November 1, 2007 5:44 AM
Rich wrote:
Mark 1: Who was Jesus? All of my christian life I think I have really only focused on the fact that Jesus died for my sins. But Jesus was so much more than that. He had a dynamic and attractive personality. I have already read some of the Jesus book, so some of what I am thinking is motivated by that. It is amazing that Mark does not tell us anything about what Jesus looked like, how he was born, where he lived, how he grew up, how he spoke ... nothing about what you often see in a biography about a person. Instead, Mark talks about how people were attracted to Jesus. When Jesus calls the first disciples, "at once" they followed him. What was it about Jesus that made him so powerful and attractive? I don't know of anyone I have ever met who would cause me to drop everything and just leave my job! Throughout this chapter, people are amazed, they travel distances to see Jesus, they tell each other about him, they look for him - isn't it amazing that Simon and his companions must have also woke early. Why? Because Jesus was gone. I wonder what they felt like waking up and seeing that Jesus was not there. They had left everything to follow this guy and now he was gone. I assume they felt panic, fear, confusion, .... The fact is they "felt" much emotion. I think that is one of the things that Jesus did to people - he evoked great emotional response! People loved him and they hated him - so much that they killed him. Jesus was obviously not like anyone I have ever met. He must have been so incredibly unique. So powerful. So attractive and beautiful, but not physically. Isn't it also amazing that 2000 years ago, before TV, internet, cars, rapid transportation and rapid information transfer, word of Jesus spread like wildfire. People were trully amazed by him, so much so that they went out of their way to tell their friends, family, co-workers, ..., everyone!!! I must confess, I have never felt this to this level about Jesus! I guess that is why I have so much trouble sharing my faith. I have one specific goal in reading Mark and in reading and discussing the book about Jesus - I want to be amazed with (to fall in love with) Jesus like the people described in Mark 1 (disciples and all the others) and to have a response like they had. Go back through Mark 1 and look at the responses the people who came in contact with Jesus had. Why? What was it about him and about his character that caused such reaction? Wow - Jesus must have been something. For the first time ever, I really wish that I was alive when Jesus was here. I would have loved to listen to him just one time, to have my heart moved like the people described here. I know that is still possible today, but I also know it has never happened to me. Reply to this
November 1, 2007 7:44 AM
rik wrote:
We currently have 4 consistent bloggers (I use the word consistent loosely) each with roughly a decade of living for Christ. This amounts to roughly 2000 Sunday church services, as many as 12000 quiet times, and countless studies with others. We have read though the gospels many, many times. I say (or type) this to challenge all of us. We all know most of the common points that we have heard over the years in the book of Mark (aka fishers of men) they will be great to hear again, but lets try to dig deeper and see more.
In vs. 22 I find it interesting that he did not teach as those who taught the law. This makes me wonder, were the 'law' teachers mundane and boring? Like many preachers in today’s religious world they do not excite you to change. I think that could be what was/is so different in the ICOC/???, those who taught did it with authority and zeal. They challenged me, they inspired me. All the other churches I had went to before (not very many) made it feel like it was my duty to go and it was quite repetitious. That didn't work for me. I wonder if it may have been similar for these followers in the first century. On the Sabbath days that did go, they heard 'blah, blah, blah', but Jesus was different, exciting, refreshing and he can heal too-bonus! We all know the conclusion of Jesus' life on earth and very few were left following Him just before the cross and no man was left loyal to Jesus at the cross. I believe there were some superficial actions in the early following of The Holy One. Peoples hearts have not changed over the years, many people have the 'what is in it for me' thought process... I have digressed from my original thought, people will follow something new and exciting, but when the times get rough that is where the hooves hit the hilltop (first century for rubber hits the road). That is where our true colors shine through. I keep going to the Church of Christ groups because of this zeal this excitement this ability to teach with authority. It challenges a person to change, which is what is so different, so refreshing. Let us go out there, realizing we have that authority, that very ability that made Jesus so appealing to those who are searching for something new and exciting. Lets be fishers of men. Reply to this
November 1, 2007 11:59 AM
Sam wrote:
Mark 1. Well, gentlemen, I don't know what the problem is, or if it will go away, with this website....let's give it a coupla days and see if it gets fixed (by me or someone else). So, hopefully this will post: Mark 1" Wow. I say that a lot, but WOW. Waht alot was covered in this one short chapter. John is sent by God prepare the people for His son, Jesus Christ. John baptized people, including Jesus, in the river. Jesus meets the Holy Spirit (again) and God speaks. Satan tempts Jesus in the desert and John is put into prison. Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John join Jesus. Jesus drives out an evil spirit, heals people of sicknesses and demon possessions, and cures a man of leprosy on the spot. Jesus avoids crowds. ---WHAT?--- Jesus avoids people??????????? Now, THAT doesn't sound like him. He even goes out of his way to get away from crowds...what is up with that, as they say nowadays? Being a man, physically, that is, I suppose he got physically tired from all this work that he was doing, hence needed some rest. That is the only reason I can think that would cause him to avoid crowds. When he couldn't avoid them, however, he took full advantage of his position as God in the flesh, and amazed everyone. Today, we don't act like Jesus very much. We avoid crowds for several reasons, and physically wearing down is probably not one of the more prominent ones. More that likely, we avoid crowds because we don't dare to stand up and preach the Word of God like Jesus did (and with authority, not like the teachers of the law--it was one thing to say, another to do). I wish I had that talent, or the courage, to preach like Jesus...out loud to large crowds, but for reason(s), and probably all selfish ones, I don't. This book is going to be exciting, I can tell, and can't wait to read "Jesus-Same..." to go along with it. I bet we will come up with a lot of discussion. Is it at all possible to meet this Sunday, immediately after church, for 30 minutes, so at least we can lay out a game plan for what WE want to do in this book club with this first book? Any, just had a wisdom tooth pulled this morning, so may go home later, but the internet wasn't working there properly this morning, so am not sure if I will be in electron-contact with ya'll more today or not. Reply to this
November 2, 2007 6:49 AM
Tony wrote:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, Proverbs 1 Verse 32," For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;. Are we complacent? Do we have a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy. Do we feel like we got it going on, or do we really fear the results of our sin? I say we don't and I thank God for forgiving us every day and every time that we sin. Are we like God in that aspect or do we hold a record of wrongs? I know that it is my nature to think, this is the same thing that happened last time or, you have done this before or, your apology is not sincere. What would happen if God felt that way? We would all be gong to hell and God could just move on to the next planet. It is in our nature to sin. It is NOT our nature to forgive. Verse 33," but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." By continuing to listen to God we can have a full life without fear. People who blatenly sin, thieves, murders, adulterers, druggies, are in constant fear,even if only inwardly, of being caught and having to deal with their actions. Lets not worry about being caught and having to deal with the results of our actions. Keep our actions pure and like they say in Australia, no worries mate. Mark 1 Interesting that the genealogy only goes back to Abraham. I understand that Abraham is the father of all nations, but why stop there? Did Abraham not have a father? We know that Adam and Eve were first, then Cain and Able, but who was next. Why is this information not important. Maybe because of the great flood there were no records available. I am just writing as I think. Totally different subject, but why when we see all the stories of the ark and the flood do we only see two of every animal. In reality it was two of every unclean animal and seven of every clean animal. The waters flooded the earth for 150 days. 150 plus the 40 days of rain, that is only 190. You figure about 6 months then where did the water go? More importantly where did all the dead go? Just an off track thought this morning. Reply to this
Mark 1: Who was Jesus? All of my christian life I think I have really only focused on the fact that Jesus died for my sins. But Jesus was so much more than that. He had a dynamic and attractive personality. I have already read some of the Jesus book, so some of what I am thinking is motivated by that. It is amazing that Mark does not tell us anything about what Jesus looked like, how he was born, where he lived, how he grew up, how he spoke ... nothing about what you often see in a biography about a person. Instead, Mark talks about how people were attracted to Jesus. When Jesus calls the first disciples, "at once" they followed him. What was it about Jesus that made him so powerful and attractive? I don't know of anyone I have ever met who would cause me to drop everything and just leave my job! Throughout this chapter, people are amazed, they travel distances to see Jesus, they tell each other about him, they look for him - isn't it amazing that Simon and his companions must have also woke early. Why? Because Jesus was gone. I wonder what they felt like waking up and seeing that Jesus was not there. They had left everything to follow this guy and now he was gone. I assume they felt panic, fear, confusion, .... The fact is they "felt" much emotion. I think that is one of the things that Jesus did to people - he evoked great emotional response! People loved him and they hated him - so much that they killed him. Jesus was obviously not like anyone I have ever met. He must have been so incredibly unique. So powerful. So attractive and beautiful, but not physically. Isn't it also amazing that 2000 years ago, before TV, internet, cars, rapid transportation and rapid information transfer, word of Jesus spread like wildfire. People were trully amazed by him, so much so that they went out of their way to tell their friends, family, co-workers, ..., everyone!!! I must confess, I have never felt this to this level about Jesus! I guess that is why I have so much trouble sharing my faith. I have one specific goal in reading Mark and in reading and discussing the book about Jesus - I want to be amazed with (to fall in love with) Jesus like the people described in Mark 1 (disciples and all the others) and to have a response like they had. Go back through Mark 1 and look at the responses the people who came in contact with Jesus had. Why? What was it about him and about his character that caused such reaction? Wow - Jesus must have been something. For the first time ever, I really wish that I was alive when Jesus was here. I would have loved to listen to him just one time, to have my heart moved like the people described here. I know that is still possible today, but I also know it has never happened to me.
Reply to this
We currently have 4 consistent bloggers (I use the word consistent loosely) each with roughly a decade of living for Christ. This amounts to roughly 2000 Sunday church services, as many as 12000 quiet times, and countless studies with others. We have read though the gospels many, many times. I say (or type) this to challenge all of us. We all know most of the common points that we have heard over the years in the book of Mark (aka fishers of men) they will be great to hear again, but lets try to dig deeper and see more.
In vs. 22 I find it interesting that he did not teach as those who taught the law. This makes me wonder, were the 'law' teachers mundane and boring? Like many preachers in today’s religious world they do not excite you to change. I think that could be what was/is so different in the ICOC/???, those who taught did it with authority and zeal. They challenged me, they inspired me. All the other churches I had went to before (not very many) made it feel like it was my duty to go and it was quite repetitious. That didn't work for me. I wonder if it may have been similar for these followers in the first century. On the Sabbath days that did go, they heard 'blah, blah, blah', but Jesus was different, exciting, refreshing and he can heal too-bonus! We all know the conclusion of Jesus' life on earth and very few were left following Him just before the cross and no man was left loyal to Jesus at the cross. I believe there were some superficial actions in the early following of The Holy One. Peoples hearts have not changed over the years, many people have the 'what is in it for me' thought process... I have digressed from my original thought, people will follow something new and exciting, but when the times get rough that is where the hooves hit the hilltop (first century for rubber hits the road). That is where our true colors shine through. I keep going to the Church of Christ groups because of this zeal this excitement this ability to teach with authority. It challenges a person to change, which is what is so different, so refreshing. Let us go out there, realizing we have that authority, that very ability that made Jesus so appealing to those who are searching for something new and exciting. Lets be fishers of men.
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Why isn't this working?
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Mark 1. Well, gentlemen, I don't know what the problem is, or if it will go away, with this website....let's give it a coupla days and see if it gets fixed (by me or someone else).
So, hopefully this will post:
Mark 1" Wow. I say that a lot, but WOW. Waht alot was covered in this one short chapter. John is sent by God prepare the people for His son, Jesus Christ. John baptized people, including Jesus, in the river. Jesus meets the Holy Spirit (again) and God speaks. Satan tempts Jesus in the desert and John is put into prison. Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John join Jesus. Jesus drives out an evil spirit, heals people of sicknesses and demon possessions, and cures a man of leprosy on the spot. Jesus avoids crowds. ---WHAT?--- Jesus avoids people??????????? Now, THAT doesn't sound like him. He even goes out of his way to get away from crowds...what is up with that, as they say nowadays? Being a man, physically, that is, I suppose he got physically tired from all this work that he was doing, hence needed some rest. That is the only reason I can think that would cause him to avoid crowds. When he couldn't avoid them, however, he took full advantage of his position as God in the flesh, and amazed everyone. Today, we don't act like Jesus very much. We avoid crowds for several reasons, and physically wearing down is probably not one of the more prominent ones. More that likely, we avoid crowds because we don't dare to stand up and preach the Word of God like Jesus did (and with authority, not like the teachers of the law--it was one thing to say, another to do). I wish I had that talent, or the courage, to preach like Jesus...out loud to large crowds, but for reason(s), and probably all selfish ones, I don't. This book is going to be exciting, I can tell, and can't wait to read "Jesus-Same..." to go along with it. I bet we will come up with a lot of discussion. Is it at all possible to meet this Sunday, immediately after church, for 30 minutes, so at least we can lay out a game plan for what WE want to do in this book club with this first book?
Any, just had a wisdom tooth pulled this morning, so may go home later, but the internet wasn't working there properly this morning, so am not sure if I will be in electron-contact with ya'll more today or not.
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Test from home....
OH, BTW,,,,got my book in today...going to start reading it in a few minutes.
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The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
Proverbs 1
Verse 32," For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;. Are we complacent? Do we have a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy. Do we feel like we got it going on, or do we really fear the results of our sin? I say we don't and I thank God for forgiving us every day and every time that we sin. Are we like God in that aspect or do we hold a record of wrongs? I know that it is my nature to think, this is the same thing that happened last time or, you have done this before or, your apology is not sincere. What would happen if God felt that way? We would all be gong to hell and God could just move on to the next planet. It is in our nature to sin. It is NOT our nature to forgive. Verse 33," but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." By continuing to listen to God we can have a full life without fear. People who blatenly sin, thieves, murders, adulterers, druggies, are in constant fear,even if only inwardly, of being caught and having to deal with their actions. Lets not worry about being caught and having to deal with the results of our actions. Keep our actions pure and like they say in Australia, no worries mate.
Mark 1
Interesting that the genealogy only goes back to Abraham. I understand that Abraham is the father of all nations, but why stop there? Did Abraham not have a father? We know that Adam and Eve were first, then Cain and Able, but who was next. Why is this information not important. Maybe because of the great flood there were no records available. I am just writing as I think. Totally different subject, but why when we see all the stories of the ark and the flood do we only see two of every animal. In reality it was two of every unclean animal and seven of every clean animal. The waters flooded the earth for 150 days. 150 plus the 40 days of rain, that is only 190. You figure about 6 months then where did the water go? More importantly where did all the dead go? Just an off track thought this morning.
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