Seeing Jesus As God's Son

– Mark Eight –

 

   Mark provided more proof that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God. In Mark chapter eight we have record of Jesus feeding four thousand people with seven loaves and a few small fish. He also healed a blind man in Bethsaida. Again the Pharisees tempted Jesus desiring a sign from Him. His reply was, "There shall no sign be given unto this generation." His miracles provided ample proof that He is indeed the Son of God. There was no need for any other sign to be given. The Pharisees were very hypocritical as they kept challenging Jesus and kept rejecting His authority.

 

   While the Pharisees rejected Jesus Peter confessed His true nature as the Messiah. From this point in the personal ministry of Jesus and onward everything led directly to His eventual suffering, death and resurrection. Jesus was indeed the Messiah, but He also identified Himself as the "Son of man." After Jesus' prediction of His suffering and death, He described the sort of life that He expected His followers to lead in His absence. Jesus said, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

 

   Jesus is our powerful Lord -- Mark 8:1-21: The multitudes of people still followed Jesus. Great  leaders  always  train  others.   Therefore, Jesus did much of what He did through His apostles. He had pity or compassion on these people because they have been with Him for three days without food. The people had come from a great distance away and He was concerned that they would faint on the way home. The disciples asked, "How will it be possible to get enough food for these men here in this wilderness?" How strange that they seemed to have forgotten the feeding of the five thousand.

 

   Jesus often asked His disciples questions. It was not for the purpose of gaining information, but He asked as a means of drawing the attention of the disciples to the matter at hand. He asked how much bread they had. Their answer was that they had seven loaves and a few small fish. Jesus had his disciples to ask the people to sit down. He then looked to heaven and blessed the loaves and fish or gave thanks for them. They were divided among the disciples who then shared them out with the people. The four thousand people were given all that they wanted. After they had eaten, seven baskets of fragments were collected and then the people were sent away.

 

   In Dalmanutha the Pharisees asked Jesus questions tempting Him. They desired "a sign" after all that He had already done. Jesus was sad because they kept acting in their usual hypocritical manner. In Matthew 16:4 we learn that Jesus did given them Jonah as a sign and then He left them. As the disciples moved about with Jesus He warned them to "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod." At first they thought He said this because they had forgotten to take bread. They came to understand that "He bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." (Matthew 16:12)

 

   Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God -- Mark 8:22-30: Faith in Jesus continued to grow among many people as He went about doing good. They brought a blind man to Him for healing. He took the man aside and with saliva touched his eyes. At first the man could see but things were out of focus. He saw men as trees walking. The Lord could have just as easily healed the man completely. He wanted to show that He is sovereign concerning His blessings and gave them on His terms, not on man's terms. We receive God's grace and salvation the same way, not on our terms but on His terms.

 

   Jesus' miracles prove that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and Savior of the world. He wanted to make sure that His disciples understood His mission and purpose. He first asked "Whom do men say that I am?" Many had high opinions of Jesus saying that He was John the Baptist, Elias or one of the prophets. Then He asked "Whom say ye that I am?" Their answer was "Thou art the Christ." They believed that Jesus was the promised and long expected Messiah. We must believe the same today. To be a Christian is to believe that Jesus is the Christ and to live and act accordingly.

 

   Jesus foretold His suffering & death -- Mark 8:31-33: Now that the disciples are convinced by Jesus' miracles that He is the Messiah they will be able to understand His imminent suffering and death. So "He began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." (Mark 8:31) Instead of being crowned as an earthly king He would be crucified and after three days He would rise again. His sacrifice would be the means of our salvation. Peter opposed what Jesus said. He took him, and began to rebuke Him concerning what He had said about His suffering and death. Peter loved the Lord and did not want to think about Him having to suffer.

 

   Jesus looked at the other disciples to see if they agreed with Peter. He told Peter "Get thee behind me, Satan." Peter spoke as one that did not understand the purpose and power of Christ's suffering. He did not seem to understand that the death of Jesus was necessary to the destruction of Satan and the salvation of man. His death would be for the glory of God. By the death of the Savior many sons will be brought to glory.

 

   Jesus' instructions on discipleship -- Mark 8:34-38: If we truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah we will follow Him at all cost. He calls people to Him, to know Him and to lovingly obey Him. The result of this loving obedience is that Jesus will heal sin sick souls. He said, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." God's people must accommodate themselves to the will of God in all thoughts and actions. We must resolve that we will never forsake our Lord.

 

   We must not dread the loss of our life for the sake of Christ. The loss of your life to gain Christ is the fountain of eternal hope. All that you lose for Christ in this life will be more than made up for in a far better life to come. Let us remember "that life is sweet, and death is bitter, but eternal death is more bitter, and eternal life is more sweet." Those that are ashamed of Christ in this world shall not share with Him in His glory in the world to come.

 

   Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? If so it is time to become a Christian now! To become a Christian you must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess Christ as Lord (Acts 8:37), and be baptized to be saved. (1 Peter 3:21). After bap­tism follow Jesus in faithfulness as He leads you home to heaven. (Revelation 2:10)

 

- - - - Charles Box

News & Notes

 

1. Prayer List: Baptist Hospital South: Corrine Till, Gadsden Regional: Charles Box, Sr. In Need Of Prayers: Jerry Barr, Shirley Boutwell, Dannie Box, Ida “Jean” Brazell, Dorothy Buck, Shirley Curry, Bobby Fullington,  Judy Green, Roy Goodwin, Billy Heartsill, Jeff Hughes, Mary Lawrence, Gentry McCeary, Renny McNaughton, Roland Mitchell, Reba Miller,  Elizabeth Perdue, Betty Pitts (aunt of Jeff Thomas), Mary Powell, Zachary Reynolds, Don Shirley, Sarah Stidham, Rebecca Stinson, Leroy Tindal, Ted Tindal,  Richard Watts, Mary Williams and Kim Willett. Crowne Health Care: Mary Alexander, James Alford, Gene Buck, Gladys Childs, Kathy Johnson, Wallace Murry, and Myrtle Perdue. Pine Needle: Mary Lou Phelps. Georgiana Nursing Facility: Helen Autrey, and Doris Pierce. Shut-Ins: Emma Lee Gafford, Jean Hayes, and Doris Taylor.

 

2. Requesting Our Prayers: Sandra Roberson responded to our Lord’s invitation. Please pray for health, strength and wisdom.

 

3. Please Pray For: Pray for Ben Newton, Jason Godwin and Dennis Phillips Jr. (Capt. Dennis Phillips, MNCI/IAG J-4, APO AE 09342) as they serve in Iraq.

 

4. Birthday: Celebrating a birthday this week is: October 4^th Brenda Herring.

 

5. Secret Pal Program: For all ladies that wish to participate in the “Secret Pals” Programs for 2008-2009, the forms are on the table in the foyer. Please return them to Nell Daughtry by October 1^st. The ladies will meet October 5^th at the home of Nell Daughtry at 2 p.m. to reveal last year’s Secret Pals.

 

6. Congratulation: Congratulation to Danyel and Derrick Wilson on the birth of their son, Mylan Kade Wilson. He was born September 19^th. He weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces and was 22 inches long. Send a note to them at: 2038 Lee Road 137 Lot 113, Auburn, Alabama 36832.

 

7. Thank You: Thank you all so much for all the prayers and kindness expressed since Daddy has been sick. The plant is lovely and appreciated. Please continue to remember Daddy and Mama in your prayers. In Christian Love, The Buck Family

 

8. Gospel Meeting: Our Gospel Meeting will be October 5^th through 8^th with Ron Bryant as the speaker. Sunday – Bible Class at 9:30, Worship at 10:30, Lunch at 12:00 and Worship at 6:00 and Weeknights at 7:00.

 

9. Biographical Sketch of Ron Bryant: He served churches in Illinois, Missouri, and Arizona. He served more than 27 years in the state of Arizona, twenty years with the Camelback Road Church of Christ in Phoenix. As of July 2008, he has begun to work fulltime in gospel meetings and in workshops on “Leadership,” “Family Life,” and special studies on “Right Relationship with God.” He and his wife Susan have built a new home and now live near Jacksonville, Alabama. They have a daughter, a son, and four grandchildren, all in the state of Arizona, whom they are able to see often as they teach and preach in the Southwest. He received his training at Free-Hardeman University, Arizona State University, and Southern Christian (now Amridge University). For nine years he worked with the School of Bible Emphasis. For seventeen years he conducted a daily radio broadcast, and for seven years spoke on a weekly television program. For more than twenty years he taught on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico.

 

10. Put These Dates On Your Calendar: (a) September 29^th – October 1^st – Spiritual Enrichment Forum – Marriott Legends Hotel & Convention Center, Prattville, Alabama – Hosted by Amridge university – See Bulletin board of schedule of times and speakers. (b) October 3^rd – Area Wide Congregational Singing – Georgia Road Church of Christ – Time 7:00 PM. (c) October 5^th – 8^th – Gospel Meeting – New Haven Church of Christ – Speaker Ron Williams – Time Sunday Bible Study 10:00 AM, Worship 11:00 AM and Worship 6:00 PM and Weeknights 7:00 PM  

 

Answers From The Bible #2

 

   How long should it take to disfellowship a sinning brother? God gives no specific time. There must time enough for these four things: (1) the brother to have an oppor­tunity to repent, (2) for you to go to him personally, (3) for you and one or two spiritually minded brothers to go to him and beg him to repent, and (4) for all the members of the church to go to him and plead with him to repent. (Matthew 18:15-17)

 

   Why is it that the church of Christ rebaptizes people like those coming from the Baptist Church? If a person was baptized the wrong way (sprinkling) they would need to be buried in baptism. (Romans 6:4)  If they were baptized for the wrong reason -- thinking they were saved and then were baptized to join some denomination they would need to be baptized for the right reason -- to wash away sins. (Acts 22:16) If baptized the wrong way or for the wrong reason that bap­tism is no good in the eyes of God. Do not think it strange that some are baptized again to be scriptural. (Acts 19:1-5)

 

   The Bible says that hell is dark and on the other hand it says there is unquenchable fire. How can we reconcile these two ideas? (Matthew 22:13, Luke 3:17) God can make more than one kind of fire. He made a fire that consumes. (Proverbs 26:21) He also made a fire that burned but did not consumer a bush. (Exodus 3:1-5) He can likewise make a fire that burns without light. "Nothing is too hard for the Lord." (Genesis 18:14)

 

   Is it right to invite members of other de­nomination to our church celebrations? This question scares and bothers me. First the expression "other denominations" is disturbing. The church of Christ is not a denomination. (Matthew 16:18) Second, what is a "church celebration?" This term, within itself, sounds very denominational. Do you mean -- is it right to invite people to our worship assem­blies? If so the answer is yes. Do you mean -- is it right to invite denomination preachers to preach, pray, or lead singing in our worship assemblies?  If so the answer is no!   (1 Corinthians 1:10)

 

- - - Charles Box

 

 

 

Don’t just own a Bible; read it!

 

Walnut Street Church of Christ

P.O. Box 551

Greenville, Alabama 36037-0551

(334-382-3001)