SOAP on Mark 3

By Pastor Dan Haffey

Scripture:  Mark 3: 1 – 6

Observation:  Jesus chose to confront the hardness of the Pharisees hearts by showing healing compassion to the man with the “shriveled hand”.  He was not afraid of their condemnation for breaking the Sabbath law.  He was hurt and distressed by their “stubborn hearts”.

Application:  I need to ask God to help me put love, compassion and healing before my personal preferences or manmade “laws”.  I need to see the needs of the hurting people around me and respond boldly to those needs as Jesus did.  I want to be distressed, as Jesus was, with the callousness of my own legalism and stubbornness of heart.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be compassionate and bold in my love for others and to not be swayed by the preferences or approval of men.  I want to respond with a tender yet bold heart to the needs around me by following your example.  Forgive me for making up my own “rules” and blocking out the needs of others.  May I be a conduit of your healing love.   

AWANA

By Brenda Rota

Erin O’Hara asked me to teach the Bible time at AWANA.  As she handed me the curriculum, she explained that I would teach two, 20-minute segments to children in grades K through 4^th grade.  I could expect anywhere from 20 kids/session to 40 kids!  Erin had a good suggestion, get a teen to help me so I snared my own teen, Jessie.

The main point that I was asked to teach the kids was that God speaks through the Bible and through prayer.   Two very profound truths!

So I thought I would ask the kids what they already knew about the Bible and prayer.  I was overwhelmed by the children’s response!  They were excited to learn, eager to participate and most of all….they knew that the Bible and prayer are two important ways they use to talk with Jesus.

I literally floated out of AWANA that night!  Later in my quiet time, as I thanked the Lord for this opportunity, he challenged me:

The students came expecting to learn something new.  Do I do that each and every Sunday?  Is that my expectation when I pray for my day in the early morning?

The students eagerly shared what they knew about the Bible.  Do I do that?  Do I eagerly share a truth from Scripture with my neighbor?  Friend?

The students committed verses to memory.  Do I?  Or, do I simply carry my Bible around?

The students actively participated.  Do I actively participate in the ministries in my church?

The students learned through the drama that my daughter facilitated.  Do I respect different people’s learning/worship styles?

Talk to Jesus…and use the Bible and prayer to do so!

The King will establish His Kingdom by casting out demons

By Brenda Rota

Pastor R introduced the S.O.A.P. method to the staff several weeks ago. He has been using this method at a Waterboyz table and has grown to love it. I think he knew the staff would as well.

When I study a passage I always start with prayer. Putting God in His rightful place and me in mine, I ask Him to use His Word to speak to me. Then I trust Him to do just that!

Next I read the assigned passage. (Scripture) This week Pastor R is preaching on Mark 1:21-34. I typically read the NIV version; but I have several versions around my home so I am often peaking into those as well.

Unlike many others, I still love holding the Word of God in my hand and turning the pages.

I then ask the Lord if there is a Truth that He would like to show me. Perhaps it is an example that I should follow. Maybe it is an example I should not follow. Or, it might be an attribute of our Savior that is clearly shown in the passage. (Observation)

This week I read Mark 1:21-34 in the NASB version. All great verses, but I felt the Lord point me to verse 22 “And they were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

The people that were ‘amazed’ in this passage all went to the Temple on the Sabbath. It was probably in their weekly routine as it is mine. But on this particular Sabbath, the teaching amazed them. The passage tells why it did. Jesus was not like the other scribes they had heard before. He spoke with authority. Since God’s Word does not change, then that same authority is behind every Word we read today in our Bibles. That’s when I sensed the Lord say, “Brenda, does my Word amaze you?” I read God’s Word every day, but does it impact me enough to be obedient to it? Webster defines ‘amaze’ as ‘to fill with wonder’. Does His Word fill me with wonder? Do I have that attitude each and every morning when I open His Word? (Application)

Suddenly, it is a convicting passage. Not one that I want to ignore. Rather, a Word from a Teacher that does, in fact, amaze me. My response is to Pray. “Lord, you are Holy; you are Truth; and you are Amazing. As you teach me each and every time I open my Bible, would you cause your Word to amaze me. Would you cause me to not only read it, but live it as well?
Father, would your Word impact me so much that just like those that heard it from our Savior Himself in the Temple, to leave changed and spread the Word.”

The Kingdom will have a King

S.O.A.P. on Mark 1:1-18 by Eric Miller

Here's how I use the S.O.A.P. method. There's not necessarily any right or wrong way, but here's an example of what I do.

First - PRAY.
God, would you speak to me through these verses that I'm about to read. Please reveal the truth of your word to me in my life today. Help me to understand what I'm reading and to be obedient to the things that your calling me to do today.

Second - READ. After praying a simple prayer, I like to read all of the verses for the day straight through. Sometimes I'll read it in a different translation or I'll have to read it through a couple times. I like to use a Bible app on my phone called "YouVersion" to do so. They also have a website (www.youversion.com) that comes in handy as well. 

Third - SCRIPTURE. What one verse or idea really strikes me or speaks to me? Write it down. 
Today it's verse 7, which says, "And this was his message: 'After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie."

Fourth - OBSERVATION. Write down what I observe about this verse. Why does it stick out to me? What speaks to me about it? 
At first glance, this verse was interesting to me for a very non-spiritual reason. Truthfully, my mind wandered and I was puzzled with this thought ... "I wonder if in New Testament times their sandals had laces! That's weird!" Haha yes, even pastors minds wander when reading the Bible :) but as I thought about this verse more, I realized something much more profound. If I'm John the Baptist and all these people were coming out to hear me speak (v. 5) I'm pretty sure that in my pride my message would probably be much different than John's. I would be tempted to make much of myself. It would be easy to make a big deal about myself and all the things that God was doing through ME. Yet that's not John's response at all. He humbles himself. He deflects the power and pride and points to Jesus.

Fifth - APPLICATION. Write out what application you want to apply from this verse and observation. 
I want to be like John and allow my message to be one that makes much of Jesus and humble myself. I want to point people to Jesus through everything I do and say.

Sixth - PRAYER. Write out your prayer to God.
God, help me to humble myself so that You don't have to. Help me to be like your messenger John who points people to Jesus. Help me to be bolder than I am in proclaiming the message of Christ and what He wants to do for us. Use me.

I would LOVE to hear how God has uses Mark 1:1-18 to speak to you. Would you be willing to post some of your SOAP in the comments below?

Children's Ministry

by Erin O'Hara - Children's Director

From a child’s perspective…

Psalm 119:105 – “Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”

We celebrated children this past Sunday and the ministries of GCC that bring the light of God’s Word to our children and their families. It is a great blessing and privilege to share God with children and to see God from their perspective. We are called to come to Him as little children. Being around children allows me to remember what it was like to be a child – their view of God is huge, their requests of God are boundless, their love for God is no-strings attached.  It is an amazing sight to see a child “get it” – get a spiritual truth, understand the gospel and take home the faith that we teach.

I want to share the testimony below from the Utley Family. Michael & Tracy Utley have 4 boys – Jack, Charlie, Harry & George.  Enjoy processing the Christian walk from an 8 year olds perspective:

Last night as we drove home from Awana, Harry (age 8) said, "You know it's kind of like Star Wars." I asked, "What do you mean?" He explained, "Well, Pastor R.,  Pastor Mike, Pastor Eric and the other guy, (sorry Pastor Dan) are like Yodas.  We are like Jedis in training. And our Bibles are light sabers." His older brothers quickly reminded, "Well, Harry you are more like a Padawan. And we (the older brothers) are Jedis." 

 Needless to say, it pleases my heart to see and hear how much my boys are enjoying the fellowship of believers at Grace. They are giddy to memorize scripture, are compelled to remember their tithe (or borrow from their older brother) and bring home endearing stories from their Wednesday nights (and Sunday mornings). 

 Thank you for being such a godly influence in the lives of our family! Your service is lovely and well appreciated by the likes of us. 

So take your light saber this week, the Word of God, and use it! And may the Force (the Holy Spirit) be with you!

Easter Sunday

Today’s Verses: Mark 16:9-20

Seeing Jesus

“Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.  Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” (John 20: 1-2).  …”Then the disciples went away again to their own homes” (v.10).

“Doubt and faith intermingle in their minds, bewildering them as they slowly walk away.  Mary is left behind; tears, her only companions.  She takes those tears with her as she enters the tomb to take a look for herself.  And suddenly the woman who was once possessed with demons finds herself in the presence of angels.  One stands at the head of the stone slab; the other, at the foot.  Like the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle—cherubim on either end.  For this, too, is a most holy place.  She is despondent as she tells them the reason for her tears.  Then, from behind, another voice reaches out to her.  “Woman, why are you crying?”  She wheels around.  Maybe the morning is foggy.  Maybe tears blur her eyes.  Maybe Jesus is the last person she expects to see.  Whatever the case, she doesn’t recognize him.  That is, until—“Mary.”  She blinks away the tears and can hardly believe her eyes.  “Master.”  Overwhelmed, she throws her arms around the Lord she loves so much.  She had been there when he suffered at the cross; now he is there when she is suffering.  She had stood by him in his darkest hour; now he is standing by her in hers. He had seen her tears; now he is there to wipe them all away. Jesus interrupts the embrace to send her on a great commission-to tell the disciples the good news. "He is risen. I have seen him. I have touched him. He is alive."

Prayer (Ken Gire):

Where there is doubt, roll away the stone and resurrect my faith.

Where there is depression, cast aside the grave clothes and release my joy.

Where there is despair, chase away the night and bring a sunrise to my hope. (7)

Questions to think about:

*Today was a faith building experience for Mary. The stone was rolled away and her vision of Jesus was made clear. What doubts or fears are blocking you from seeing Jesus and the fullness of the power of His resurrection today? 

*How could the experience of your life today help take you deeper in your faith and open your eyes to see Jesus more?

For Further Study: 

     *1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 55

     *Romans 1:4; 5:8

     *1 Peter 1:23

     *Luke 24:13-53

     *John 20:1-21:25

     *Acts 1:3-12

     *Matthew 28:9-20

7. Easter Sunday

Ken Gire, Moments with the Savior: A Devotional Life of Christ (Zondervan, 1998) pp.380-381.

Saturday

Today’s Verses: Luke 23:50-56

A Day of Remembrance

“God can do more in our waiting, than we can do in our doing.” ~Pastor R Dallas Greene

Tomorrow is Easter—we’ll celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the grave and His victory and power over it.  Yesterday was Good Friday—which made tomorrow possible, understandable, but, what about today, and all those days like it—the in-between time when we don’t understand.  The Beatles sang and said it well:

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly, I'm not half to man I used to be,
There's a shadow hanging over me.
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.

Couldn’t these words have been penned on this day by Peter or by any of Jesus’ disciples or friends?  Starting tomorrow, they (and we) will have a basis for faith and hope for tomorrow when “We know that our Redeemer liveth and that His throne shall ever stand; when we know eternal life He giveth, that grace and power are in His hand”—but seemingly not today.      

Let’s let today be a day of remembrance for all of those in-between days in our lives.

The In-Between Days

Yesterday // Tomorrow

Deceitful // Honest

Coward // Bold

Lost // Found

Bound // Free

Tearful // Joyful

Alone // Reunited

Perplexed // Resolute

Questions to think about:

     *In today’s verse we see that everyone needed to rest because it was the Sabbath; even though it appeared that they still had work to do. So then, when we have work to do, have we learned to rest? 

     *Even when we don’t know what God is going to do next? Pastor R reminds us “God can do more in our waiting, than we can do in our doing.”

For Further Study: 

   *Since there are no additional verses from this day as everyone was resting for the Sabbath, we encourage you to take this day and do the same. Rest. Spend some time reflecting on this past week and what Jesus has done for us and how blessed we are knowing that he conquers the grave tomorrow. That’s a privilege the early Christ followers didn’t have!

Good Friday

Today’s Verses:  John 18:2-19:42 

There is a Fountain

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.  And he who has seen has testified and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.  For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.”  And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced” (John 19:33-37).

Can you imagine seeing Jesus crucified?  Like, really being there—at His feet looking up?  Today our senses are bombarded and numbed by what we see at the movies and on our large surround-sound HD and 3D TVs.  We watch something that is supposed to blow us away but all of its action is hollow and we retain little of it.  But: a crucifixion?  Not on screen but there before you?  Real.  Your friend?  Who had done nothing wrong?   It happened today, Friday.     

In his book, On a Hill Too Far Away, John Fischer gets us there… “I spent a decade of summers at the Christian Artists Seminar in the Rockies, an annual seminar for contemporary Christian musicians in the mountains of Colorado.  When I think back on those days, I try to capture what stands out in my memory.  And what stands alone among all the new groups vying for attention was the day Cynthia Clawson sang without any accompaniment: “There is a fountain filled with blood, /Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; /And sinners plunged beneath that flood, /Lose all their guilty stains.”

I remember wanting it all to stop right there.  I didn’t want to hear another musical sound—not another word—for about three days.  I just wanted to let that last song echo around in the rocky mountains of my mind until I could hear it no more.  I remember resenting the people who got up next to sing—I’m sure they were wonderful.  But everything after that mysterious, culturally irrelevant, historical relic of a hymn was mere noise to me.  I didn’t want to hear another up-tempo expression of the gospel.  I wanted to sit for a while with the shocking thought of a fountain of blood spewing from the Savior’s veins; I wanted to explore the bizarre thought that this might fill up a dark red pool into which some crazy saint or sinner like me might want to actually plunge his whole body.  Nothing about this concept was appealing.  Everything about it was arresting and somewhat offensive, as the cross has always been.” (6)

Questions to think about:

*When did your understanding of Christ’s suffering on the cross suddenly deepen and mean profoundly more?

*What was different about that time in your life than now? Are you further along in your walk with Christ now than you were then?

*Imagine being in the crowd during His crucifixion. What do you think that would have been like?

For Further Study: 

     *Acts 1:18-19 *Isaiah 56:3-4

     *Luke 4:13; 22:47-23:56 *Luke 16:15

     *Philippians 2:6-8 *1 Samuel 16:7

     *Mark 11:12-14, 19-22

     *2 Corinthians 5:21

     *Matthew 26:47-27:66

     *Mark 14:43-15:47

     *1 Peter 2:23-24; 3:18

6. Friday

John Fischer, On a Hill Too Far Away: Putting the Cross Back into the Center of Our Lives (Bethany House Publishers, 1994) pp.23-24

Thursday

Today’s Verses:  Luke 22:7-46

The Passover

“Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house.  But Peter followed at a distance.  Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”  But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him” (Luke 22:54-57).

Today’s passage takes place after Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and clearly shows Peter’s first predicted denial of knowing Jesus—sadly, there were two more.  If you’re like me, it’s easy to judge Peter for his weakness and to think we could have handled the situation—until we examine the cowardly ways we handle daily opportunities to identify with Him.  David Roper comments on the passage:

“Remarkable, isn’t it, that Peter could have fallen so easily?  His honest, ingenuous nature didn’t lend itself to lying, and he wasn’t prone to cowardice, but in the face of ridicule he turned into a mass of pudding.  None of the other disciples would have imagined that the “Rock-man” could become such a hapless, blustering coward.  How could Peter have fallen apart so completely?  Well, the answer is easy.  He did so because he believed too much in himself.  Firm determination is commendable, steadfast commitment is laudable, but self-confidence is deadly, and there’s more of that dangerous stuff in us than even the best of us can imagine.  The main thing is to acknowledge that our strength is the worst thing about us.

Lord, I start so strong saying “Anywhere!”

And I try to war and to defend you with sharpness & steel.

But Lord, I merely maim and wound; You alone can heal. 

And then, bewildered in the mess, I start denying, all confused.

But Lord, that crowing in the night has jerked my spirit to attention.

And now I know—You knew it then—I’m weak, inept, cowardly, betraying, dust, guilty—just like him. 

O Lord, compassionate and healing, You prayed then.

And now I turn in humble weakness and in faith to worship You—and then to strengthen them.

Hallowed be Thy name! (5)

Questions to think about:

*Have you ever been a nobody in Jesus’ name?

*If you were one of the disciples in Luke 22; what would your response be to Jesus’ words and actions?

For Further Study: 

     *Exodus 12

     *2 Corinthians 7:10

     *1 Corinthians 11:23-26

     *Matthew 26:17-46 

     *Mark 14:12-42

     *Acts 1:18-19

     *John 13:1-18:1

5. Thursday

David Roper, In Quietness and Confidence: The Making of a Man of God (Discovery House Publishers, 1999) pp. 108-110.

Wednesday

Today’s Verses:  Matthew 26:1-16

The Flask is Broken

“And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head” (Mark 14:3).

Have you ever had someone do something wonderful for you, or say something that deeply touched your heart—your very soul?  It was the gift that you always wanted but never knew how special or encouraging it was until it was given?  You were in a dark valley with seemingly no way out and suddenly the morning came and the Sun shone with all its glory?  You would be ok?  Jesus can relate!  It was Wednesday night.  He knew betrayal and suffering on a cross were before Him.  But God the Father knew exactly what His Son needed to bring Him through.  Ken Gire delicately weaves the event, emotions and faces of this evening:      

“The winds of treachery have been gusting around Jesus with increasing intensity.  But there is a calm eye in the midst of this storm of mounting opposition.  It is a home in Bethany, a shelter of intimate friends who come to honor him.

But a draft has made its way into this warm circle of friends, and betrayal is in the air.  The draft is Judas.  But only Christ feels the chill.  Christ, and one other—Mary.  She feels the melting tallow of emotions in Christ’s eyes. And she feels the chill of betrayal in the air.  So beautiful the flame.  So tender the wick.  

So mercenary the hand that seeks to extinguish it.  

For this brief candle she weeps.  And as she does, she anoints him with perfume to prepare for his burial.  Soon the alabaster body of Jesus would be broken.  Blood would spill from the whip…from the thorns…from the nails…and finally, from the spear thrust in his side.

A perfume more precious than nard.  It would cover the stench of mockers rabbled around the cross.  It would flow to fill the earth with its fragrance.  It would ascend to heaven to reach the very nostrils of God.

So pure.  So lovely.  So truly extravagant.

The Savior had come to earth to break an alabaster jar for humanity.  And Mary had come that night to break one for him.  It was a jar she never regretted breaking.  Nor did he.” (4)

Questions to think about:

*Is your life in relationship with Christ characterized as a flask breaker, like Mary, or a draft, like Judas?

*What might Christ be calling you to do today to show and express your love for Him?

For Further Study: 

     *2 Chronicles 3:1-17

     *Ezra 4:8-13; 5:1-2, 14-18

     *Mark 14:1-11

     *1 Corinthians 3:16

     *Hebrews 10:19-20

     *Revelation 13:8; 21:22

     *Luke 9:51; 19:47; 22:1-6

4. Wednesday

Ken Gire, Moments with the Savior: A Devotional Life of Christ (Zondervan, 1998) pp.292-293.

Tuesday

Today’s Verses:  Mark 11:19-12:37

The Seven Woes

“Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observed and do, but do not according to their works; for they say, and do not do’” (Matthew 23:1-13)

Bruce Marchiano, a young Christian actor, played Jesus in the Visual Bible’s phenomenal motion picture, The Gospel According to Matthew.  I’ll never forget the scene when Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist and the scene at the end of the movie of a joyful Jesus turning to us, the viewers, beckoning us to follow Him.  If you’ve never seen the movie you’re missing a blessing.  Bruce had the opportunity in a subsequent book to search his soul and share what he was experiencing during the shooting of each scene.  Below are his profound personal thoughts on the shooting of Matthew 23—the Seven Woes, which took place on the temple steps on Tuesday of Passion Week; they focus on seeing Jesus’ love and anger displayed against the scribes and Pharisees who wanted to rid Israel of this blasphemer.  

“The Lord wasn’t spitting fire at these guys—He was loving them.  His rage was not a self-righteous “Now you’ve had it!”  It was the rage one experiences watching someone he loves walk out the door. It was a rage born of a broken heart.  It was His last-ditch effort to gain them—desperately holding a mirror to their faces, passionately heart-crying for them, having done everything He could to make them see and understand, "I am He!  And I love you! Don't do what you're doing!  Come to Me!"

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…

How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,

But you were not willing.

Look, your house is left to you desolate.

How Jesus treasured and desired them; how He wept over their self-destruction.  The broken heart of Jesus—so much deeper than any of us can imagine.” (3)

Questions to think about:

*Have you ever been “loved” in this way? 

*For whom do you heart-cry?

*Knowing what you know about Jesus, what would your thoughts be if you were in the crowd or if you were one of the disciples watching this happen and how would that affect you?

For Further Study: 

     *Matthew 23:13-36

     *Luke 18:31-34; 19:45-48

     *Matthew 24:3-31

     *Mark 13:3-37

     *Luke 21:5-28

     *1 John 2:18

     *Luke 20:1-47; 21:37-38

     *Matthew 21:19b-22:46

3. Tuesday

Bruce Marchiano, In the Footsteps of Jesus: One Man’s Journey through the Life of Jesus (Harvest House Publishers, 1997), p.163.

Monday

Today’s Verses:  Mark 11:12-19; John 12:20-36a

One Week to Live

“And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him” (Luke 21:38).

One of my favorite Christian writers is Chuck Swindoll whose many books and radio broadcasts always challenge me to be a better Christian and help me to meditate on God’s Word.  His recent publication, a pictorial journey through the Passion Week, challenges me once again as I reflect on those things that are or should be most important to me.  Here is one of the readings from the book for Monday:

If you knew that you had just one more week to live, how would you spend it?  If on a Monday you knew by Saturday night your body would be in a box and your soul would have exited the earth, what difference would it make in what you did in the next five days?

This was a question that Jesus had to answer.  Like no one else, He knew that this was His last week, and so He spent His time in two areas that He considered to be of paramount importance.

In this final week, Jesus was tethered to the temple.  He lingered inside its walls every day, jealous for its purity and protective of what went on in its courts.  He spent His final days teaching, defending eternal truth, exposing error, and inspiring faith.

In this final week, Jesus also demonstrated His priority for the ones He loved to the uttermost, His disciples.  He wrapped Himself in humility and served them.  He washed their feet.  He talked and walked with them.  He gave them instruction they would need to carry on without Him.  He listened and received love from these ones who would feel the immediate sting of His death more than any others.

Jesus lived His final week under the crushing weight that His time had come.  His long-anticipated sacrifice was imminent, so these final minutes were precious and few.

The countdown had begun. (2)

Questions to think about:

*If you knew that you had just one more week to live, how would you spend it?

*If you were one of the disciples or even in the crowd on that Monday where Jesus predicts His death, what do you think your response would have been?

For Further Study: 

     *1 Samuel 16:7

     *Mark 11:19-22

     *Luke 16:15

     *Jeremiah 7:11-12

     *Luke 19:47-48

     *John 1:5; 2:14-16; 3:19-21; 8:12

     * Matthew 21:18-19a

2. Monday

Charles R. Swindoll, Sunday to Sunday: A Pictorial Journey through the Passion Week (IFL Publishing House, 2010), p.19.