May 2014
The Gospel of Mark – The AGONY of the CUP
Have you ever met anyone who said their prayer life was adequate? Most of us feel guilty when the subject of prayer is brought up. In fact, if you want to prophecy doom over a scheduled gathering, call a prayer meeting. If “Prayer is the Work” then why are we not working at prayer, believing in prayer? If prayer is so mighty and powerful then why do God’s people shy away from praying? Some polling suggests that the average declared Christian believer prays less than five minutes a week. As bad as that sounds the average Christian Pastor prays on the average of only six minutes a week. In this week’s message Pastor Pete outlines the story of Jesus prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Title: “The AGONY of the CUP” (The Pleading Prayer Life of Jesus) Mark 14:32-42 In answer to the question why we should pray we discover: 1.) For Goodness Sake! (Mark 14:32); 2. For Jesus Sake! (Mark 14:33-35); 3. For God’s Sake! (Mark 14:36); 4. For Pete’s Sake! (Mark 14:37-40); and 5. For Heaven’s Sake! (Mark 14:41). Listen for Life!
April 2014
The Gospel of Mark – Peter’s Predicted Denial of Jesus
We’ve all done it… gone from Sunday singing and jubilant worship to miserable failure. This week Pastor Pete will be sharing the predicted failure of not only the Apostle Peter but of all the disciples of Christ who insist they would never betray their Lord. When the Shepherd is struck the sheep scatter. It is God the Father Himself who struck the Shepherd. (Mark 14:27b.) The Outline for this message is: 1. From singing to failing. (Mark 14:26,27); 2. From failing to comfort. (Mark 14:28); 3. From comfort to an empty promise. (Mark 14:29); 4. From an empty promise to a sobering prediction. (Mark 14:30); 5. From a sobering prediction to a vehement vow. (Mark 14:31); 6. From a vehement vow to a humbled brokenness. (Mark 14:66-72); 7. From a humbled brokenness to Jubilant Song! (John 21:15-19) We all fail but we are not failures if we simply surrender Lordship to Christ alone. Listen for Life!
The Passover Prepared and Celebrated
There are only two ordinances (requirements, laws) for the church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, (or) Communion, Passover. In this section of Mark’s Gospel, Pastor Pete will explain where this Christian rite came from (Exodus 12:), how it was prepared by our Lord (Mark 14:12-16), how it was celebrated by Christ and His disciples (Mark 14:17-21), What the spiritual significance and meaning of the bread and cup speak to (Mark 14:22-25) Who, ultimately the Lord’s Supper, Communion, Passover points to (I Corinthians 5:6-8) and lastly, the warning for the believer in partaking (I Corinthians 11:17-34). This mystery of the believer’s union and communion with Christ is wrapped up in the beauty of broken bread and crushed grapes. Our hope is that as listeners we will never view the ordinance of communion the same and that our wonder and appreciation for the sacrificial death of Christ will cause us to be forever grateful as we bow before His Majesty. Listen for Life!
March 2014
The Gospel of Mark – A Question of How to Betray Jesus
Have you ever been betrayed? How did that make you feel? Betrayal is one of those emotions that tend to stick with us to the bitter end. How do you forgive someone who has betrayed you? How do you seek forgiveness if you were the one to betray someone’s faith or confidence? Pastor Pete shares the story of one of the twelve disciples: Judas Iscariot, from Mark 14:10,11. Judas Iscariot has become synonymous with the ugly portrait of betrayal. To be a Judas is not a compliment. The Outline for Sunday: The Etymology of Betrayal: What does it mean? The Anatomy of Betrayal: What does it look like? The Economy of Betrayal: What does it produce? The Integrity of Betrayal: What have we learned? Listen for Life!
The Gospel of Mark – A Question on How to Waste Your Life
The world doesn’t get it, it doesn’t get us, the believer! We are fools to them for wasting our lives, our gifts, our opportunities for something foolhardy and something that sounds a lot like a fairy tale. Why would God come to die? The same questions asked even by the disciples of Jesus are being asked today. Pastor Pete will share from Mark 14:3-9 the story of the woman who broke her alabaster vase and poured out the fragrant contents on the head of Jesus. The world asks us today these same five questions: 1.) Are You Wasting Your Life? 2.) Are You Wasting Your Gifts? 3.) Are You Wasting Your Opportunity? 4.) Are You Wasting Your Death? 5.) Are You Wasting Your Witness and Testimony? The Christian life is a wasted life to those who are perishing. The questions and bewilderment of people still abounds today. What does a true wasted life look like, not in this life but in eternity? “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot, martyr to the Auca Indians in South America. Listen for Life!
February 2014
The Gospel of Mark – A Question of How to Kill Jesus
Do you remember the board game, “CLUE” and as you moved around the board you came to discover who, where, when and with what a murder took place? This week, Pastor Pete will take us all on a discovery with the clues of Jesus murder already written out for us on the pages of Scripture. Our main source is Mark 14:1,2 with harmony passages in Matthew 26:1-5 and Luke 22:1,2. We will discover: The Minister, The Ministry, The Message, The Multitude, The Motive, The Murderers, The Method, The Messenger, The Moment, and The Murder itself. Sermon Title: “A Question on How to Kill Jesus” (Solving the Murder Plot to Kill Jesus) Mark 14:1,2 – Listen for Life!
The Gospel of Mark – A Question on the Future Part Two
In Part Two of Questions on the future, Pastor Pete shares the words and warning of Jesus to His disciples then and to His disciples now. It has been over 2000 years since the promise of His coming. How much more time do we have to wait? And how will we know when the time is drawing near? We need to look to the times of the signs and the signs of the times, Mark 13:1-37. This strong exhortation from Jesus to His disciples to be watchful has never been more meaningful or more necessary. Watchfulness does not come naturally to the believer. Satan’s objective is to distract and disrupt our ability to see and react clearly. When we keep our eyes and ears open to the signs of the times we will be ready for His soon appearing. Look up, Christian! Your redemption draweth nigh! Listen for Life!
The Gospel of Mark – A Question of the Future
In this week’s message on Mark 13:1-23 Jesus answers two questions from His disciples on the future. When will these things be? (3) Times of the Signs, And, What will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled? (10) Signs of the Times. What will be some of the previews of coming attractions that will prepare us for the imminent return of the Savior and the end of the world? Like a woman in labor pains, the increasing birth pangs of the earth are announcing the coming tribulation and the second coming of the promised Messiah. Listen for Life! Your life may depend on it!
The Gospel of Mark – A Question of the Greatest Commandment
In Passion Week, the last week of Christ’s life here on earth, Jesus encountered the religious rulers and leaders of His day who’s main objective and desire was to see Him destroyed. Their passion for Christ’s destruction drove them to do what was unconscionable and unforgiveable, to reject and dismiss the Messiah and Redeemer of the world. In this passage, Mark 12:28-44, Pastor Pete shares “The Four Stages Of Life:” from Harlotry to Idolatry. From Philanthropy to right Theology. The unbeliever moves from filling to emptying; the believer moves from emptying to filling. All four groups are plainly seen in this amazing passage. Which one are you? Where do you fit in this amazing story of redemption and changed lives? A question on the Greatest Commandment is answered in the life and teaching of Christ. Listen for life!
January 2014
The Gospel of Mark – A Question on Marriage in the Resurrection
Sometimes the more intelligent we think we are and the more educated we believe we are can get in the way of the reality and truth of how dumb we really are. In the passage Pastor Pete will unpack from Mark 12:18-27 the religious leaders come again to Jesus with the objective to catch Him and trip Him up in His words and point of view. Unfortunately for them, they were clueless about the truth of the Word of God in the topics they were trying to present to Jesus. When trying to win an argument it is always a good idea to know the argument at least as well if not better than your opponent. Jesus shamed them for their ignorance and foolish arguments presented to Him before the people. Jesus said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?” (12:24) Look for the practical applications in this hard hitting banter between the ignorant leaders and the Master of thought, reason and truth. Listen for Life!
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