Author: Scott Lane

Scott Lane is the Executive Pastor of Ministry at FBCSA.

Influence

Re:Verse passage – Mark 2:13-17 (day five)

“While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.”

Levi’s reaction and response to having been called to follow Jesus was amazing. In the very next verse we read where he has been a catalyst for others to be in the presence of Jesus- eating dinner together at his house. Must have been an urgency and sincerity for Levi to leverage his relationships to influence them to be near Jesus and to hear the gospel.
Makes me search my own heart to check if I have that same urgency and influence for the gospel. Oh, that the Lord would continue to put people in my path and that I might be faithful to love with sincerity and influence with urgency for the gospel, that the Kingdom of God might grow in number and in strength. Levi’s reaction reminds me of the woman at the well in John 4. “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony”.

May we love and influence others that way, too!!

Circumstances

Re:Verse passage – Mark 2:1-12 (day five).  And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, “ Son, your sins are forgiven.”

It’s a beautiful picture. All 5 of these men have faith that was recognized by Jesus.  What was it that they believed?  I think they believed that Jesus could and would meet their friend’s deepest need. They were right, and they were wrong. They were right in the sense that Jesus could meet His deepest need. They were wrong in understanding what his deepest need actually was.  Jesus was very clear and understood completely what his biggest need actually was- the forgiveness of sin, to be in a right relationship with the Living God. Jesus at that moment looked past the circumstances and met the paralyzed man’s greatest need- forgiveness of Sin.

Will you ask Him to do the same for you?  Lord- Look past our circumstances and meet our greatest need!! (Help us be in a right relationship with You, Lord)

His Face

Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:36-45 (day five)

“He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” Mark‬ ‭1:38‬

Jesus’ mission has been made clear from His first night as a human. “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Would have been easy for Jesus to stay with the crowds and heal and minister. Yet, He keeps His mission clear (result of His prayer life- discipleship). There was a subtle but dangerous thing happening in the hearts of the people. They were beginning to seek the “hand” of Jesus rather than the “face” of Jesus. Leads to confusion of what our biggest need actually is. It’s why salvation and then regular repentance are so powerful. They keep us focused on our spiritual need. “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

We need, more than anything, a savior and a right relationship with the Living God.

This year, will you seek the Lord’s face rather than His hand?  Three ways that will help-  Repent Witness Disciple.

Happy New Year!!

Clarity and Courage

Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:21-35 (day five)“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” Mark‬ ‭1:35‬ ‭

It is an amazing picture. Jesus retreating from the crowds, the noise, the busyness in order to pray.  Jesus again, is modeling what obedience to God looks like- prioritizing time alone with His Heavenly Father. Just like in Mark 1, He would often leave those times in prayer with clarity and courage (reminds me of His time praying in the Garden of Gethsemane).  What Jesus knew, was that carving out or protecting time alone with God was invaluable. The disciples saw the  practice and the results. In fact, they asked Him to teach them how to pray.
Maybe that would be the best Christmas present we could discover- the desire and discipline to spend time alone with God in prayer. Anyone need clarity or courage?  “Lord, teach us to pray!!”

Direction and Timing

Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:16-20 (day five) “Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:18‬.
None of us are very patient. (Standing in line at the grocery store- not fun.  Being placed on hold when trying to order or purchase something- bothersome. Waiting for a table at a restaurant- exasperating.)  Yet, often when we feel the prompting of the Spirit (witnessing opportunity, prayer moment with someone, serve or minister to others, giving resources to bless), we suddenly develop a sense of “unurgency”.  We feel the need to slow down- process, pray over, etc.
To be fair, there are moments and seasons when that is exactly what the Lord would have us do. “Test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭ “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise… do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians‬ ‭5:15, 17‬.
To be honest, there are other moments when delayed obedience would be disobedience. “I hastened and did not delay to keep Your commandments.” Psalm 119:60 “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” Luke‬ ‭19:5

Walking in-step with the Spirit demands we obey- sometimes  with urgency and other times  with patience. Good News… God promises to help and guide us with direction and timing. 

Kairos

Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:9-15 (day five) “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
There are two Greek words Mark could have used for the word time- Chronos and Kairos. Same word in English, but they are different in Greek. Maybe a good distinction in English would be “historical” and “historic”. The meaning of Chronos is closer to historical- everything that takes place in space and time.  But not everything that happens is historic (kairos)- special and unique. Kairos is an important and momentous moment- time/life changing and altering.  Mark used Kairos. The gospel is Kairos.  Remember when the gospel came into your heart and life? (I do) It was “Kairos”. It was life changing and life altering. Through repentance and faith (believing) my priorities, thinking, behaviors, loyalties, all changed and are changing- reshaped and are reshaping – … Kairos.  That is the influence and power of the gospel-Life changing. This is the good news we must share with others. The gospel is life changing!!

Countercultural

Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:1-8 (day five) “And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I”.

John the Baptist is countercultural. From Mark’s writing, it’s fairly easy to see and recognize.  The clothes (camel hair).  The diet (locusts). The setting for his ministry (wilderness). His message (repentance). There is one more countercultural aspect of John that caught my heart and mind.  His perspective.  Let me explain.

I have spent over 30 years in youth ministry. As I have taught and counseled teenagers, there have been themes that have consistently bubbled up.  One of those was to press back against instant gratification. Think longer and deeper about mission, priorities, actions, and purpose. The phrase I used was to think, act, and plan “eternally”. As I watched them grow up and move into adulthood, I’ve come to believe is that instant gratification is not just a youth problem. It’s a human heart problem. Yet in Mark chapter one, we find a man in his 30’s who doesn’t seem to have this problem. “After me”.  Faith, ministry, and the purposes of God are wiser, deeper, and longer than ME. This eternal perspective changes everything.  The way we encourage and challenge others. The way we witness. The way we parent. The way we serve. The way we love.
We would all do well to think about eternal things with eternal timing in mind. John the Baptist did.

Guarding

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 4:1-9 (day five)

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

What is the byproduct of a deep  understanding and appreciation of the sovereignty of God?  Peace. Paul promises that the Peace of God will guard the human heart and mind. Paul uses a picture which he has observed over and over. Guarding.  Nothing comes in or out of prison without someone’s approval and awareness. When we pray (about everything as Paul encourages) God posts the centurion of peace right outside of our hearts and minds. And that peace stands to guard our hearts and minds from anxiety at both surface and deep levels. Nothing comes in that He doesn’t desire and approve. Because we can pray about everything, we can trust that God is sovereign over all the activities and events of our lives (everything). As we pray, we are reminded and assured that God is aware, and wisely and lovingly gives us what’s best for us.

Balance

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day five)

“For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,”  Every day we brush up against people who (from their actions and language) we know are not believers. We feel the darkness of culture in their minds and hearts. We sense their animosity towards God and holy things. Our responses and reactions in those moments can be very telling.  Anger. Avoidance. Apathy. Paul’s response is amazing.  Honesty. Vulnerability. Compassion. Kindness. Paul never compromises the truth. Paul never loses hope for the power and sovereignty of God to change a human heart.  Paul continues his work and ministry through tears and tension. What a balance!  What a deep confidence in God’s promises and provision.

Let’s weep and continue to worship. Let’s cry and be filled with compassion. Let’s partner sadness and sorrow with service. Let’s follow Paul’s example.

Both

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:12-16(day five)

“I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”  No getting around Paul’s clear teaching that  BOTH the Lord and humans are active participants in spiritual growth. In chapter 2, “work out your salvation” (man) “because God is at work in you” (God).  There is a responsibility and accountability for each of us in our spiritual growth. There is a dependency on the Lord required for spiritual growth.

I am reminded of the helpful illustration that Jerry Bridges shares in his book, The Pursuit of Holiness.

A farmer plows his field, sows the seed and fertilizes and cultivates—all the while knowing that in the final analysis he is utterly dependent on forces outside of himself. He knows he cannot cause the seed to germinate, nor can he produce the rain and sunshine for growing and harvesting the crop. For a successful harvest, he is dependent on these things from God.

Yet the farmer knows that unless he diligently pursues his responsibilities to plow, plant, fertilize, and cultivate, he cannot expect a harvest at the end of the season. In a sense he is in partnership with God, and he will reap it benefits only when he has fulfilled his own responsibilities.

Farming is a joint venture between God and the farmer. The farmer cannot do what God must do, and God will not do what the farmer should do.

We can say just as accurately that the pursuit of holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, but just as surely no one will attain it without effort on his own part.