February 2013
The Gospel of Mark – Dealing with Failure and Rejection in the Ministry Part Two
Many people in the church of Jesus Christ either don’t know God’s calling on their lives, for what it is He has called them to do for Him, or they feel inadequate to the task and simply fill their lives with empty, meaningless pursuits and activities that will have little to no merit throughout eternity. Let’s assume everyone wants to make a difference with their lives, It is Satan’s objective to so distract us as believers we end up living entire lifetimes without making a difference or impacting our world for Christ. All of us can do a little bit. We will all, individually stand before the Bema Seat of Christ, to give an answer for what we did with Jesus and His message of redemption. We will individually do that work in as many different ways as God has given us fingerprints. With many hands working together, the work of the kingdom will get done. Pastor Pete gives us a challenge from Mark 6:7-13 and verses 30-32 from the lives of the disciples of Jesus who were sent out and failed in the work He called them to do. What are ten lessons we can take with us for our own lives and ministries as we Listen for LIFE?
January 2013
The Gospel of Mark – What Happens When Prophets Go Home?
What are the consequences of unbelief? What are the various stages of faith as a born again believer? In the text for this week’s message, Pastor Pete shares the tragic reception of Jesus back into His home town of Nazareth. What lessons can be learned for ourselves when we experience the inevitable reactions of many, the inevitable questions of many, the inevitable conclusions of many and the plausible applications for many? What happens when prophets go home and try and share the truth of the gospel message to family members and those who know us best? In this passage we will learn how to deal with the inevitable feelings of rejection and failure in ministry. Listen for Life!
The Gospel of Mark – O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing
Jesus was not proclaimed for who He really was by those who followed Him until the last chapter of the book of Mark, where we hear in Mark 15:39 of the Centurion at the death of Christ who said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.” The demons believed and spoke out fearlessly the truth of His Person: fully God, fully Man, but not until the end of this book do we see His followers and the multitudes who witnessed His amazing power over Satan, demons, disease, creation: the wind and the waves, hunger and even over death itself that Jesus was indeed who He said He was. We see two people who exemplify true faith in Mark 5:21-43, a man wealthy, prosperous and highly esteemed and an outcast woman, timid and fearful come to Jesus in true faith so driven by their desperation and need that all else paled in comparison. One day, around the throne of God, in eternity future, we will gather as an uncountable throng of believers declaring in praise, adoration and worship the truth of who Jesus really is. Pastor Pete will hang this amazing story on the five stanzas of a truly great hymn of the faith: “O for a thousand tongues to sing, My great Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace.” In light of this amazing story within a story, set to music, we are challenged as well to Listen for LIFE!
December 2012
The Gospel of Mark – My Name is Legion Pt Two
In this Part Two message on Mark 5:1-20 Pastor Pete completes the outline below. On this last Sunday of 2012 this message serves to be a wonderful reminder of the need to look backwards so that we can look forward. Most of us don’t learn well from our past mistakes we seem to be doomed to repeat them. History is a cruel teacher. If we would take time to pay attention to our past and learn from the mistakes of others we might be able to avoid pitfalls in the future. Legion is within all of us. We may not be demon possessed but we are all under the influence of sin, death and destruction. This message will give you some practical tools in overcoming the fear of the enemy and help you to enter in to the victory our Lord has already purchased for us through His precious blood. Listen for LIFE
The Gospel of Mark – My Name is Legion!
Have you ever seen or heard of anyone demon possessed? Even demon oppressed? Who is Satan and what are his goals for the both the believer and unbeliever? For those of us who have experienced possession of Satan or still live in chains and under demonic oppression how do we get freed and experience true liberty in Christ? Pastor Pete will retell the story, “My Name is Legion” from Mark 5:1-20 the demon possessed man who Jesus miraculously delivered. In this important lesson we will learn where legion lives, what legion does, how legion feels, who legion is, what legion needs, when legion is destroyed and lastly, when we are freed from Satan’s shackles how the freed believer responds? Listen for LIFE!
The Gospel of Mark – Peace Be Still
The teaching in Mark 4:35-41 is a picture most people remember and can relate to. The picture is of Christ asleep in the stern of the boat, with His head on a pillow while the disciples are frantically fighting for their lives. The boat tossed to and fro from the mighty wind and storm is calmed in an instant once the Savior awakes. In this teaching Pastor Pete will carefully explain how we can enjoy the ride in the inevitable storms of life. Jesus is not unaware of our plight on the raging seas of life, He just wants us to learn to trust Him and wait and even rest on and in His perfect timing. All of us eventually will cross to the other side the big question is how will we enjoy the ride in our crossing? Listen for Life!
November 2012
The Gospel of Mark – MUSTARD SEED FAITH
This week Pastor Pete shares insights into the gospel account from Mark 4:11-32. In this section our Lord Jesus instructs His true disciples on the need to be light (Mark 4:21-25), the nature of the seed and evangelism in the mystery of the Gospel how once planted and watered it grows on its own (Mark 4:26-29) and lastly Jesus teaching on the Mustard Seed in (Mark 4:30-34). God loves to take small beginnings and do a great work for His glory. The mustard seed is the smallest herbal seed and yet it can blossom and grow into a fifteen foot tall tree where the birds can rest in its branches. We who have ears to hear let us hear, let us listen for Life!
The Gospel of Mark – ‘L I S T E N!’ Part Three
In this third of a three part message, from Mark 4:1-20, Pastor Pete shares the truth of the third and fourth soils: Thorny Soil and Good Soil that yields fruit some 30, 60 and 100 fold. What is it that keeps us from growing spiritually and bearing the fruit we should as believers? Could it be we are not acknowledging the miracle of the soils preparation from the hand and heart of God alone as well as our role in breaking up the fallow ground knowing that today is the day of salvation? If you are longing for a personal spiritual breakthrough with the Lord or a breakthrough for a loved one or friend that is hardened, stony and caught up with the thorns and cares of this life: Listen for Life!
The Gospel of Mark – L I S T E N! Part Two
In Mark 4:1-20 Jesus explains who and what a true hearer of the Word is using the unique teaching tool of the parable of the sower, the seed and the four kinds of soil (hearers). In this, second of three part message, Pastor Pete will review the meaning of the sower, the seed and the first of the four soils: the Wayside Soil. We will then be introduced to the other three soils: the Rocky Soil, the Thorny Soil and the Good Soil that produces 30, 60 and 100 fold return. What kind of a hearer, soil type are you? LISTEN for life!
The Gospel of Mark – L I S T E N!
Why is it that some hearers of the Word of God seem to flourish and grow in their faith while others flounder and fade away? As Jesus taught the multitudes, the Scribes and the Pharisees and even His own disciples few seemed to comprehend and truly understand what it was He was saying to them. In Mark 4:1-20 Jesus explains who and what a true hearer is using the unique teaching tool of parables. He gives the definition of a parable and then an explanation of a true hearer of the Word in the form of a relevant story of a sower, his seed and the four types of soil the seed is sown in. This is the first of the parables that serves to be a key to unlock all the rest of them. A parable is meant to illustrate four kinds of hearers of the Word: (the Seed). What kind of a hearer are you? LISTEN for life!
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