7)
4. Jesus is God (14:61-62)

Why was it written?  To show the Roman Empire that worldly authority doesn't last.  There is someone with more authority than the strongest empire man could build.  It even goes to say that a Roman Centurion, a leader of 100 men, understands the power of Christ, 15:39.   Pilate asked Him if he had authority and Jesus clearly answers, yes, although Pilate didn't pick on it.

Even with all of this authority, Jesus was still here to serve His people.  The words of 10:43-45 gives us the example that we are here to serve others.  Unfortunately that is not what humanity does.  People today think that everyone should serve them, whether they deserve it or not.

(43) The Book of Matthew

The awaited Jewish Messiah has come.  Y'shua Ha Mashiach.

Matthew was one of the main 12 Apostles (emissary) of Jesus Christ.  He was the son of Alphaeus.  Some traditions say he was brother to James (the less).  His Jewish name is actually Mattityahu which means, "gift of Yahweh".  He also went by Levi.  God chose Matthew to write part of His Good News to give to the Jews.  Matthew wrote his inspired word around 65 AD which is about 30 years after the Resurrection of Christ.  He wrote this perhap sin the city of Anitoch.

Here are some interesting facts about the book:

• There are 1071 verses in the book.  Sixty (60) percent of these verses are spoken by Christ Himself.
• There are more than 130 quotes and references from the TaNaK (Old Testament), which is more than any other book.
• "Kingdom of Heaven" is mentioned 32 times.

Who was Matthew?  Matthew was a Jew that was hired by Rome to collect taxes.  His "office" was located on the main highway that ran from Damascus to Capernaum.  The taxes that he collected was for transportation, hence why he was on the highway.  His immediate boss was Herod Antipas.  So if he was a Jew who worked for Rome probably not many of his fellow citizens cared for him much.  Toll keepers had to pay up front for the rented space.  People would say they collected more than they were supposed to because it would help pay for the rent.  Matthew was probably not trusted by his fellow Jews.  So he was hated and wasn't trusted.  If you put these together you would find a man who would have low self-esteem.  In verse 10 of chapter 9, Matthew tells of the story of how Jesus came to eat with him and all of his fellow tax collectors and other "sinners".   Matthew puts into writing his own personality.  His self-esteem shines in his writing.  God uses this personality when he inspired him to write the Gospel.  God, through the life of Matthew, shows that all types of people can be used for His glory.  It doesn't matter where you come from or what others think about you, God knows your value and can uplift you to be a world mover.  Tradition says that Matthew died of martyrdom in Ethiopia.

Matthew starts out his book by giving a record of ancestry of Christ (from Joseph's family line).  His word can be trusted because being a tax collector he had to keep good records and have access to history since taxes were collected by where you were born as the same was with a census.  However, the book was written by category instead of chronologically.  It can be separated into his ancestry, his sermons, his disciples, his parables, the church, and his death.

What is his Gospel about?  Some of the most famous ideas of Christianity are explained in his book.  The Sermon on the Mount is perhaps Christianity in the short version.  Subjects ranking from attitudes to divorce and from loving enemies to worldly possessions are all in there.  All are still relevant to even today's times.  The beatitudes are outlined for us to understand how we should respond to the world.

But why was it written?  If one took time to read it completely they would see it is filled with promises of God being fulfilled in the coming of Christ.  See above where is says interesting facts.  Prophecies are being fulfilled with each chapter such as being called a son of David, king of the Jews.  Others like how he would enter into Jerusalem (triumphant entry) and how he would come into the earth are recorded for one reason.  This was done to show that Christ was the long-awaited for Messiah that the Jews were looking for.  In chapter 10 he reinstates that Jews were still God's chosen people.  But they had lost over the years their own identity by perverting His laws.  Jesus came to not only fulfill prophecy but also to set the law straight.  His parables mentioned in Matthew are all about the listener and to the one who should know better.  The Jewish person knew what the Messiah was going to be and if he was listening to what was happening he would understand that the Kingdom of Heaven had come.  You could call this book, the News to the Jews.

Unfortunately, not all of them listened.  And just as bad many do not listen today.  The word of God is out there.  People know it but refuse to listen.

(42) Kingdoms at His Feet

"The devil made me do it".  This is an age-old excuse of why  we act the way we do.  And many still think it may be accurate to explain their lives.  But it is another form of rationalization by insincere humanity trying to feel better about their own insecurities and failures.  The devil didn't do anything but tempt you.  You are the cause of all your problems.  Read Luke chapter 4:1-13:

• 1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
• 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
• 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
• 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
• 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
• 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
• 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
• 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
• 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.
• 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;
• 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
• 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’"
• 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Satan has no control over you.  There are three things he tried to do here with Christ.  He tried to tempt Him when He was at His weakest.  It failed.  He tried to get Him to doubt His authority by saying "if you are".  It failed.  And He tried to get Him to do something that He knew was wrong.  It also failed.

Why did it fail?  Why didn't he get Him to fall into temptation and take these things? 

1. Many would say it was because Jesus is divine and had no way of failing.  Well, yes, He was divine, but He made Himself lower than the angels and surrounded by flesh to be able to sin.  The flesh is was is corruptible and he clothed Himself with it to prove that sin is not the master of your flesh.
2. Many would say its because Jesus was perfect.  True.  But this is not why it failed.
3. Many would say He was protected.  Maybe so, but if He was protected to the end then sinning was not an option thereby negating all He did.

No the reason why it all failed is because what satan was offering were things he couldn't give anyway.  He lied!  He said he could give Him the world.  It wasn't his to give away.  Jesus knew this.  Satan tried to lay a kingdom at His feet but it was His kingdom already.

All satan can do is pass on temptation.  He has no power over you.  The only power he has is what you give him.  When temptation hits our lives we have to remember that most of it is a lie.  The grass is always greener kind of thing.  The lust within the heart can be turned away unless you hunger for it and feed it.  The hate within your heart can be soothed unless all you do is focus on the thoughts that made you hate and feed that hunger.   The hunger you crave is from above.  You feel empty inside because you have not filled with the things from above.  You have tried to fill it with worldly things and they just aren't good enoug.  If you are hungry and thirsty Jesus said He will give food and drink.  Do not listen to the lies of the world.  Satan thinks he owns it but it's not his to give.  Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

(41) The Greatest Commandment

Last month's poll asked, which commandment is broken the most.  Here are your results:

• 38% said Dishonoring God,  the first 3commandments
• 33% said Lie
• 11% said Idolatry
• 11% said Coveting
• 5% said Murder
• 0% said Adultery, Stealing, or Dishonoring parents

The problem of course is we can not measure this since not of us are honest with our lives.  Hmmm, that almost sounds like Lying would be the number one sin.  But truth be known if we could understand all of these sins we commit do one thing----dishonor God.  When we break any command, we not only perhaps hurt ourselves and/or destroy our reputations, but we may also hurt others with our actions, even with what we would call our smallest actions.  There are no such things as little white lies.  There is no such thing as petty theft.  When we break even the slightest amount of a command we dishonor God.  And this is why when Jesus was asked what is the greatest command, He answered  with, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.  He wrapped up all ten commands into two and above all said the Lord comes first.

But this is also why He said that all fall short of the glory of God.  He knows we sin.  He knows we all do it and none of us are innocent.  If murder can come from our lips, we are all murderers.  If fibs are lies then we are all liars.  If we rebel against our parents we all have dishonored them.  If we put something ahead of our relationship with God then we have committed idolatry.  If we have looked at someone with some kind of impure thoughts then we have all lusted and committed adultery.  If we have competed against our neighbor to try and have better things than they do and we do it out of spite then we have coveted things.  Any of these in our lives means we have dishonored God, thereby making us all sinners.  We are all in need of a Savior.  And anything besides Jesus Christ will keep you short of any glory for there is no other who can save you but Him.

(40) Love Thy Neighbor

Exodus 20:15-16

• You shall not steal.
• You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

These two commandments deal mostly with how we treat each other.  These, besides murder of course, are probably the worst things we can do to people.  It is said that the only thing worse than a thief is a liar.  Both make those we do it to feel vulnerable, used, and/or betrayed.

So if people feel this way after we do it then why do we do it?  The only answer to this is so that we gain something out of it.  People may say they do it because they have to but that is a rationalization.  There are no such things as little white lies.  There are no such things as petty theft.  Although man's law may set levels for how we do things like this, in the eyes of God it comes down to one thing.  We sinned.  We have lied.  We all have stolen.  We all deserve the penalty that comes with these, both man's and God's.  But God gave us a way out.  He of course gave us Jesus Christ.

Oddly enough Jesus' adversary (and ours) is a liar and a thief.  Go figure.

(39) The Lord's Name

Exodus 20:7

• You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name

Most people think this is just about saying God and damn together, or to say Jesus Christ as a term of content for a situation.  These are true but it goes more than just these.

To misuse something means you are using it in all the wrong ways.  To mention the word God in and of itself is not wrong.  Many Jewish people talk about God by writing it like this:  G_d.  They do this because they feel this is misusing His name.  But leaving out a vowel to show this does not change anything.  All they did was replaced one symbol of a language (the "o") with another symbol ("_").  Sure it may make them feel better and it may show that they are trying to show honor to where honor is due, but it misses the point.

Using the name of God to invoke power or authority, or even authenticity is using His name in vain.  This is why scripture says let your yes be yes and your no be a no.  Do not swear by God's name.  This swear does not mean the same as "cursing".  It simply means do not have God as your witness just because you need Him to back you up.  If you are telling the truth then you do not need His backing.  Telling people, "I swear to God", should be a tell-tale sign that the person is lying or has a horrible reputation for lying.  Ministers (of all kinds) should not use God's name to bring glory to themselves.  Those that proclaim to be of God just to make income or fame are using His name in vain.  Saying you have healing, prophetic, or other miraculous power from God when you do not is using His name in vain.  This is not saying that some people do not have these powers.  There are some who abuse the naivete of others.

Using God's name in vain, as some would say, means you are invoking God into situations He should not be called for.  Blaming God for earthquakes is misusing His name.  He did not cause the earthquake.  Using God as an exclamation is misusing his name.  Using OMG on your text does not exclude your sin just because you omitted letters.

Calling Allah, Buddha, or anything else God is misusing His name.  As a matter of fact it is idolatry and even blasphemous, but that is a different lesson.

Calling upon God is not wrong.  Calling out the name of God is not wrong.  Using it for your own gain, pain, or wane is when it becomes a sin.

(38) Love and Lust

Exodus 20:14

• Do not commit adultery

The Seinfeld episode called The Good Samaritan has a scene with George and a married woman he had a sexual encounter with.  In the scene George gets upset because he can't believe he has just committed adultery.  She comforts him by saying, "You didn't commit adultery. I did." This is not taking away from the comedic genius of the show or trying to say that watching Seinfeld is a sin or whatever before anyone thinks that.  This was just to show that this example attitude of sexual activity shows our ignorance of what sexual sin is.  Old Jewish law does back up what she said.  The woman commits adultery.  But is the man okay when this happens?  No.  He was considered part of the problem.  Notice another command was

Exodus 20:17 (c)

• Do not covet your neighbor's wife

George did wrong as well.  Therefore when a sexual activity happens outside of marriage both parties are wrong.

So what about two people who aren't married at all?  No adultery by definition is committed then.  This is where you have to read between the lines.  Perhaps one day the people will be married.  If the woman has already slept with another man, that man is not her husband.  When she marries, it will be adultery.  It is the same with the man.  Once he marries he already has coveted.  Even if they never get married, the act itself should be implied to be wrong, just based on principle.  So the idea that you can have sex as long as you never get married would just be a rationalization.

In the New Testament Jesus even adds on to the law by saying that even if a man looks at a woman with lust in his heart, he has committed adultery.  How can it be simpler than that?

Having sexual feelings and thoughts are normal.  And the feeling itself is not wrong.  The thought will enter and that is not wrong.  But when the thought becomes more than just a thought as Jesus said it becomes sin.  Paul also states that we need to take every thought into captivity.  If the thought grows it becomes sin of the heart and may even lead to sin against humanity.  Other forms of wrong sexual activity are:  incest, bestiality, masturbation, groping, fondling, homosexuality, bisexuality, non-marital oral (yes, Bill, oral), pornography, petting, fornication, and coveting.  But do not miss this point...all forms of sexual activity outside of marriage is not appropriate, that includes even two consenting heterosexual adults even if they have been together for 30 years.  None is any worse than the other.  And even though none of us would really admit it, we all have done it one way or another.

Many people will not agree with this lesson.  And it isn't fun to hear because sexual activity is so prominent on our lives.  And perhaps out of all sins, it is the most fun.  But maybe that is also why satan uses this one to distort the truth more then the rest.  We tend to laugh when a TV show has an 80 year old woman "getting it on" with a man who is not her husband.  We all write it off as though "well at least she is having fun".  Sure the words make us laugh but in reality it shouldn't.
For more understanding here are some lyrics from Bride called Same ol' sinner

Same ol' sinner
Wearing the chains
I get the same ol' sinner

I believe your lies, desire inside
The truth I know will hurt
Your devil-eyes, I can't deny
I know what lust is worth
The devil has a healthy appetite
Raped by fear in the fire tonight
He'll tell you it's love when it's only lust
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust

The point being behind this whole lesson is that the Bible says sex has its limits.  Sexual activity outside marriage is not appropriate.  But why?  Sexual activity shows commitment.  Commitment to one person is an analogy to commitment to one God.  It is honorable and the right thing to do.