evangelism

He Appointed Twelve

Today we return to our series in Mark and see something amazing.  As we have been studying this gospel, we have already been seeing plenty of amazing things.  We’ve seen Jesus perform a number of miracles, which he does more of today in our passage.  In verses 7-12 Jesus heals more people and casts out more demons.  And yet what I think is even more amazing is what follows in verses 13-20.  In those verses Jesus appoints twelve men to be in his inner circle, to be discipled by Christ, with the ultimate goal of evangelism – to use these men in bringing the good news of the kingdom to the world.  Jesus hand picks twelve men, a diverse group full of unlikely candidates, eleven of whom will ultimately become his apostles.  And it will be through these apostles that Jesus builds his church, and brings his gospel to the ends of the earth.

Passage: Mark 3:7-20
Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 03/30/2008 in Novato, CA.
Other Scripture Readings: Isaiah 55:1-7; Genesis 12:1-4; Revelation 7

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How is it that He Eats and Drinks?

What is appropriate behavior for the people of God and their leaders?  In our passage for today, we see Jesus and his disciples eating and drinking.  We see Jesus eating and drinking with tax collectors and others who were known as sinners.  And it is in the midst of his eating and drinking where we see more opposition rise up against Jesus.  In both of the scenes in this passage there is opposition against Jesus and both rounds of opposition are ultimately asking the same thing.  They are both questioning the appropriateness of Jesus’ conduct and his behavior in leading his disciples.  This passage wonderfully shows his Jesus actions are quite appropriate, and finds the basis of their appropriateness in the gospel.

Passage: Mark 2:13-22
Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 03/02/2008 in Novato, CA.
Other Scripture Readings: Leviticus 23:26-32; Revelation 19:5-6

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For this Purpose I Have Come Forth

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Passage: Mark 1:14-45
Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 02/10/2008 in Novato, CA.

Jesus had a plan and purpose in his ministry.  And as we study this passage today, we get a great glimpse of that purpose.  Verse 38 records Jesus talking explicitly about his purpose for coming when he says, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” This chapter introduces what Jesus’ purpose in ministry was, by illustrating what Jesus was typically doing in his ministry. This chapter also shows a danger and threat to Jesus ministry, and by looking at that we’ll also get a better idea of his purpose in ministry.

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