Reflective Bible Study

Before I forget to say it because there is so much else to share, let me wish you a Merry Christmas. As we do at the end of every year to wrap up what we have been focusing in on, we take a couple of episodes to review the year we just finished and look back at some of the biggest and most profound insights during our year of podcasting. This year, we get to look back at the time we spent in Mark’s gospel. While we do this together for these podcasts, I believe the Christmas season is a great time to step back and thank God for everything He has blessed our lives with during our calendar year that is coming to a close.

Whether you are looking forward to the new year because this past one was horrible, or if you are struggling to find something redeemable about the year we are ending, be thankful that God has still given you life and breath and give praise to God even if life has been hard.

As we look back on our year focusing on Mark’s gospel, we’ve learned quite a bit. Starting with our first episode looking at how Mark opened his gospel sharing about Jesus’ baptism, we discovered that when Mark describes Jesus’ baptism, we see an amazing picture that this baptism wasn’t just with water like John’s previous baptisms. Instead, Jesus’ baptism was with both water and with the Holy Spirit at the start of His ministry, and when Jesus received the Holy Spirit at the beginning of His ministry, this sets the stage for Jesus to be able to baptize others with the Spirit.

After Jesus received the Holy Spirit at His baptism, Jesus lets the Holy Spirit take the lead and direct Him where to go from that point forward. When we are letting God’s Holy Spirit lead us, we may be led to places that are not comfortable, and when we are in the places God’s Spirit leads us, we can expect to be tempted.

Jumping ahead to episode number 3, where we looked at Jesus healing Simon’s mother-in-law, we learned that God wants to help us because that is who God is, not because God wants more servants. If God wanted servants, He could have created millions and billions of perfect servant robots who would have no freedom of choice. God gifted His creation with the gift of choice because love requires the freedom of choice for it to mean anything – and this tells us that God loves us more than we can imagine!

Moving forward to episode number 7, where the religious leaders make the claim that Jesus used Satan’s power to cast out demons, we analyzed this argument and concluded that helping Jesus give glory to God would run counter to Satan’s character. Regardless of whether Jesus received Satan’s power or God’s power, either way dooms Satan’s kingdom. Either Satan fights himself and destroys his own kingdom, or Jesus really is more powerful than Satan is, and Satan’s kingdom is doomed because Jesus’ Source of power cannot be matched.

Jumping forward to episodes 11 and 12, where Jesus calmed the storm before casting a legion of demons into a herd of pigs, we learned the parallel themes that the storms Satan causes are no match for Jesus. The best, scariest storm Satan could muster ended the instant Jesus spoke. When deciding who we should align our lives with, the clear choice is Jesus. He has the power to help us face anything Satan wants to throw our way! Also, one command from Jesus sends an army of evil spirits out of a comfortable home in a man and into a herd of pigs. One command from Jesus will always send Satan away. Any confrontation Jesus has with Satan results in Jesus gaining the victory.

In the very next episode, number 13, we looked at how those in Nazareth rejected Jesus. While discussing what happened, we learned that in our own lives, God can use people to share His wisdom and His truth. While we are never called to accept messengers without first looking at the quality of the message, God has a way of using sinners to help spread His message and His truth. Aside from Jesus, everyone has sinned, and this truth challenges us to look past the messengers God sends our way and to focus on the message calling us to return to and believe in Jesus Christ.

Moving forward to episode 14, Mark drew our attention onto Jesus sending the disciples out in pairs. During this episode, we are challenged to remember the times when God has used us in powerful and/or significant ways, and to seek to place ourselves in situations where God can work powerfully in us again. God used these disciples to bless the towns that accepted them, and God is more than willing to use us to bless our communities when we let Him lead our lives as well!

Jumping ahead to episode 18, we looked at one of the most politically incorrect actions Jesus ever did when He insults a Gentile woman who came asking for His help. In this event, we learned that through Jesus’ resistance to this woman and her request, we see a faith that persists regardless of the obstacles present. This woman is an amazing example for us to model! Love at its core is more about what we do and less about what we say. Jesus challenges us to help other people, even if culture tells us that we should be hostile or mean to them instead. As a follower of Jesus, we are called to display Jesus’ love. While this love should also include being kind with our words, it is much more important for us to be kind in our actions. Jesus was clearly kind with what He did in this event, and this was in spite of culture pushing Him to be cruel or mean.

Moving forward to episode 22, we find Peter making an amazing declaration about who Jesus is just a few verses before Jesus rebukes Peter and calls Peter Satan. In this passage, event, and episode, we discovered together that everything culture told the disciples about the Messiah was focused on overthrowing the Romans and on living forever, while everything Jesus told the disciples about the Messiah was focused on a crucifixion, death, and a resurrection. In the minds of more than just Peter, what Jesus was telling them clashed with culture, with logic, and with everything they had previously believed about the Messiah and His kingdom. You can try to keep your life in this world and lose out on eternity, or you give your life in this world to Jesus in order to gain eternity. If we choose to reject Jesus because culture has a louder megaphone, then we will ultimately forfeit the rewards God has promised His people.

In the following episode, number 23, we focused in on the transfiguration. In this episode, we are reminded that nowhere does Jesus promise His people an easy life free of problems here on this earth. Instead, Jesus tells us that we might add to our problems when we choose Him, but that choosing Him is the only way to survive past the problems of this life and past the sin in this world! Jesus subtly reminds these disciples that He would suffer a lot and be treated shamefully, which are both subtle hints foreshadowing Jesus’ path to the cross, and as followers of Jesus, we shouldn’t be surprised if we are treated like Jesus was treated. However, when we side with Jesus, we get to experience Jesus’ resurrection, and accept the promise and gift of a new life with Him!

As our time for this first part of our two-part finale is coming to an end, let’s finish this episode by looking at what we discovered in episode number 24. In this episode, Mark draws our attention onto Jesus predicting His death and the disciples arguing about who would be the greatest among them. In this episode together, we were challenged with the truth that fear and pride in our lives can stop us from asking the questions God wants us to ask because we are afraid of what others might think of us. Many things can stop us from asking the questions God wants us to ask, but we shouldn’t let fear control our journey with God! In order to be great in God’s eyes, we must welcome, help, and serve those who society believes are last.

When we welcome those who society has rejected, Jesus tells us we are not only welcoming Him too, but we are welcoming God, who looks down at this planet and sees all life as special and significant. Regardless of what culture tells you, in God’s eyes, you matter and regardless of what you might believe about yourself, Jesus came to redeem you from the punishment for your sins.

I can’t think of a better challenge to end this first part of our year-end finale with, so as we wrap up this podcast, remember as we move through Christmas together, welcome those that society has rejected and spread the love of Jesus with the people God brings into your life!

It seems like such a long time since we began our year focusing in on John’s gospel, but we have now come to our special, two-part finale. As we take some time here at the end of the year to look back at what we’ve learned from this gospel, let me first wish all of you a Merry Christmas. While John’s gospel doesn’t focus on Jesus’ birth story like Matthew or Luke do, John’s gospel gives us a unique and powerful look into just how significant Jesus is. Because Jesus came, we all have the choice whether we accept His invitation and whether we accept His life and death to cover our sins.

We discovered a lot as we focused in on John’s gospel, and without any further delay, let’s begin diving into some of our biggest and best insights during the first half of our year focusing in on John’s gospel.

Let’s begin by looking at our insights in Episode 1. Episode 1 focused on the opening verses in John’s gospel and how Jesus existed before the world began. As we looked closely at this episode, we learned that Jesus willfully created the reason He would face the cross. John tells us that God’s glory is full of kindness and truth. God’s glory does not judge, put down, or condemn others. God’s glory shines the light of kindness and truth. We all have sinned and fallen short of God’s ideal. The sooner we realize that we are not any better than anyone else, the sooner Jesus can transform our lives with His glory, kindness, and truth!

Moving forward to episode 3, which focused in on Jesus’ first followers, we discover that Jesus’ early followers didn’t try to impress their friends with what Jesus had done, they simply invited them to come and see Jesus for themselves. When we share Jesus with others, the focus is not on us and the conversation isn’t about us. Instead, we focus on Jesus. We share what Jesus has done for us, we invite others to come and see, and when the focus stays on Jesus, God moves in amazing ways.

In the very next episode, number 4, which focused in on Jesus turning the water into wine, we learned that this miracle only happened because the servants had enough faith to obey Jesus’ ridiculous sounding request to serve the host water. The servants’ faith in Jesus, not knowing who Jesus even was, opened the door for this miracle!

This episode also reminded us that often times we don’t see God working in our hearts or our lives, but other people do. Other people are likely to see a greater change in our lives when we come to God or begin moving towards Him than we do. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection solved the sin problem. Jesus supplied His life in exchange for ours. It is now up to us to accept Jesus’ gift and His invitation to substitute His life for ours.

Jumping ahead to episode 6, which focused in on Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, we discovered that those who have not been born spiritually are unable to see the Kingdom of God.

Also, while it isn’t pleasant to think about, we also are reminded that God’s judgment is reserved for those who do not believe in God’s one and only Son, Jesus. The way people reject Jesus is by preferring darkness and evil actions over coming into the light and letting Jesus wash away their sins. Jesus did not come into the world to fulfill the role of judge. Instead, Jesus came to this world to fulfill the role of God’s light, and Jesus’ presence separates those who want to seek God, His light, and His forgiveness, from those who reject God, prefer their sinful lives, and willingly choose to refuse the light God offers.

Whether we face judgment is 100% up to us. While it is unpopular in the world today, choosing Jesus in this life gives us a free pass to avoid the judgment when the world ends, and choosing Jesus in this life is done by leaving our sin-filled past in the past, and actively growing towards Jesus each and every day!

The very next episode, number 7, continued this thought when our passage focused on what John the Baptist preached about Jesus. In this episode, we learned that if we say we believe Jesus, but we are apathetic towards Him, we will forfeit our salvation. Obeying Jesus does not give us eternal life, because when we obey Jesus, the focus can easily turn off of Jesus and onto how well we are obeying Him. Our salvation is not based on anything we can do or have done. We are only saved because of what Jesus accomplished for us.

John the Baptist understood this amazing truth before Jesus had fully stepped into the public spotlight, and his declaration about Jesus, regardless of how popular or unpopular it is, formed the foundation for Jesus’ ministry, Jesus’ life, and Jesus’ death on behalf of you and me!

Moving forward a few episodes to episode 10, which focused on Jesus healing the man by the pool of Bethesda, we discovered the powerful truth that when God is our last hope, it is easy to look to Him. However, when God is not our first hope, we might not experience many miracles in our lives. When this man by this pool gave up hope in reaching the pool, which is something the other people present may not have been ready to do, he was ready to experience the healing Jesus offered him. When we give up hope in the things of this world and focus our faith on Jesus and what He accomplished for us, we are ready to receive miracles in our lives as well!

While we discovered lots of good insights in the next several episodes, what usually happens is that we must jump forward because I don’t want this episode to be too long. Because of this, let’s jumping forward all the way to episode 17, where we focused in on the first portion of Jesus teaching in the temple during a festival part way through His ministry. In this episode, we learned that if we choose to do what God wants, we will know whether Jesus’ teaching is from God or not. If we choose to ignore or reject doing what God wants, we will ultimately discount Jesus, His teaching, and everything about Him. According to Jesus, believing in Him is the clearest way to discover whether His teaching is from God or not. In other words, Jesus invites us to try life His way and when we accept Jesus’ challenge, we will discover personally whether Jesus’ way is best and whether Jesus really was who He claimed to be.

Moving forward to episode 20, our passage focused on a challenge the religious leaders bring Jesus about only being one witness. In this episode, Jesus emphasizes that without faith in Him, specifically faith in Jesus, everyone present, and we could also say everyone at any point in history, will die in their sins. Only through Jesus is a made way for us to trade our sins away. Jesus offers to take the punishment for our sins and in return, He offers us the life that He deserved – a life that can begin today and extend into eternity.

God loves us so much that Jesus came to take our place. Jesus not only became our Redeemer on the cross, Jesus also happens to be our Judge. This means that Satan’s accusations against us can simply be brushed aside by our Judge when we accept the gift of His sacrifice on our behalf, and let His perfect life cover our sins.

In the next episode, which is number 21, we looked at another challenge the religious leaders bring Jesus and an amazing promise Jesus shared about what we will gain when we believe in Him. In this episode, Jesus promises us that everyone who obeys His Words will never taste death. A truth we reject is one that we don’t apply into our lives, while a truth we believe is one that we will obey. By not obeying Jesus’ truth, we reject Him, and we step off of the path of discipleship. When we reject Jesus’ teachings, we lose out on not just discovering God’s truth and the freedom that comes with it, but we also lose out on the promise of never tasting eternal death as well.

To wrap up our first half of this year focusing in on John’s gospel, let’s look at some of our insights from episode 24, which focused on the crowd plainly asking Jesus if He was the Messiah and then wanting to stone Him for His answer. In this episode, which is a great one for us to conclude with, we learned that everything Jesus did was to bring glory to God and to uplift God’s name. Even the crowd acknowledged when they picked up stones to throw at Jesus that it wasn’t for anything He had done, but for one single claim He had made. The simple truth we can remember is that if God the Father did not like the message Jesus was sharing, there would be no way Jesus could have helped people during the time He was teaching, and preaching.

Let’s finish this first part of our year-end finale off with a challenge we learned from this episode: Because Jesus’ word has never failed, we can trust His promises, and even if we are uncertain of some of the more extreme claims Jesus made, we can look to Jesus’ actions as a foundation for our faith in Him.

When we are tempted to doubt, remember that Jesus came to redeem us, and the doubts we are tempted with are really Satan trying to knock us off the path God created for us!