Mark 2

I'm finally caught up. All three seasons of Battlestar Galactica, the 4 hour pilot, and BSG:Razor, all watched and thoroughly enjoyed. It is easy to see why so many people watch it and I am really looking forward to the final season. Although, how convenient is it that there is a Cylon in the most important positions in the fleet. The XO? The President's assistant? The Chief Engineer? Starbuck's husband? This stretches credibility a tad but I guess it's not exciting if it's some low level muckity-muck.

II Jesus continues to heal; call disciples; teach
A. vs 1-17 Jesus heals the paralytic that is lowered through the roof
1. vs 1-5 Jesus travels to Capernaum; a paralytic's friends lower him through the roof where Jesus is teaching
2. vs 6-7 Other teachers of the law take offensive to Jesus telling the paralytic that his sins are forgiven
3. vs 8-12 Jesus proves His authority to forgive sins by healing the paralytic
B. vs 13-17 Jesus calls Levi (Matthew)
1. vs 13-14 Jesus calls Levi out of the tax collectors booth
2. vs 15-17 Matthew gives a dinner for Jesus and invites his tax collector friends
C. vs 18-22 Jesus explains why His disciples are not fasting
1. vs 18-20 His disciples won't fast until He leaves them
2. vs 21-22 Do not put a new patch on old cloth or new wine in old wineskins
D. vs 23-28 Jesus explains why it is OK for His disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath
1. vs 23-24 The disciple pick grain and offend the Pharasees
2. vs 25-26 Jesus gives the example of David eating the shewbread to justify His disciples actions
3. vs 27-28 Jesus explains that the Sabbath is meant to serve man, not the other way around

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Mark 2:17

This verse is interesting to me because the Bible makes it so clear in other places that there is "none righteous, no not one". If Jesus came to deal with sinners He certainly came to the right place, but who are these righteous people He is referring to? This has to mean that He is calling the ones who think they are sinners as opposed to those why think they are righteous. This illustrates how deadly the sin of pride is. It is pride that blinds us to our own sinfulness and keeps us from rightly assessing ourselves by His standards. This why it is so important when sharing your faith to show people where they stand in relationship to the Law of God. This helps break through the wall of pride and shows people the depth of sin they wallow in. We all think we are good people because we measure ourselves by the standard of other "good" people. When put next to these people I don't look so bad, but when measured against the law I see I'm not even close. I might as well try jumping to the moon or swimming to the bottom of the deepest part of the Pacific. When I see myself in this light, as a sinner in desperate need of God's grace, that's when He calls me, that's when I can hear His voice.

2 Timothy 1

I've decided to do just 2nd Timothy this week and save Titus for next week. As I read both First and Second Timothy I am really surprised at how important doctrine was to Paul. I'm not sure how I missed this. It really makes me examine my own ministry even more to be sure I am keeping Paul's commands to Timothy. As a Youth Pastor, there is always a line to be walked between entertainment and teaching. It needs to be something they enjoy coming to and feel comfortable inviting their friends too, and it also needs to be meaty and Bible-saturated. I know that in the past I have had youth services that have been filled with fluff and have thrown out candy and had a fun time but no one learned anything. I also know that I have had services that have been so teaching-focused I wonder how much of what I said was retained. However, after reading these books I think the answer is to continue to teach doctrine but to try do it in engaging and interesting ways. I spend so much time studying for lessons (reading commentaries, word studies, etc.) and while that's a good thing, I need to invest time in illustrations and stories that make what I am saying memorable. One thing I won't do under any circumstances is have an all-entertainment, fluffy teaching on how to be a better you with no doctrine.

I Be faithful and use the gifts God gave you
A. vs 1-2 Greetings
B. vs 3-7 Fan your gift into flame
C. vs 8-12 Do not be ashamed of the gospel or of its apostles
D. vs 13-15 Guard what was deposited in you by the Holy Spirit
E. vs 16-18 Paul prays for Onesiphorus

This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.
2 Timothy 1:9

What day were you saved? According to this verse, if you are saved it was because of a decision that was made wa-a-a-a-a-y before you were born. God chose you to be in Him before the first act of creation and your repentance and trusting in Jesus was just confirmation of what was already written. There is a lot of comfort in this verse. The most comforting aspect is if you are saved He will hold you safe through this life. There is nothing you can do to get unsaved. Those that fall away were false converts and were never saved in the first place. Nothing surprises God and He already knows all of our days. Not only does He know them but He also ordained them. God actively works in our life to bring His best plan for all of us to fruition. God is a good God that can be trusted and loved whole-heartedly and with abandon.

1 Timothy

So, on to my 2nd passage of scripture, I Timothy! This was one of the passages I had on my mental list before I started this whole process. Being in a small church, we have never really had a need for elders, deacons, and what not. It pretty much the Pastor, the Youth Pastor (me), and whoever else volunteers. (And our wives of course) So we haven't really wrestled with the concept of a formal heirarchy of overseers, in fact I'm not sure if we really need one. That's one of the things I am going to look out for as I read.

But first, allow me to outline the first chapter so I get the main ideas.

I Oppose false teachers and God is gracious to the worst of sinners
A. vs 1-11 Tell false teachers to stop teaching!
1. vs 1-2 Opening greeting
2. vs 2-7 Command false teachers to stop and don't get caught up in minutia
3. vs 8-11 The law was made to condemn sinners
B. Paul was the worst of sinners but God daved him anyway
1. vs 12-14 Paul was shown mercy
2. vs 15-17 The reason He saves sinners to show His unlimited patience with us
3. vs 18-20 Hold fast to your faith and doctrine

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
1 Tim 1:15-16

I think this is a common feeling among mature christians. That when we inspect our own lives, we see the worst of sin. I can not imagine anyone who has walked with the Lord for any length of time to think lightly of their sin. When I think of the cross, of the scourgings, of the thorns, of the spear, of the nails, and I realize that should have been mine. When I look at my own wrists and see no holes but know I have Christ anyway. When I look at my own side and see no spear but know I have Heaven anyway. It causes me to crumble before God and thank Him again for what He did to save me. It causes me to wonder at the grace that has been poured out on me. It causes my to acknowledge that If our positions were reversed, I would not save someone like me. But here I am, the chief of sinners, bought with the blood of Christ and a shining trophy to His grace. Let all creation look and marvel at the goodness of my God!

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.