27 January 2019
Two-Minute Features | 03 February 2019 | 20 January 2019

Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 15 (TMF:1055)

Friday, February 01, 2019
Peace to Live By: Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 15 (TMF:1055) - Daniel Litton
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       Now Jesus also notes some markers that will identify people who believe in and follow him. Some believe these markers to be part of the early disciples only, part of the early church, and some believe these markers to still be present in disciples of Jesus today. Nevertheless, the markers are: 1) those who cast out demons, 2) those who speak in tongues, 3) not receiving harm from snakes, 4) not being harmed from deadly poison, and 5) the healing of sick individuals. All of these, with the exception of drinking the deadly poison and surviving, appear in the New Testament. Paul casted out demons, the Corinthians spoke in tongues, Paul was unhurt by a snake in Acts, and Peter healed people—to provide some examples. But these miraculous things that accompanied the disciples, bore witness to the fact that Jesus is real—that he is with his people, and that what they saw is true. People could believe by seeing these things.

Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 14 (TMF:1054)

Thursday, January 31, 2019
Peace to Live By: Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 14 (TMF:1054) - Daniel Litton
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       This is how God has chosen to bring people into right relationship with him, and to save them from an eternity in Hell. God wants to be reconciled to everyone in the world, but they have to choose to believe in him. He cannot force people to believe in him. He cannot force people to go to Heaven. But he will judge anyone who rejects Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf, anyone who does not have a payment for his or her sins. And included with the Gospel is water baptism, which every new believer is to receive as a command from God. Water baptism represents to other believers, and to people not yet believers, that the person has believed in Jesus and is now transformed into a new life. Now, water baptism is not necessary for salvation, as Jesus excluded it in the second part of verse 16. Notice how he said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” He did not say, “whoever does not believe and is not water baptized will be condemned,” but just “whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 13 (TMF:1053)

Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Peace to Live By: Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 13 (TMF:1053) - Daniel Litton
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       Verses 15-18: “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:15-18, ESV). So, after Jesus had opened the eyes of the disciples, he gave them the Great Commission, which is to proclaim the Gospel to everyone on earth. This is how God has chosen to bring people into right relationship with him, and to save them from an eternity in Hell. God wants to be reconciled to everyone in the world, but they have to choose to believe in him. He cannot force people to believe in him. He cannot force people to go to Heaven. But he will judge anyone who rejects Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf, anyone who does not have a payment for his or her sins.

Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 12 (TMF:1052)

Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Peace to Live By: Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 12 (TMF:1052) - Daniel Litton
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       One would have thought that by this point in time they would have been used to seeing the supernatural. But let’s not raise ourselves on a pedestal. We have often acted the same way. God has shown us miracle after miracle before, and we still had have trouble believing him. Nevertheless, Jesus wasn’t pleased with their unbelief in this matter. Again, Luke tells us the following: “And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them” (Luke 24:38-43, ESV). It appears that the disciples did not believe it was really Jesus until he explained things to them from the Scriptures about himself. Luke tells us, “he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45, ESV). God had to enable them to see the truth.

Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 11 (TMF:1051)

Monday, January 28, 2019
Peace to Live By: Mark's Account of the Resurrection, Part 11 (TMF:1051) - Daniel Litton
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       Verse 14: “Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen” (Mark 16:14, ESV). Now, in this verse, Mark gives us the brief overview of what happened when Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples. Just like the disciples had thought when they saw Jesus walking on the water, again, when he appeared to them, Luke tells us they thought they had seen a ghost. It is interesting how the disciples, at least for a second time, supposed Jesus to be a ghost. One would have thought that by this point in time they would have been used to seeing the supernatural. But let’s not raise ourselves on a pedestal. We have often acted the same way. God has shown us miracle after miracle before, and we still had have trouble believing him. Nevertheless, Jesus wasn’t pleased with their unbelief in this matter. Again, Luke tells us the following: “And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet” (Luke 24:38-40, ESV).