Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

BAPTIZED IN THE SPIRIT

“It is He Who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit.” —John 1:33 Many people talk about being “baptized in the Spirit.” By this, they usually mean having a renewal of their life in the Spirit. However, the Bible considers being baptized in the Spirit to be the same as being baptized, and not a renewal of life in the Spirit. Thus, many people use the phrase, “baptized in the Spirit,” in an un-Biblical way. Although these people are wrongly using biblical terminology, they are “correct” pastorally. We have a great need to renew our being baptized in the Spirit....

THE CUTTING-EDGE WORD

“God’s word is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword.” —Hebrews 4:12 Like a surgeon’s scalpel, the Word of God cuts to the center of our heart and hits the correct spot. Jesus is the Word (Jn 1:1), and “nothing is concealed from Him; all lies bare and exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must render an account” (Heb 4:13). God’s Word is a scalpel and a sword (see Eph 6:17). We trust ourselves to the care of expert surgeons, to wield their scalpels precisely and effectively. Will we trust ourselves to the scalpel of Jesus,...

A HELICOPTER APPROACH

“They began to gather in great numbers. There was no longer any room for them, even around the door.” —Mark 2:2 In the Gospels, especially in Mark’s Gospel, we read about Jesus being surrounded by such large crowds that it was almost impossible to approach Him. Consequently, some people thought up various ways to get through, around, or over the crowds. They stepped on one another (Lk 12:1), pushed each other (Mk 3:10), climbed a tree (Lk 19:4), and even made a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was staying (Mk 2:4). There can often be major...

SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE?

“ ‘Not a word to anyone, now,’ He said. ‘Go off and present yourself to the priest.’ ” —Mark 1:44 The leper in today’s Gospel wanted social acceptance. Jesus offered this social acceptance by commanding him to show himself to the priests (Mk 1:44). Thus healed by Jesus and pronounced clean by the priests, the leper could fully and officially integrate himself back into Jewish society. Yet he apparently wanted to establish his own social acceptance, and so he disobeyed Jesus’ command by publicizing “the whole matter” and “making the story public” (Mk 1:45). Jesus offered a superior social acceptance...

GIVE HIM THE KEY TO THE CITY

“Before long the whole town was gathered outside the door.” —Mark 1:33 Capernaum was like most towns. Many of its people “through fear of death had been slaves their whole life long” (Heb 2:15). Of course, there were many “who were variously afflicted” (Mk 1:34), including Simon’s mother-in-law who “lay ill with a fever” (Mk 1:30). Also, demons had oppressed the people of Capernaum for as long as anyone could remember (see Mk 1:34). However, this day was going to be different. Jesus came to town and demons, sickness, and fear left town. This was the best day in Capernaum’s...