“The Disciples Plucking Grain on the Sabbath” by Gustave Dore (1832-1883)
Mark 2:23-28 (ESV) One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” Read more »
Who Says That Jesus is Greater Than I Am? by Dr. John Davis
Mark 1:1 (ESV) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
[Painting is "St. John the Baptist" by Valentin De Boulogne (1628-30)] Read more »
Getting to Know Jesus Better!
Introduction to the Series by Dr. John Davis
In the coming weeks at Grace Church of Philly, we will be looking at the gospel of Mark so that we may get to know Jesus better. Mark 1:1 tells us at the beginning that his letter is about – The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark wants to share with his readers the good news about Jesus Christ that they may get to know him better and in some way act upon that knowledge.
Mark gives no genealogical record as do Matthew and Luke, or like John who traces Jesus before creation with His Father, but the absence of a genealogy isn’t necessarily a hindrance to getting to know and trust someone.
I confess out the outset that I do not merely want you to know him better, but I pray and hope that you will follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
We will follow multiple paths through the Gospel of Mark in getting to know Jesus better. We will move from path to path as we travel through the Gospel. On one path, we will listen to what others say about Jesus and probe our own hearts to see if we agree or disagree and want to follow this Jesus. On another path, we will look at what happens when Jesus encounters specific people and ask ourselves if this is the Jesus we want to follow. Then on a third path, we will listen to what Jesus says on a number of topics and ask ourselves if we are willing to follow this Jesus and live by His teaching.
So here is how we will attempt to get to know him better:
What do others say about Him? Do we agree with what they say?
What happens when others encounter Him? Do we like what happens?
What does He say? Are we willing to follow His teaching?
The following is a short gospel message that was preached to the poor and homeless at a special worship outreach and feeding on April 16th:
This evening, I want to share a few words about a people who were severely afflicted and oppressed; and a few words about the God who heard their cry and delivered them out from under the hands of those who were causing their suffering.
Before the time of Moses, the ancient Egyptians enslaved the people of Israel and “made their lives bitter with hard service,” treating them “ruthlessly,” (Ex. 1:14) the leaders even going so far as ordering that all male Hebrew children be killed immediately after birth (Ex. 1:15-22). Read more »
Tags: gospel, grace of God, Jesus Christ, salvation, satan, sin
gospel, mercy ministries, preaching, salvation, sin | John Leone | 
April 17, 2010 8:18 pm | 
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At Grace Church, our desire is that everything we do and say and think would be informed and driven by the gospel of Jesus Christ. And “everything” necessarily includes our ministries of mercy.
In other words, we don’t want mercy ministry to become an end in and of itself. We are very concerned that it never becomes detached from Jesus and His saving gospel.
Missionary Lesslie Newbigin speaks on the danger of reductionism in the life and thought of the church: Read more »
Tags: faith, false religion, fear of god, gospel, grace of God, Jesus Christ, legalism, religion, salvation, video
preaching, video | John Leone | October 26, 2009 11:48 am | Comments (0)
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