Renewal Church Podcast

As Jesus passed by a fig tree on His way to the temple, He took a moment to curse the tree as a reminder to the disciples (and us) of the state of the temple. The purpose of the temple was simple — worship — but it had lost its purpose. The temple in Jesus’ day had come to represent the business and socio-economic dealings of Jerusalem, and it had long since lost its posture of worship. The cursing of the fig tree is the humble reminder that if we are not fulfilling the purpose that God has given us — worship — then we have completely missed the point of our existence. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

The triumphal entry begins the final act of the gospel of Mark. The last five chapters of Mark cover one week in the life of Jesus. Jesus has finally arrived in Jerusalem, and the triumphal entry is a great declaration of intent to His people. In the past He has been careful not to openly declare His kingship. But when He shows up in Jerusalem, He openly declares who He is. Everything in this story is by Divine design. When Jesus walks into Jerusalem, He wants everyone to know the true King has arrived. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

As Jesus gets closer and closer to Jerusalem, he begins to speak more and more about what is about to happen: He is to be delivered, mocked, and killed. The disciples have failed to grasp the mission of Jesus, a failure demonstrated by the question James and John ask Jesus. They are looking to be celebrated – looking to rule – but the kind of kingdom and rule that Jesus is walking towards is not like any kingdom they have seen before. Jesus is walking towards Jerusalem as a servant, and this is the call for all of us. His desire is that we would be a people that walk in this world not to be served, but to serve. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In this text we see two groups: Those who receive the kingdom and those who don’t. Jesus focuses on a group of babies to demonstrate what it looks like to be fully dependent. A baby is fully reliant on its parents to survive. Jesus says that those who approach God like a baby will receive the kingdom. Jesus then focuses on a man who has it all — the title, the money, and the prestige. But even though he has everything, he knows that something is missing. And the question that this young man asks Jesus is very telling, he asks, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Within that question is a complete misunderstanding of (1) the holiness of God, (2) the depravity of man, and (3) the work of grace over works in our lives. We will never be able to earn God’s favor through our own righteousness, but rather, eternal life is received from God even though they are undeserving of it. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Divorce is one of the topics that has been both painful and divisive for the church. Jesus is clear and decisive as He teaches about divorce, and as the people of God, we must be careful to listen and obey His Word. While Jesus is clear in His words, we must admit that the teaching can be painful and hard to embrace for some. But the promise, if we would have the faith to believe it, remains: marriage is designed by God, and in it we can find joy in Christ. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

What makes someone great? Is it our reputation, our wealth, our career, or the number of material possessions we can amass? Jesus has a tendency to take our assumptions about how things should operate in this world and flip them upside down. In one moment, He challenges the disciples to flip their understanding of what it means to be great in this life. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

When the disciples are unable to cast a demon out of a young boy, Jesus reminds them all that all things are possible for those who believe. The response of the father of the young boy is a good reminder of the faith we should all have. He says, "I believe; help my unbelief." That within us all is the battle of faith and doubt. On one hand, yes, we believe, but on the other, we need divine help in our belief. We also have another important lesson in this text: the importance of prayer. Prayer is the most powerful tool we have to fight the darkness, and without it, we are without hope. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Jesus takes three of His disciples on a mountain where He is transformed to display His full divine nature. On the mountain with Him appeared Moses, the representation of the law, and Elijah, the representation of the prophets, giving testimony that Jesus is the fulfillment of both the law and the prophets. And in this moment, we get a glimpse of the full story of Scripture. The full plan of God is demonstrated by these three on the mountain. Out of fear, the disciples are much like us; they misunderstand the meaning of this gathering, and they are unsure how to respond to the divine holiness of God before them. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

We are at the turning point in the book of Mark. From this point on, the relationship between the disciples and Jesus is drastically different. Jesus asks them a question, and it’s a question that we all have to answer. He asks them, "Who do you say that I am?" And Peter’s answer brought their relationship to a new intimacy that they had not experienced to this point. When Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the text says that "He began to teach them." Now, Jesus is going to speak plainly about His mission—that He has come to suffer and die. Jesus is the Messiah who will lay down His life for our sins. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Demanding a sign, the Pharisees approached Jesus after he performed another miracle by feeding the 4,000. This leads to an important warning for the disciples. He tells them to "beware of the leaven of the pharisees and of Herod." Leaven (see note on 1 Cor. 5:6–7) is a figurative description of the self-centeredness and self-reliance that all of us are tempted to demonstrate. But these things are opposed to what Jesus is and who He calls us to be. Like Jesus, we live with humility and gratitude as we seek to share the love of Christ with others. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

At the end of the story, there is a great promise of the great renewal of all things. We have been united with Christ in His death and resurrection, and today we are born again into a living hope. The hope that we live in today is a shadow of what is coming—that at the end of all things, God will bring His final renewal to His creation. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Much of the Bible points to one simple truth: God is coming for us. He is coming to redeem all that has been broken, and He has one providential plan that cannot fail. His aim was to bring His glory forth through all the world, and in His love, He came to die on a cross for sins. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In Genesis 3, we see everything move from perfect to broken—from shalom to rebellion. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree in the garden, all of God’s perfect creation was distorted, and the stain of sin that began then still rules our world today. In order to understand the redemption that is coming, we must first understand the depth of sin, the judgment of God, and our inability to make everything right on our own. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In Genesis 1–2, we see God’s creation of all things, including us as His creatures and image-bearers. Despite the creation account being just two chapters, it sets the stage for the rest of the story and gives us the theological foundation of our faith. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In one of the most surprising and confusing moments of the gospel, we see Jesus test a Gentile woman. This woman comes to Jesus, asking for His help with her daughter. Jesus’ noncommittal response is surprising and may seem offensive. He gives three comparisons: bread (his message), children (the Jewish people), and dogs (Gentiles). The woman’s response to Jesus’ surprising statement (v. 27) is both humble and persistent. As she sits before the Messiah, her faith demonstrates humility before Him, and this moment is a reminder of why Jesus came. He did not just come for the people of Israel; he came so that all nations would be blessed through Him. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

When the Pharisees question Jesus on tradition, He proceeds to completely rewrite their understanding of what really matters to God. The Pharisees had added rules and regulations to God’s law and were intent on enforcing these man-made traditions on Jesus and His disciples. Jesus responds by calling them hypocrites! The Pharisees are hypocrites for two reasons: (1) their actions are merely external and do not come from their hearts, which are far from God; and (2) their teachings are not from God but reflect the tradition of men. What about us? Do we tend to focus on the external things in life, or are we aware of the state of our heart before God? Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In this text, we get a picture of two kings—Jesus and Herod. As Jesus looks out on the massive crowd, we aren’t meant to think of Ezekiel 34, where God condemns the shepherd of Israel. Thus, the contrast between Herod and Jesus: one leads in selfishness, debauchery, and greed, and the other leads in compassion. In this moment, Jesus provides for His people as the true shepherd. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

As Jesus faces rejection in His hometown, He is not deterred from the mission to bring forth the kingdom. The rejection that Jesus and the disciples faced in Nazareth will be instruction for the disciples as they begin their own ministry and face rejection themselves. The question for us is: How are we to handle the rejection of the gospel? The good news is that we are not alone when we face rejection. Jesus and His disciples also faced rejection, and they gave us a model as to what to do when it happens. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In this text, we first see the power of Jesus as He stands in the midst of a terrifying storm and commands the winds and waves to cease. Second, we see Jesus' purpose when He meets an unclean man who has been tormented and alienated from society and frees him from the chains that have bound him. Third, we see the priority of Jesus as He demonstrates compassion for two girls. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In Mark 4, we see Jesus preach three different parables, all of which give insight into the kingdom of God. Jesus uses these parables to illustrate a significant truth. There are two groups: those who seek to understand the kingdom of God and those who don’t. For those who seek to understand, Jesus says, they receive the secret to the kingdom; but for those who don't, the kingdom is folly to them. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is one of the most debated and misunderstood sayings of Jesus during his ministry. We must first identify the difference between common blasphemy and specific blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. And why does Jesus say that blasphemies uttered by men will be forgiven but not blasphemies of the Holy Spirit? At its core, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is when a person persistently attributes to Satan what is accomplished by the power of God—that is, if one makes a flagrant, willful, decisive judgment that the Spirit’s testimony about Jesus is satanic, then such a person never has forgiveness. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In these verses, we will see five moments in the ministry of Jesus, and throughout these moments, different groups will try to define who Jesus is and what He is supposed to do. For the crowds, He was a miracle worker as He was healing sickness and casting out demons; for the disciples, He was the leader of a great healing ministry; and for the Pharisees, He was someone who was disturbing their cultural way of life. But for each group, Jesus demonstrated that there is no box that He will fit into. He has authority like no other, and He will do as He pleases. By the end of these verses, you have two groups. You have a group that is fully committed to Him, and you have another group that wants to destroy Him. What you don’t have is mild amusement, and mild amusement is where much of the culture wants to put Him today. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

"What is this? A new teaching with authority!" This is what we see Jesus do at the start of His ministry. When he calls on Simon and Andrew and tells them, "Follow me," their response is immediate. He is curing people's illnesses, casting out demons, and ultimately declaring his authority. Jesus begins to challenge cultural norms and make people question the possibilities. This is also where we begin to see the Pharisees question His authority, and that sets the stage for the rest of the gospel. The King has arrived, and His arrival has changed everything. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Mark begins his gospel by making a history-shaping claim: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Son of God has arrived. More than that, Mark uses the word "gospel", which was a term that the Romans would use to announce to their citizens that a new authority has risen to power. But in this moment, Mark uses the term to declare that good news has come to the world: the arrival of the king—the Son of God. In the opening chapters of Mark, we see two significant moments: the baptism and temptation of Jesus. Before Jesus begins His earthly ministry, we see Him submit to His father in His baptism and fully trust in His father in His temptation. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Our hope in Christ is not just a concept, some undefined thing. It is an inheritance, something that is given to the Father’s children. Our inheritance will never get worse, and there is nothing better. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net