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At Jesus’ baptism, God publicly declared, “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” This raises the question: What happens to God’s beloved Son now? Where does he go, and who does he encounter? The next episode gives us an startling answer. Instead of receiving a royal reception, God’s beloved Son goes into the wilderness to meet God’s adversary. I. Where the King Goes: The WildernessII. Who the King Faces: God’s AdversaryIII. Why this MattersThis episode shows us that Jesus triumphs where we fail so that through him we too can triumph.

What is so important about the baptism of Jesus? It marks the official beginning of his ministry as the Christ, the King. It also means that the three events of his baptism—heaven being torn open, the Spirit descending, and the Father’s speaking—apply not only to Jesus, but also to all those who are trusting in Jesus. This is why we can declare that . . . I. In Christ, we find heaven open. - 1:10a II. In Christ, we receive God’s Spirit - 1:10b III. In Christ, we enjoy God’s delight. - 1:11

The gospel of Mark presents Jesus as the King (Messiah, God’s Son) who has come to rescue his people. But what must be done to prepare for the coming of this King?Ahead of Jesus, God sends a prophet: John the baptizer. John’s style and methods were unconventional, but his message was clear: this coming King will bring people out of the exile of their sin, so that they can come home to the life-giving presence of God.Although Jesus’ coming took place over 2,000 years ago, John’s message remains relevant for us today. This will become clear as we consider . . . I. The Moment: What happened?II. The Meaning: What does this mean?III. The Message: What does this mean for us? We still need: A. A prophetic voice B. The offer of forgiveness C. A call to repentance D. A high view of Christ E. The Spirit of God

Mark 1:1-3 In a world riddled with evil and pain, it’s easy to develop a cynical, despairing attitude about nearly everything. Even when things seem to be good we wonder, “What’s really behind this? or, “We’ll just see how long this lasts.” Is there anything so solidly good that it’s worth believing, celebrating, and sharing with others? Mark certainly thought so, and wrote a book about it. The opening few verses of Mark’s gospel gives us three reasons this news is so good. I. This message is good because of who it’s about. II. This message is good because of how it came. III. This message is good because of where it lands.

How many people identify as Christian? In the U. S. the number is estimated around 235 million, and worldwide it’s 2.3 billion. But of these many people, how many truly understand who Jesus is? The gospel of Mark was written to answer that question both for people in the ancient world, and for us today. In this introductory message on the book of Mark, we will consider how Mark unfolds this theme, and what it means for us today.I. What Kind of Book Is the Gospel of Mark? A. It is very early B. It is true C. It is structured D. It is personalII. What Does the Gospel of Mark Teach? III. What Can We Expect from the Gospel of Mark A. To be confronted by the person of Jesus B. To consider the primary work of Jesus C. To be taught what it means to be a follower of Jesus

Without self-control, all the other qualities will crumble to pieces. Self-control is like the skin that protects and contains the other organs of the body. But when it comes to self-control, we face two major challenges. First, it’s hard to achieve. Second, even when we achieve it, we tend to use it for self-centered purposes. So what does it mean to have self-control as a fruit of God’s Spirit? Simply stated, self-control is the Spirit-given power to say “no” to sin and “yes” to God. 1. The Meaning of Self-Control 2. Our Need for Self-Control 3. The Secret to Self-Control 4. The Practice of Spirit-Controlled Living

The word rendered “gentleness” is hard to translate into English, and this quality tends to be misunderstood. It is not merely treating other with tenderness, and it is certainly not weakness or softness. Rather, it is a deep and settled strength in God that overflows in gracious spirit toward others. 1. The Meaning of Gentleness 2. Our Lack of Gentleness 3. The Source of Gentleness 4. The Practice of Gentleness

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). I. The Meaning of Faithfulness II. The Problem of Unfaithfulness III. The Solution to Unfaithfulness IV. The Practice of Faithfulness

According to the Bible, kindness is not just being nice and polite. It’s love acting with sacrificial generosity to meet a real need for someone else. The ultimate source of kindness is God himself. He showed us his kindness in the most radically generous way possible: sending his Son to rescue us from the misery and penalty of our sin. Only by accepting this kindness—as the Bible puts it, “tasting that the Lord is kind”—can we have the ability and motivation to show kindness to others (1 Peter 2:3). This is why kindness is not something we can manufacture by sheer will-power. It is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of those who abide in Christ. I. The Meaning of Kindness II. The Gift of God’s Kindness III. The Practice of Kindness

Patience is not a glamorous quality. It probably wouldn’t feature as the standout trait of the world’s most influential people. But it’s one of the qualities God proclaims about himself, and it’s the first proof of genuine love (Exodus 34:6; 1 Corinthians 13:4). Without patience, the other qualities—love, joy, peace, etc.—would quickly fizzle out. Patience is the quality that enables love to last long, joy to persist in trials, and peace to overcome conflict. Such a quality is not something we can manufacture. Rather, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of people who abide in Christ. I. The Meaning of Patience II. The Gift of Patience III. The Practice of Patience

Peace is not merely the absence of conflict: it is the presence of whole-life flourishing. It is when all the pieces fit together like they should. In our broken world, everyone is trying to put the pieces back together without a clear idea of what they are putting together. The Bible teaches us that genuine peace begins with a restored relationship with God, which flows into restored relationships with others—and with ourselves. Such peace is not something we can manufacture. Rather, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of people who abide in Christ. I. The Absence of Peace II. The Essence of Peace III. The Source of Peace IV. The Life of Peace

As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday as a nation, we should give thanks to God for the unique blessings we enjoy in America. We should also seek God’s wisdom on how to be a blessing as Christian citizens of America while reminding ourselves that our ultimate allegiance is to Christ.I. What Is A Christian’s Duty to Country? (Romans 13:1-7) II. What Is A Christian’s Duty to God? (1 Peter 2:13-17) III. How does a Christian’s duty to country intersect in application with a Christian’s duty to God?

Compared to most societies in the past and around the world, modern Americans have more wealth, health, personal autonomy, and access to goods and entertainment. Yet we are also very unhappy—as indicated by high rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and addiction. Although “the pursuit of happiness” is enshrined in America’s founding documents as an “unalienable right,” we seem to miss a deeper quality the Bible calls joy.In Galatians 5:22, the Apostle Paul lists joy as a fruit of the Spirit. Like the other qualities in this list, joy is not something we can manufacture. Rather, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of people who abide in Christ.I. What Joy Is NotII. What Joy IsIII. Where Joy Comes FromIV. How to Live Joyfully

“The fruit of the Spirit is love.”Galatians 5:22Love is what we all need. But love is also what we find confusing, frustrating, and even scary. Love, in its purest form, means total sacrifice and total vulnerability. This is why the Bible insists that love is not something we can manufacture. Instead, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the life of a person who abides in Christ.I. Our Problem with Love “Anyone who does not love does not know God.” - 1 John 4:8aII. The Source of Love “God is love.” - 4:8b-9III. The Receiving of Love “He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 4:10IV. Our Practice of Love “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” - 4:11

The Bible teaches that the Christian life means living “in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25; Romans 8:4). But what does this mean? To some people, it means that we no longer need rules to guide our behavior. To others, it means that we live by inner impressions and strong emotions. This passage presents a richer and deeper meaning. Life in the Spirit is neither lawlessness nor emotionalism. Rather, it means freedom from selfish choices, the power to love and serve others, and a harvest of Jesus-like attitudes and actions.