Week 37 September 12 September 18, 2011 I. Adoration (1) Invocation Prayer LGC Daily Devotion Guide 2011 O God who hast so greatly loved us, long sought us, and mercifully redeemed us; give us grace that in everything we may yield ourselves, our wills and our works, a continual thank-offering unto Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen. (The Westminster Confession, 1647-8) (2) Adoration through Psalm 89 (We ll use this Psalm, not for today s Bible reading, but for the sake of focusing our thoughts on God) Since this is a longer psalm, perhaps we can read part of the psalm slowly this psalm at least three times and each day gather one thought that points to God s character and translate it into a prayer of adoration: Day 1: vv. 1-4 Day 2: vv. 5-13 Day 3: vv. 14-18 Day 4: vv. 19-29 Day 5: vv. 30-37 Day 6: vv. 38-45 Day 7: vv. 46-52 II. Confession Pause now and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your sins and ask for forgiveness. IV. Scriptural Reflection: We shall continue to consider the 8th mark, which is A Concern for Discipleship and Growth based on the Gospel of Mark. Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below each day: September 12 Mark 3: 1-6 Theme: Jesus cares (1) If you were the person with a shriveled hand and you heard of what Jesus has been doing, what might be your expectation that Sabbath day in the synagogue? (2) What about the people in the synagogue? What did they care most about that Sabbath a. That they might worship God meaningfully? b. That they might hear power words from Jesus? c. That they might know more about Jesus? d. That they might see the power of Jesus through the healing of this man? e. That this poor man whom they d probably known as a friend for many years might get healed? f. That they might see if Jesus dared to heal on a Sabbath? (3) Why is that they chose f instead? What does this say about their relationship with God? (4) When you went to church the last Sunday, what did you care about most? Why? (5) How does the question raised by Jesus in v.4 explain the true meaning of Sabbath? (6) Why was their silence interpreted as a sign of their stubborn hearts? (7) Can you recall times that Jesus was angry while on earth? (8) Is there anything in your life that might cause Jesus to be angry and deeply distressed? (9) What is the main message for you today? III. Thanksgiving List, one by one, things for which you should give thanks. 1 2
September 13 Mark 3: 7-12 Theme: Authority over demons This is a picture of the spread of fame of Jesus in the northern part of Israel, in the region of Galilee. (1) Look up the map (at the back of most Bibles), and see how far had the people come from? (2) In the absence of today s media, and news only traveled by word of mouth, what might the people be hearing about Jesus? (3) If you were one of those who had not seen what Jesus had done and preached except by hearsay, what would you be thinking? What might be the reason for you to travel so far to see Jesus? (4) If you had a serious or long-term illness, would you make the trip? Why or why not? (5) Jesus has come to save our souls and give us eternal life, why would he spend (so much) time healing the sick? (6) It appears that demons were very active in those days in the region, with many being possessed. Are demons less active today? Why or why not? (7) What is the main message for you today? September 14 Mark 3: 13-21 Theme: The choosing of apostles (1) Why did Jesus need to go up to a mountain before appointing the twelve? (2) What were the twelve being appointed apostles for? (3) Why did Jesus have to appoint them? Why twelve and not more? (4) Read the list of names carefully, especially the additional information about some of them, and in particular that of John and Judas. (5) Do you think on what basis Jesus had chosen each one of them? 3 (6) Did Jesus make any mistake in his judgment? Why or why not? (7) Why did Jesus family think that He is out of His mind? (8) What is the main message for you today? September 15 Mark 3: 22-30 Theme: The sin of blasphemy (1) It was one of those rare occasions that Jesus took the initiative to call the scribes to gather before Him. What made this accusation of the scribes so special that Jesus felt the need to summon them to Him? (2) Does the parable that Jesus used in vv.23-26 to denounce the scribes make sense to you? Why or why not? (3) How would you then compare the house of God (the church), with the house of Satan in terms of unity? Who is winning the spiritual battle then? (4) Has the strong man (Satan) been tied up? (5) What is meant by blaspheming the Holy Spirit and why would it be an unforgivable sin according to Jesus? (6) Mark remarks that Jesus said this because they were saying, He has an evil spirit. So, have they (the teachers of the law) committed such an eternal sin? Why or why not? (7) How should we then avoid such a sin? (8) What is the main message to you today? September 16 Mark 3: 31-35 Theme: The new family in Christ (1) What do you think was the intention of Jesus mother and brothers in visiting Jesus? (2) What is meant by trying to take charge of Jesus back in v.21 and how would they be doing it? (3) If Jesus brothers were ignorant of who Jesus is, what about Mary, His mother? (4) What was Jesus response to their visit? (5) What do you think might be the reaction from His mother and brothers? 4
(6) As we know Jesus brothers, especially James and Jude, would become a followers of Jesus eventually, how does this explain their journey of faith in Jesus? (7) What does Jesus statement in v.34 mean to you? (8) What is the main message to you today? September 17 Mark 4: 1-9; 13-20 Theme: The parable for the sower The fame of Jesus and the size of the crowd grew at the same time, but it appears that Jesus was speaking mainly in parables to them and Mark selects a few to be retold here. The first one is about the fates of the seeds being sown. Vv. 3-9 tell the parable and vv. 13-20 provide the explanation. It is important to note that in understanding a parable, one has to focus on its central teaching, and not on minor details, unless being made plain by Jesus Himself. (1) In what way is the use of the sower and seed sowing vividly fitting to the sharing of the gospel? (2) Can you relate the four outcomes of the seeds to people or incidents that you have come across (or in your own life)? i. Seeds fell along the path: taken away by Satan a. How did Satan do this in a hearer s heart? ii. Seeds fell on rocky places: dried up by trouble or persecution a. since trouble or persecution happens because of the word, should you encourage the hearer to keep his or her faith secret to avoid it? iii. Seeds fell among the thorns: a. What are the choking factors? What else can choke the growth of one s faith? iv. Seeds fell on good soil: acceptance and multiplication a. How can the soil be good? b. Is there anything you (the sower) do the make sure the soil of the hearer is good? (3) What is the main message to you today? September 18 Mark 4: 10-12; 21-25 Theme: Using parables only Vv. 10-12 (1) In the New Testament, secret or mystery refers to God s plan of salvation hidden in the past, but now made plain by the coming of Jesus. Why then did Jesus use parables in many of His public teachings? (2) Tom Rees once made a remark that the same sun that hardens the clay, melts the wax. How may his remark help you understand the quote from Isaiah 6:9-10 in v.12? Vv. 21-23 Try not to tie this parable of the lamp with the one in Matthew 5 and read this within its own context and pay attention to the connective for in v.22. (3) Who is the Light of the world? And with this Light having come to the world, what is being (and will be) disclosed and brought out into the open? What has this to do with you? Vv. 24-25 This parable has to do with how we hear (Jesus teachings), and v.25 is linked to v.24 by the word for (NIV somehow omits it) (4) With what measure did the Pharisees use in their hearing of Jesus? And what was the consequence? (5) With what measures did the disciples, like Peter, use in their hearing of Jesus, and what was the consequence? (6) What is the main message to you today? 5 6
V. Meditative Reflection This week we shall continue reflecting on the 8 th Mark: A CONCERN FOR DISCIPLESHIP AND GROWTH A BIBLICAL PRACTICE OF GROWTH September 12 Please read page 205 beginning with A second question, then: to the second last paragraph on the same page ending with is a demon sucking at the spring of your life. Consider Os Ginness s words carefully and share your thoughts accordingly. September 13 Please read from the last paragraph on page 205, beginning with To learn what we most need to the third paragraph on page 206 ending with.how uncomfortable parts of its may be. Mark Dever writes, when we hear expositional preaching we become less dependent on the preacher. What is that? Biblical Theology September 14 Please read from the fourth paragraph on page 206 beginning with A church built on biblical theology. to the first paragraph on page 207 ending with.he would send our way. How does a more systematic knowledge of Scripture help our growth? Why is a church that promotes a biblical understanding especially of the Gospel is a church that will help us grow as Christians? September 16 Please read from the last paragraph on page 207 beginning with When we begin to have. to the third paragraph on page 208 ending with. Return to being amazed at the Gospel. Why should we all have a deep conviction of our sin? Do you? A Biblical Understanding of Conversion September 17 Please read from the fourth paragraph on page 208 beginning with A biblical understanding of. to the first paragraph on page 209 ending with.by the grace of God. What has a deep sense of our pride and of God s love to do with a genuine conversion? A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism September 18 Please read from the second paragraph on page 209 beginning with The lack of spiritual growth.. to the first paragraph on page 210 closing with. it encourages me to trust God. The lack of spiritual growth in people is often and evidence that they have been wrongly evangelized. Do you agree? A Biblical Understanding of the Gospel September 15 Please read from second paragraph on page 207 beginning with A church that promotes a biblical understanding. to the second last paragraph on same page ending with.assault my soul in every part. 7 8
VI. A Time for Silence You have meditated much with your intellectual faculty today. Now have a moment of silence (the length is up to you, 5 or even 30 minutes), and ask God quietly, Lord, is there any important message from you today that I might have missed? Show me, your servant is listening? VII. Supplication Use the following chart to cover people and ministries that you want to remember before the Lord: Sunday Your family Other people Church Ministries Other Ministries City & World Others Monday Tuesday Wed Thursday Friday Saturday VII. Benediction O Lord, we beseech Thee mercifully to hear us, and grant that we, to whom Thou hast given a hearty desire to pray, may by Thy mighty aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (The Gregorian Sacramentary, circa 790) 9