January 26, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | Gaining by Losing | Mark 8:34-38 to 9:1

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January 26, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | Gaining by Losing | Mark 8:34-38 to 9:1

Gaining by Losing
Mark 8:34-38 to 9:1

In our last lesson Jesus asked “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (8:13). Peter, under the inspiration of the Heavenly Father, gave the answer "You are the Messiah” (Mar.8:29). He indeed got it right. Moments later Jesus explained to the disciples that He would go to Jerusalem, suffer, be crucified, die and three days later rise from the dead. At this point “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him” (8:2). In Matthew’s Gospel we observed that Peter further stated “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (Mat.6:22). Here Peter indeed got it wrong, massively wrong. Jesus would never be allowed to suffer, die and be resurrected? The entire Messianic mission of Christ hangs on these realities. Peter’s got the word right, but missed its definition completely. The result of misunderstanding the nature of Jesus person and mission will lead to a wrong view of discipleship. In this text today, Jesus will draw all our attention upon what is required to become His disciple.

January 19, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | Who Do People Say the I Am? Observations of the Dead and the Awakened | Mark 8:27-34

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January 19, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | Who Do People Say the I Am? Observations of the Dead and the Awakened | Mark 8:27-34

The Gentile Campaign | Revealing the Kingdom of God Context | Mark 7:1 to 8:34
Who Do People Say the I Am? Observations of the Dead and the Awakened
Mark 8:27-34

Mark picks up on a common theme in this text. As before, he uses the phrase “On the way” to describe the nature of Jesus’ teaching ministry. It was a day’s journey (about a 25-mile walk) from Bethsaida to the region of Caesarea Philippi which lay in the north of the tetrarchy of Philip at the foot of Mt. Hermon, bordering on Syria. Jesus had worked miracles during this campaign, but had yet to clearly announce Himself to be the Messiah. As the disciples walked along this mixed terrain of hills and mountains, this would change. Caesarea Philippi was an unlikely place for the first proclamation of Jesus as Messiah, for its population was chiefly non-Jewish. There is a again a surprising contrast of belief between those Jesus reached out to in this region, the Gentiles, and Jesus’ disciples, who were with Jesus, observed His miracles and wonders, heard His teaching, and even assisted in two of the most significant miracles of His ministry, the feeding of the five thousand Jewish people and the more recent feeding of the four thousand Gentiles. Today we will see the reason from this perpetual unbelief by the disciples while in the very presence of the Savior Himself as Jesus the question: “Who do people say that I am?"

January 12, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | Are Your Eyes so Blind? | Mark 8:11-26

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January 12, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | Are Your Eyes so Blind? | Mark 8:11-26

January 5, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | The First Appearings of the Messiah | Luke 2:23- 3:6

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January 5, 2020 | Pastor John Bayles | The First Appearings of the Messiah | Luke 2:23- 3:6

Advent:Post Script
The First Appearings of the Messiah
Luke 2:23- 3:6

These two appearance of Jesus as a boy, which are recorded only in Luke’s Gospel, reveal a treasured glimpse into Jesus’ young years while in the care of Mary and Joseph. They also serve a prophetic prelude to the other Gospels and give insight into the depth of research which Luke pursued in discovering them, likely from Mary herself.