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?