Podcasts about sabbath mark

Preacher: Micah Tufts

Jesus, the Sabbath, and the Pharisees (Matthew 12): Lord of the Sabbath & Greater Than the Temple In this episode we will study Matthew 12 (with parallels in Mark) where Jesus and His disciples face Pharisaic confrontation over Sabbath regulations when the disciples pluck grain, an act permitted by Deuteronomy 23:25 but condemned by extra Pharisaic rules. • Jesus defends them using David eating consecrated bread (1 Samuel 21) and the priests working on the Sabbath • Jesus declares “something greater than the temple is here” and “the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” • Jesus exposes legalism by healing a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, showing it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath • Mark highlights Jesus' anger at their hardness of heart and the Pharisees conspiring with the Herodians to destroy Him • Matthew connects these events to Isaiah 42, emphasizing Jesus' Spirit-anointed, merciful ministry and Gentile hope. Become a supporter and get unlimited questions turned into podcasts at: www.patreon.com/theologyandapologetics YouTube Channel: Theology & Apologetics www.youtube.com/channel/UChoiZ46uyDZZY7W1K9UGAnw TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@dr.fretwell?_t=ZN-8w8NXIFTHkc&_r=1 Instagram: www.instagram.com/theology.apologetics Websites: www.ezrafoundation.org www.theologyandapologetics.com

Jesus: Lord of the Sabbath - Pastor Chad Hertler The Gospel of Mark - Mark 2:23 - 3:6

3.8.2026 - Spiritual Tools for Spiritual Transformation - Sabbath - Mark 2:23-28 by Anacostia River Church

03/08/2026 - Brian Geier

Hope Presbyterian Church is a new church in New Braunfels, TX, seeking to take the good news of Jesus Christ to this historic and growing city. We meet every Sunday at 10 at New Braunfels Christian Academy, 995 Mission Hills Drive, New Braunfels 78130. Come join us!

Presented by Julie Busteed Much of life is spent working—both in a job and in the ordinary daily tasks that keep life going. Scripture makes it clear that rest matters, yet the question remains: is rest truly practiced? Is there space to unplug, sit still, and be present? The fourth commandment speaks directly to both work and rest: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God… (Exodus 20:8–10). God did not only command rest; He modeled it. Genesis tells us, by the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Genesis 2:2–3). What a gift this is. God gives meaningful work and purpose, and he also knows the human need for rest. That is why the Sabbath was given, blessed, and made holy. Is this model followed? In a culture that values constant activity, it is easy to stay busy—at work, at home, and even in good and meaningful pursuits. Worth can quietly become tied to how full the schedule is. Yet the truth remains: rest is necessary. Not only physical rest but mental and emotional rest as well—time for the mind and spirit to be renewed. Too often, the command to rest on the Sabbath is brushed aside. Stillness can feel uncomfortable. Being alone with one's thoughts may feel unfamiliar, or even unproductive. Rest can seem boring in a world that never slows down. But Sabbath does not mean doing nothing; it means resting from ordinary labor and setting the day apart for God. For many, Sunday serves as a Sabbath. Others who work on Sundays may need to choose a different day of the week to set aside. Even while Israel wandered in the desert, God established a rhythm of rest. Manna was gathered on the sixth day so that the seventh day could be devoted to rest and worship. Jesus declared himself Lord of the Sabbath. When the Pharisees accused him of working on the Sabbath, he explained that meeting basic needs and doing good—healing, helping, restoring—were never violations of God's intent. As Jesus said, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). May this rhythm of work and rest become a lived practice—one that brings freedom, restores the soul, and honors the gracious gift God has given.

The Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. They saw His disciples pulling grain from the edge of a field and eating it on the Sabbath. They accused Jesus of letting them break oral tradition. But Jesus reminded them of David sharing the shewbread with his men which were only to be eaten by the priests. The analogy was rich with comparisons including one that predicted the end of the Pharisees.

In this episode of the Joyful Health Show I'm not here to give you New Year's goals but to help you reset your Sabbath. I firmly believe that any work that matters must be rooted in the rest of Jesus. Let's battle burnout, hustle culture, and productivity idols by reestablishing a weekly Sabbath rhythm and give you a day of rest to look forward to with the Lord and a firm foundation to work from with Him. I'll discuss: What the Sabbath is: where it came from, what it looked like and our modern-day Sabbath My personal experiences from observing a Sabbath in college to what it looks like for me in this season The 4 major blocks to practicing your own Sabbath and how to navigate each Our Scripture anchor for this episode is: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” Mark 2:27 My hope is that you will get to experience the joy of rest and find true restoration in mind, body, and spirit through honoring the Sabbath with Jesus. 00:35 Personal Reflections on Goal Setting and Burnout 02:27 The Importance of Sabbath Rest 02:47 A Personal Experience of Sabbath 05:13 Understanding the Concept of Sabbath 07:17 Biblical Foundations of Sabbath 12:26 Practical Steps to Observing Sabbath 22:17 Overcoming Obstacles to Sabbath Rest 27:17 Conclusion and Prayer Click here for the full blog post with more resources. “This podcast is a breath of fresh air”

Thank you for joining us as we begin a new series on "Practicing The Way" with a message from Genesis 2: 1 - 3, and Exodus 20: 8 - 11, about The Sabbath.

Preached in 2021. For more resources for knowing and loving God's word, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bcnewton.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Further Reading⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Expository Thoughts on Mark | J. C. Ryle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark: An Expositional Commentary | R. C. Sproul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gospel According to Mark | G. Campbell Morgan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠King's Cross | Timothy Keller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior | R. Kent Hughes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ESV Expository Commentary Vol VIII: Matthew-Luke⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you have benefitted from this episode, consider sharing with others. You can also support my work financially⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at this link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Lord of the Sabbath - Mark 2:23-3:6 by Redemption Church

Is anger a sin? Jesus flipped tables. God is angry every day (Psalm 7:11). So what's the difference between righteous anger and destructive rage?Pastor Mike Decker breaks it down with: Jesus vs. the money changers (John 2) Healing on the Sabbath (Mark 3) Cain's jealousy murder (Genesis 4) Road rage = modern sin5 Truths About Anger4 Biblical Remedies to Defeat It Breathe • Release • Probe • Forgive“Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” – James 1:19If you've ever lost it — this episode is your reset button.Palm Harvest Church | www.palmharvest.com

In this opening message from the Thanksgiving for Jesus the Messiah series, Robin Kinstead begins with Leviticus 23:1–3 and Mark 2:23–28, exploring God's design for Sabbath rest. He explains that the Sabbath is not a burden but a gracious gift from God—an invitation to rest, rejoice, and remember His goodness. Robin traces the rhythm of work and rest from creation to Christ, showing that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath who fulfills its true purpose: to give His people rest from striving and peace with God. He warns against entitlement and self-reliance, reminding us that gratitude is the antidote to both, and encourages believers to see all of life/work, worship, and rest—as acts of thanksgiving. Ultimately, Robin calls the church to trust God enough to stop, to honour Him through balanced rhythms of labour and rest, and to look forward to the eternal rest promised in Christ.   5 Questions to Think About: How does God's creation rhythm of work and rest shape your own weekly patterns (Genesis 2:2–3; Leviticus 23:3)? What does Jesus mean when He says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27)? In what ways might entitlement or busyness prevent you from experiencing true Sabbath rest? How can you turn your everyday work—whether paid, unpaid, or study—into worship that honours God? What practices help you rest in Jesus spiritually and look forward to the eternal rest He promises (Hebrews 4:9–11)?   3 Things to Take Away from the Message: Rest is a gift, not a rule — God designed the Sabbath for our good, as a time to rejoice in His provision and presence (Leviticus 23:3; Mark 2:27). Jesus is our true rest — He frees us from striving and gives us peace with God through His finished work on the cross (Matthew 11:28–29; Hebrews 4:9–10). Worship includes work and rest — Both are opportunities to thank and honour God, trusting Him with our time, energy, and priorities (Colossians 3:17).

We live in a world that never seems to slow down. Deadlines, family demands, and constant notifications all compete for our attention.But what if God designed rest—not just work—as being essential to our flourishing? Today, we're talking with Tom Nelson about the Sabbath, why it matters, and how it can transform the way we live and trust God.Dr. Tom Nelson is the President of Made to Flourish and has served as the Senior Pastor of Christ Community Church, a multi-site congregation across Kansas City, for over 30 years. He is also the author of Why Your Work Matters: How God Uses Our Everyday Vocations to Transform Us, Our Neighbors, and the World.God's Design for Both Work and RestFrom the very first pages of Scripture, we see that God's creation design includes both work and rest. These are not competing ideas but complementary rhythms woven into what it means to bear God's image. Yet in our culture, it's easy to emphasize one and neglect the other. We celebrate hard work—and rightly so—but often ignore the equally important gift of rest.Genesis 2 begins not with human work, but with divine rest. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested” (Genesis 2:2). God didn't rest because He was weary. He rested to delight in His creation and to model for us a rhythm of life that mirrors His own.Sabbath is a gift. It's not an obstacle to productivity but an invitation to communion with our Creator. From the Garden of Eden to the Ten Commandments, from Jesus' ministry to the promise of the new creation, the thread of Sabbath runs through the entire story of Scripture.When we honor that rhythm—six days of labor and one day of holy rest—we experience an echo of Eden and a foretaste of eternity, when we will work and rest in perfect harmony with God.Rediscovering Sabbath as a GiftGod designed us for a relationship with Himself and with one another. Sabbath helps us recalibrate those relationships. It reorders our hearts around love, not accomplishment. The Triune God invites us to rest so that our hearts might be re-centered on intimacy with Him rather than on our own achievements.That's what Sabbath is really about: not simply stopping our work, but remembering who sustains it. It reminds us that the primary calling of our lives is not to do for God, but to be with God.For many of us, we may see Sabbath as optional—something good in theory but impossible in practice. However, neglecting rest affects our spiritual formation, our relationships, and even our physical and emotional health.Sabbath is not a duty; it's a grace. It's not legalism; it's life. Sabbath is God's way of teaching us to steward not just our resources, but our time. We often speak of stewarding our time, talent, and treasure, yet forget that time itself is one of God's greatest gifts.We may think of Sabbath as “rest from work,” but we should really view it as “work from rest.” Our week should flow out of the rest we receive—not the other way around.Guarding Against the Idolatry of WorkOur work matters deeply to God. But like all good things, it can become disordered. When we place our identity, meaning, or security in what we accomplish, work becomes an idol. Sabbath protects us from that idolatry.By resting, we declare that God—not our productivity—sustains the world. Sabbath breaks the cycle of self-reliance and teaches us to trust the One who never sleeps. It frees us to delight in beauty, to nurture relationships, and to experience renewal in body and soul.Many people say, “That sounds wonderful, but you don't know my schedule.” Between raising children, leading organizations, and building businesses, the idea of a day of rest can feel unrealistic.But Sabbath is not a test of devotion—it's an act of grace. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). God gives us this rhythm for our good. So start small. Begin with an afternoon. Disconnect from technology. Step away from the endless noise and hurry. Give your soul permission to breathe.As you do, you'll find that rest becomes not a luxury, but a necessity. You'll also discover that Sabbath rhythms bear witness to a watching world—an act of quiet evangelism declaring that our trust is in God's provision, not our own effort.A Practical Picture of SabbathFor many, Sunday naturally serves as a Sabbath—a day centered on corporate worship and community. Begin the day in God's Word. Gather with your church family to worship and remember the gospel. Then build the rest of the day around delight: time with loved ones, enjoying nature, sharing meals, or simply slowing down.Sabbath isn't about inactivity; it's about being present—to God, to others, and to the world He made. It's a day of delight, not productivity—a time to remember that we are human beings, not human doings.Without Sabbath, those we love often receive only our leftovers—whatever energy remains after six days of striving. But when rest becomes part of our rhythm, our relationships deepen. We offer the people closest to us not exhaustion, but joy.Sadly, when people face burnout or relational breakdown, Sabbath is almost always missing. Rest is essential to wholeness.Ultimately, Sabbath points us to Jesus Himself—the Lord of the Sabbath. He invites us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). That invitation is not just for a day each week—it's for every day of our lives.When we rest, we remember that the world is not upheld by our effort but by His grace. True rest is not found in the absence of work but in the presence of Christ.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:Our new community ministry is only about 25% funded right now, but we'd really like to launch it in a biblically sound way. As a leadership team, how should we move forward with that?A debt settlement counselor is offering to settle $36,000 of debt for $29,000, with monthly payments of $575 over 52 months. That adds up to just $29,000 total. Is this legitimate—or does it sound like a scam?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Made to FlourishWhy Your Work Matters: How God Uses Our Everyday Vocations to Transform Us, Our Neighbors, and the World by Dr. Tom NelsonChristian Credit CounselorsWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This sermon was delivered on October 26, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Mr. Nathan Tunnell delivered this sermon entitled "The Lord of the Sabbath" on Mark 2:23-28. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

Tom SwinneySun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000https://www.trinitychurchbradford.org.uk/sermons/mark-2526/the-lord-of-the-sabbath/

Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath- Mark 2:23-28 - Ace Davis

September 22, 2025Today's Reading: Amos 8:4-7Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 7:1-4; 8:1-18; Ezra 1:1-10:19; 1 Timothy 5:1-16“The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: ‘Surely I will never forget any of their deeds'” (Amos 8:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.When Jesus says that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), he reveals man's propensity to switch everything around. The Sabbath rest has become a Sabbath test for the Pharisees, and in their eyes, Jesus has failed the test. He has failed the Sabbath. Now, the people during Amos' time have also inverted the gift of the Sabbath. They ask when the new moon, a time dedicated at the first of every month for sacrifices to God, and the Sabbath, a time of handing over one's work and time to God, will be over. They have turned the Father's house into a house of trade. They want the time of sacrifice to end, and the time of profiteering to begin. They want to get a move on, get out of the church, and get going with their iniquity and deceit, their trampling of the needy and destruction of the poor. But God will not have any of it. He despises such “vain offerings.” He hates their new moons and appointed feasts. He is burdened by their hypocrisy and false worship. So when they lift their hands, he hides his eyes; when they voice their prayers, he closes his ears (Isaiah 1:13-15). Even worse, God swears that he will never forget their evil deeds! Sin grieves God. His wrath and anger are quickly kindled. His “record of debt … with all its legal demands” stands against all men (Colossians 2:14). Someone must pay that debt, right that wrong, and bear the punishment of sin. For the wicked, that “record of debt” stands before God's face (Hosea 7:2). He remembers their iniquity (Hosea 8:13). It is even engraved on the tablet of their heart (Jeremiah 17:1) as their sins remain heaped high as heaven (Revelation 18:5). David prays in Psalm 109, “May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!” But you, dear Christian, find that in Christ, that record of debt is canceled, those legal demands are fulfilled, the injustice is forgiven, and your sins are atoned for. Your debt is forgiven in its entirety! It is taken away from you. God sets it aside, nails it to the cross, disarms your enemies, shames the devil, and triumphs over Hell itself. “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). God remembers the sins of the wicked, but he will never remember your sins. They are forgiven, removed, forgotten, and drowned in the depths of the sea, never to rise again. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Seek whom you may To be your stay; None can redeem his brother. All helpers failed; This man prevailed, The God-man and none other, Our Servant-King Of whom we sing. We're justified Because he died, The guilty being guiltless. (LSB 557:2) Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Join author R. Reed Lessing helps with this chapter-by-chapter exploration of the Book of Numbers in Hope in the Wilderness. With helpful maps, diagrams, and connections to the rest of the Bible, you'll be able to understand the beauty of Numbers.

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Is the Jesus over all? How about religious culture?

Streamed live on Jul 25, 2025 #bibleteaching #torah #bible #torah #torahstudy #torahteaching #bible #bibleverse #biblestudy #bibleteaching #torahcommunity #torahdiscussion #escatology #hebrew #hebrewvocabulary #hebrewscriptures Contact: noelhadley@yahoo.com Support TUC Ministry 2025: https://gofund.me/553bccb2 https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-tu... Patreon:   / membership   PayPal: paypal.me/noeljoshuahadley Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Noel-Hadley TUC Store: https://store.theunexpectedcosmology.... 2025 TUC Catalogue: https://unexpected-cosmology.nyc3.dig... Website: The Unexpected Cosmology Link: https://theunexpectedcosmology.com/ Archives page: https://theunexpectedcosmology.com/ar... TUC Discord Community:   / discord   TUC 2 YouTube:    / @theunexpectedcosmology2   Hebrew Match Dating: https://www.hebrewmatch.com/ Shelves of Shalom Publishing: https://shelvesofshalompublishing.com/ Facebook:   / theunexpectedcosmology  

Jesus didn't just teach about Sabbath—He is our Sabbath. In this message, Pastor David explores the deep, transformative rhythm of Sabbath, not as a rule to follow but as a weekly invitation to Stop, Rest, Delight, and Worship. More than a break from work, Sabbath is a holy protest against the lies of busyness, productivity, and self-sufficiency—and a return to the truth that Jesus is Lord, and we are not.

Jesus’ Teaching We are now on day 14 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! The long awaited for king is here - the one the covenants from long ago had promised! Jesus' public ministry on earth has begun! Teaching was an integral part of Jesus' ministry. Today we start to look at what he taught about himself. We do that by looking at how he taught, what he taught, his methods and who did he teach? 1. How he taught with authority: The events in Capernaum we looked at last time happened frequently with Jesus. The gospel accounts often remark how people viewed Jesus' teaching as authoritative, but while being amazed were often angry about it. What was it that made his teaching authoritative? Jesus' manner of teaching shared much in common with other teachers of the 1st century. Jesus frequently used Old Testament texts; exaggerated hyperbole, telling of parables, rhythmic poetry aiding memorisation and the predicting of future events, were common teaching practice at the time in both religious and secular circles. Most of the teaching we have in the Gospels did not arise out of formal settings but rather through personal encounters, engaging with the religious leaders and the inherent need to teach his disciples. However, it is not so much his manner of teaching that created the air of authority about him, but rather what he taught that did (Matthew 7v28-29). Saying as He often did, "But I say to you...", was in direct opposition to the method the Rabbinical teachers employed. Additionally, Jesus often sat down to teach, and this was the custom at the time for formal instruction. 2. What did he teach? Jesus appeals often to the Old Testament, (the Jewish scriptures) in every facet of his teaching. Jesus frequently used Old Testament Scripture (Mark 7v6-13) as the basis for his moral and legal teachings (Matthew 5v148), the historical stories (Matthew 24v27-29) and in his debates with the religious leaders. Quite possibly, the supreme example of his teaching can be found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5v1-7v29). Whilst mainly speaking to his disciples, he allowed the crowds to listen. In this discourse, all of Jesus' teachings are exhibited. Key themes include the character, influence, righteousness, religion, devotional life, ambition and relationships of anybody wanting to follow Jesus. The Kingdom of God - Jesus preached that entrance to the kingdom of God was through repentance (Matthew 3v2) and this repentance led to a spiritual rebirth (John 3v1-8). But what is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God as taught by Jesus, was not a political uprising against the Romans, as thought by James and John (Mark 10v35-45) and nor is it the church. The kingdom of God was and is both a personal inner spiritual relationship with God as ruler over the life of the follower of Jesus Christ. But also the Jesus follower showing openly this relationship with God (Matthew 25v34; Luke 13v29). Regarding Himself - Whilst Jesus never directly claimed to be God, he did things only God could do. He claimed authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9v1-7). His claim to be the Messiah, or Son of Man, is an appeal to Old Testament texts and their subsequent fulfilment and completion in him (Mark 8v29-33). Primarily His teaching that the Messiah must suffer and be glorified was also an appeal to Old Testament scripture (Luke 9v31; Luke 12v50; John 10v11-15). More about this in the coming studies as we look deeper into what Jesus said about himself. 3. What method did he use? We see, as we read the gospel accounts of his life that Jesus spoke a lot in parables or picture stories. He did this in order to get his message across completely. The parables as recorded in the Gospels mainly fall into four categories: Society and its God - an example of this would be the parable of the sheep (Luke 15v1-7) whereby God is seen as a God of grace. Society and the individual - an example of this would be the parable involving the rich fool who thought his wealth would make God love him more (Luke 12v13-21). Society and the community - an example here would be the parable of the Good Samaritan whereby everyone is to show love, even for their enemies (Luke 10v25-37). Society and the future - an example here would be the parable of the great feast whereby the future climax of the kingdom is seen (Matthew 25v31-33). 4. Who did He teach? The Gospel writers attributed Jesus as a teacher (Mark 5v35; John 7v15) despite his lacking the formal requirements usually attained by rabbis. The Gospel writers also refer to him as a prophet (Luke 7v16; John 6v14), and he was recognized as such by people (Mark 6v15; Mark 8v28). There were three main groups of people that Jesus interacted with and taught. There were large crowds, his twelve disciples and the religious leaders. The Crowds - When Jesus taught large gathering of people, it was always based on evidential facts and it was always as Luke described "good news" (Luke 4v18), because God gave it to Jesus. Crowds recognized that Jesus had a confident manner of speaking (Mark 1v22). It must be noted that in the presence of crowds, Jesus didn't actively reveal who he was (Mark 1v44; Mark 3v11-12; Mark 9v9). The Disciples - Many of Jesus' recorded teachings were to his disciples, but in the midst of crowds, such as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5v1; Matthew 7v28). However on more precise requirements of discipleship, or about himself or the future of God's Kingdom, Jesus usually only taught his disciples concerning his true identity, even though they failed to grasp it (Mark 8v27-33). The religious leaders - Because of Jesus' popularity and the activities He was involved with, the religious leaders soon took notice of him. Jesus respected the Law of Moses and Moses authority (Mark 1v22). He gave his own unique interpretation and as such attracted the opposition of the religious leaders who had taught a different interpretation. An example of this is in Jesus interpretation of the Sabbath (Mark 2v23-38); the healings he performed (John 5v1-18); fasting and ritual cleanliness (Mark 7v1-5) and for consorting with sinners (Luke 7v34). Jesus criticised the religious leaders for amongst other things: their lack of compassion and the weighty burdens they placed upon others (Matthew 23; Mark 12v38-40; Luke 11v37-54). So, that is how he taught, what he taught, the methods he used and who he taught. Tomorrow we go further into what Jesus taught and revealed about himself. Thank you. Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file

Scriptures: Sunday Blue Laws The Lord of the Sabbath 1) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Mark 1:1, 2) The Lord, Mark 1:3, 3) The coming One who is mightier than john the Baptist, Mark 1:7-8, 4) He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, Mark 1:8, 5) The Beloved Son of God, Mark 1:11, 6) The preacher of the gospel of God, Mark 1:14, 7) The Holy One of God, Mark 1:24, Jesus has power and authority over: 1) Satan 2) Sin, 3) Sinners, 4) Disease, 5) Demons, 6) Forgiveness of Sin, "the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath" Mark 2:23-28, John 5:1-10 and 16-18, Matthew 15:6, Matthew 11:28-30, John 5:18, Sabbath Laws Genesis 2:3, Working on the Sabbath Mark 2:23-24, Deuteronomy 23:25, Matthew 2:25-26, 1 Samuel 21, Mark 2:27-28, Application Point: Rest Today!

Preached by Paster Eric Mingle, on June 25, 2025.

Preached by Paster Eric Mingle, on June 25, 2025.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ Listen to our other podcasts: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:23–28 - [23] One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. [24] And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” [25] And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: [26] how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” [27] And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. [28] So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate. To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ Listen to our other podcasts: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:   ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

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This week in Mark 2:23-3:6, Jesus is once again challenged by the Pharisees, this time on the Sabbath. They begin to seek to destroy him.

Scriptures: Jesus the Light 1 Timothy 6:13-16, Jesus the Creator John 1:1-3, Who is Lord: Christ of Caesar? by Steven Nichols Jesus as Lord? The Lord Jesus Christ God has made Jesus Lord Acts 2:36, He is our one and only Lord 1 Corinthians 8:6, He is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2:28, The vengeance of our Lord Jesus 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8, Believers are to obey the Lord Jesus Luke 6:46, Believers fellowship with Jesus Christ the Lord 1 Corinthians 1:9, A mark of a believer is saying Jesus is Lord 1 Corinthians 12:3, Believers are to put on the Lord Jesus Romans 13:14, 2 Corinthians 4:5, Romans 10:9, John 20:28, Making Jesus the Lord of our Lives Ephesians 3:14-17, inner strength-v16, indwelling Christ-v17, Acts 10:12-14, Philippians 2:9-11 Application Point: Surrender to the Lord Jesus!

In Mark 2:23–3:6, Jesus confronts the Pharisees over their rigid Sabbath interpretations, defending acts of mercy and necessity. He highlights human need over ritual by citing David's actions and heals a man on the Sabbath, exposing the Pharisees' hypocrisy. This sparks their plot to kill Him, marking a significant escalation in opposition to His ministry.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/lets-talk-scripture/donations

The Pharisees were depicted as men who, though attempting to follow the Law of the Old Testament, did not see Jesus as their Savior. This passage of Mark shows them attempt to discredit Jesus by attempting to control what others do on the Sabbath, in spite of the Lord of the Sabbath being in their midst.

Sabbath   |   Mark 2:23-28    |   Series:A Weary World Rejoices   |   Sam Holm, Lead Pastor   |   Preached 12-22-24 10:45am   Tag: Worship, Christmas, Rest, Relax, Devotion, Bible, Study, Sabbath, Break, Jesus, Hope, Faith, Trust, Sabbath, Lords Supper, Holy, Gracefully, Stop, Delight

Sabbath   |   Mark 2:23-28    |   Series:A Weary World Rejoices   |   Sam Holm, Lead Pastor   |   Preached 12-22-24 10:45am   Tag: Worship, Christmas, Rest, Relax, Devotion, Bible, Study, Sabbath, Break, Jesus, Hope, Faith, Trust, Sabbath, Lords Supper, Holy, Gracefully, Stop, Delight

It has been a few weeks since we were in Ephesians. The last sermon I preached was on the shoes of the gospel of peace. I have a confession to make, and it is not one to be proud of: I am not very good at creating space for my own rest. One of the symptoms that a break and vacation is needed is when your pastor takes 15-20 minutes to talk about shoes during his sermon introduction! In preparation for this sermon, I have been thinking about the importance of rest as it is related to faith. One of the Ten Commandments is to, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exod. 20:8-11). Here is the irony with the fourth commandment: The first four commandments address our relationship with God and the last six commandments address our relationships with one another. I am of the opinion that a Sabbath rest has less to do with the seventh day of the week and more to do with our need to separate ourselves from the noise of life. Regarding the fourth commandment, Jesus said: The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28). The purpose of the Sabbath is that it creates space for you to listen to God for the purpose being strengthened in Him. The reason why the fourth commandment is sandwiched between the first three concerning our vertical relationship with God and the final six concerning our horizontal relationships with your neighbor is because if you ignore a Sabbath rest, both your relationship with God and your relationships with others will suffer. If you ignore the fourth commandment, you will be more prone to develop idols in your heart and become little good to those around you. So, here is what I want you to hear as we move forward: Sabbath rest stabilizes gospel grounded faith. The kind of rest I am talking about must include the kind of rest described in Psalm 46:10, Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth. Now, with Gods command for a Sabbath rest as our backdrop, lets consider again the armor of God: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (Eph. 6:1013) Remember that the schemes belong to the devil, but the armor we are to put on belongs to God. The belt of truth is our identity in Christ, the breastplate of righteousness is our righteousness in Christ, and the shoes of the gospel of peace enable us to keep our footing in the whole Gospel, that includes our salvation but also the full redemption of all creation. The whole Gospel includes our resurrection, but it also promises us a day when sorrow and sighing will flee away: And the redeemed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with joyful shouting, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11). The fourth piece of Gods armor is the shield of faith. The questions we need to answer are what is it really; and how does one use the shield of faith? What is the Shield of Faith? The shield Paul had in mind was not the small round shield you would expect a soldier to have for hand-to-hand combat, for it was light but left most of the body exposed. Instead, the shield Paul envisioned was more like the one a soldier carried to protect his whole body from the enemys arrows shot from a distance. The large shield was called a scutum and was typically used by Roman legionaries. It was designed not only to protect the soldier wielding it from arrows, but was designed especially to protect him from arrows that were dipped in pitch and lit on fire before they were launched. The front of the shield was covered in leather that could be soaked in water; in this way, when the flaming arrows hit the shield, the fire would be quenched. For what purpose did a flaming arrow (aka fire arrow) serve? What is fire known for doing? The enemy would launch flaming arrows to set on fire anything that was flammable such as buildings, materials, and enemy troops. Fire consumes and destroys, and this is exactly what the rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places desire to do to any and all of Gods people. We are told to take up the shield of faith to protect us from such attacks from the enemy, but what is it? Is the shield of faith a self-determined will to hold on to what you believe? Is it something that you would have more of if you simply believed more? Is the shield of faith more about having enough faith in what we read about in the Bible so that you can claim financial, emotional, relational, spiritual, and physical healing and wholeness for yourself? I dont think the shield of faith includes any of that. Remember that Paul did not just come up with the armor of God because of some Roman soldiers around him. Paul received his shield metaphor from the Old Testament. To address Abrahams fear about being without an heir, God promised Him, Do not fear Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great. In Psalm 28:7, David celebrated the God who hears the prayers of His people with these words: Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the sound of my pleading. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart triumphs, and with my song I shall thank Him. However, I think Proverbs 30:5 is the most helpful verse that helps us understand what the shield of faith is: Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. So, which is it? Is God our shield and if so, how can our faith be the shield? On this point Iain Duguid is helpful: Faith is the means by which we flee to God for refuge. It is how we cling to God and find in him comfort and protection in times of difficulty and distress.[1] It is one thing to believe that God exists but is quite another thing to flee to the God you know to be true because of the way He has revealed Himself through His Word. The more you know about God, the more inclined you will be to flee to Him as your refuge and strength, for the Bible says, the people who know their God will be strong and take action (Dan. 11:32b). The way you cling to God and find Him to be your comfort and protection is through His Word! We are told in Ephesians 5:26 that Jesus intends to sanctify and beautify His church through the washing of water with the word. It is the word of God that we use to saturate our shield to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. This is not a New Testament concept; it is a Genesis through Revelation principle for living faithfully before God. Listen to Psalm 119:10-11 and tell me if you cannot hear the same tone that you hear in Ephesians 6:16, With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. I have treasured Your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against You. How do We Use the Shield of Faith? It is all well and good to know what the shield of faith is, but how do you use it? To answer that question, permit me to show you something that I have read dozens of times and missed because I did not read Ephesians 6:14-17 as carefully as I should have. There are six pieces that belong to the armor of God. The first three are all pieces that a soldier puts on and keeps on so long as he is active: ...having belted your waist with truth (v. 14a) ...having put on the breastplate of righteousness (v. 14b) ...having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace (v. 15) Each of these pieces are attached to the Christian as part of his/her identity in Christ. The belt of truth is your new identity in Christ, the breastplate of righteousness is your righteousness in Christ, and the shoes of the gospel of peace are the promise of full redemption that Jesus makes possible. You put on these pieces of armor by standing in the gospel, confidently recognizing that all your righteousness is in Christ, and that your identity is rooted in Christ as truth for all of life! Now notice the final three pieces of the armor of God and how Paul distinguishes them from the first three pieces with the words, in addition to all...: ...taking up the shield of faith (v. 16) ...take the helmet of salvation (v. 17a) ...take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (v. 17b) The soldiers shield, helmet, and sword were all a part of his armor, but they were pieces he could take up and put down at will. The enemy can tempt you to believe that Christ is not enough, but what he already knows is that your righteousness is Christs righteousness; wearing the breastplate of righteousness is simply walking in light of that truth. However, when the enemy attacks with his flaming arrows in the form of temptations, lies, and accusations, you can choose to take up the shield of faith or allow those arrows to pierce you so that their fire can overwhelm, consume, and incapacitate you. If you are a Christian and you have truly been born again, the flaming arrows may not be able to destroy your soul, but they certainly can wound to the point of rendering you immobile and unable to fully engage and participate in Gods mission in the world and purpose for your life. If you are a Christian, the enemy knows that God chose you before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-6), that you were fully and completely redeemed by the blood of His Son (1:7-12), and that you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit as Gods inheritance to receive all of His promises (1:13-14, 18-23). In fact, I am convinced that the devil has more of a theological grasp over what it means for you to be a Christian than many Christians, but if he can deceive you, if he can aid in destroying your Christian witness, if he can paralyze you with shame and guilt to keep you from clinging to all that the cross of Christ represents, then he will do all within his ability to do just that! Dear Christian, when those flaming arrows come, you have a shield God has given that you can take up to defend yourself from such attacks! God has given us all that we need, but faith in His promises, a dependance upon Him, and the responsibility to proactively saturate our faith with the word of God is something we must do. Conclusion The enemy will launch his flaming arrows but make no mistake from what we have learned so far from Ephesians, there is also the danger we face from self-inflicted wounds when we fall into temptation. The devil never makes us sin, we do that all on our own! This is why it is important to take on the full armor of God. When we are mindful that Jesus is our identity and not our sin, when we are fully aware that Jesus is our only hope and righteousness, and then stand in the truth of all of Gods redemptive promises, our resolve to resist sin and temptation becomes more determined. But, when the flaming arrows fly you can lower your shield and let them pierce and consume, or you can take up your shield. When the enemy whispers: You sinned and now you are too disgusting for God to love you! You take up your shield saturated with the word of God and say: Do not rejoice over me, enemy of mine. Though I fall I will rise; though I live in darkness, the Lord is a light for me... He will bring me out to the light, and I will look at His righteousness (Micah 7:8, 9). You take up your shield saturated by the word of God and say, God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.... For if while we were enemies we were reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Rom. 5:8, 10). Dont you think that Mary and Joseph endured many the constant barrage of the enemys flaming arrows the moment they found out about the conception of Jesus while Mary was still a virgin? Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus (Luke 1:30-31). Her only question was: How? since she was a virgin. After the angel told her that the Holy Spirit would make it possible miraculously, her response was simply: Behold, the Lords bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word (v. 38). Mary could have been overwhelmed by fear over what her mother, father, relatives, and neighbors would think, but instead she raised up her shield of faith in the form of a song saturated with what she knew from the word of God: My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. And His mercy is to generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed. He has given help to His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, Just as He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever. (Luke 1:4755) Joseph could have walked out on Mary in disbelief, but He took up his shield as well and believed that God was not only big enough to make the conception of Jesus supernaturally possible, but he too believed the word of God: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel (Isa. 7:14; see also Matt. 1:18-25). So, how do you use the shield of faith? How do you take it up to defend yourself? You take up the shield of faith each time you flee to God for refuge through the truth of His word and cling to Him to find your comfort and protection in times of difficulty and distress. [1] Iain M. Duguid, The Whole Armor of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2019), p. 68.

It has been a few weeks since we were in Ephesians. The last sermon I preached was on the shoes of the gospel of peace. I have a confession to make, and it is not one to be proud of: I am not very good at creating space for my own rest. One of the symptoms that a break and vacation is needed is when your pastor takes 15-20 minutes to talk about shoes during his sermon introduction! In preparation for this sermon, I have been thinking about the importance of rest as it is related to faith. One of the Ten Commandments is to, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exod. 20:8-11). Here is the irony with the fourth commandment: The first four commandments address our relationship with God and the last six commandments address our relationships with one another. I am of the opinion that a Sabbath rest has less to do with the seventh day of the week and more to do with our need to separate ourselves from the noise of life. Regarding the fourth commandment, Jesus said: The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28). The purpose of the Sabbath is that it creates space for you to listen to God for the purpose being strengthened in Him. The reason why the fourth commandment is sandwiched between the first three concerning our vertical relationship with God and the final six concerning our horizontal relationships with your neighbor is because if you ignore a Sabbath rest, both your relationship with God and your relationships with others will suffer. If you ignore the fourth commandment, you will be more prone to develop idols in your heart and become little good to those around you. So, here is what I want you to hear as we move forward: Sabbath rest stabilizes gospel grounded faith. The kind of rest I am talking about must include the kind of rest described in Psalm 46:10, Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth. Now, with Gods command for a Sabbath rest as our backdrop, lets consider again the armor of God: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (Eph. 6:1013) Remember that the schemes belong to the devil, but the armor we are to put on belongs to God. The belt of truth is our identity in Christ, the breastplate of righteousness is our righteousness in Christ, and the shoes of the gospel of peace enable us to keep our footing in the whole Gospel, that includes our salvation but also the full redemption of all creation. The whole Gospel includes our resurrection, but it also promises us a day when sorrow and sighing will flee away: And the redeemed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with joyful shouting, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11). The fourth piece of Gods armor is the shield of faith. The questions we need to answer are what is it really; and how does one use the shield of faith? What is the Shield of Faith? The shield Paul had in mind was not the small round shield you would expect a soldier to have for hand-to-hand combat, for it was light but left most of the body exposed. Instead, the shield Paul envisioned was more like the one a soldier carried to protect his whole body from the enemys arrows shot from a distance. The large shield was called a scutum and was typically used by Roman legionaries. It was designed not only to protect the soldier wielding it from arrows, but was designed especially to protect him from arrows that were dipped in pitch and lit on fire before they were launched. The front of the shield was covered in leather that could be soaked in water; in this way, when the flaming arrows hit the shield, the fire would be quenched. For what purpose did a flaming arrow (aka fire arrow) serve? What is fire known for doing? The enemy would launch flaming arrows to set on fire anything that was flammable such as buildings, materials, and enemy troops. Fire consumes and destroys, and this is exactly what the rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places desire to do to any and all of Gods people. We are told to take up the shield of faith to protect us from such attacks from the enemy, but what is it? Is the shield of faith a self-determined will to hold on to what you believe? Is it something that you would have more of if you simply believed more? Is the shield of faith more about having enough faith in what we read about in the Bible so that you can claim financial, emotional, relational, spiritual, and physical healing and wholeness for yourself? I dont think the shield of faith includes any of that. Remember that Paul did not just come up with the armor of God because of some Roman soldiers around him. Paul received his shield metaphor from the Old Testament. To address Abrahams fear about being without an heir, God promised Him, Do not fear Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great. In Psalm 28:7, David celebrated the God who hears the prayers of His people with these words: Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the sound of my pleading. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart triumphs, and with my song I shall thank Him. However, I think Proverbs 30:5 is the most helpful verse that helps us understand what the shield of faith is: Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. So, which is it? Is God our shield and if so, how can our faith be the shield? On this point Iain Duguid is helpful: Faith is the means by which we flee to God for refuge. It is how we cling to God and find in him comfort and protection in times of difficulty and distress.[1] It is one thing to believe that God exists but is quite another thing to flee to the God you know to be true because of the way He has revealed Himself through His Word. The more you know about God, the more inclined you will be to flee to Him as your refuge and strength, for the Bible says, the people who know their God will be strong and take action (Dan. 11:32b). The way you cling to God and find Him to be your comfort and protection is through His Word! We are told in Ephesians 5:26 that Jesus intends to sanctify and beautify His church through the washing of water with the word. It is the word of God that we use to saturate our shield to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. This is not a New Testament concept; it is a Genesis through Revelation principle for living faithfully before God. Listen to Psalm 119:10-11 and tell me if you cannot hear the same tone that you hear in Ephesians 6:16, With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. I have treasured Your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against You. How do We Use the Shield of Faith? It is all well and good to know what the shield of faith is, but how do you use it? To answer that question, permit me to show you something that I have read dozens of times and missed because I did not read Ephesians 6:14-17 as carefully as I should have. There are six pieces that belong to the armor of God. The first three are all pieces that a soldier puts on and keeps on so long as he is active: ...having belted your waist with truth (v. 14a) ...having put on the breastplate of righteousness (v. 14b) ...having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace (v. 15) Each of these pieces are attached to the Christian as part of his/her identity in Christ. The belt of truth is your new identity in Christ, the breastplate of righteousness is your righteousness in Christ, and the shoes of the gospel of peace are the promise of full redemption that Jesus makes possible. You put on these pieces of armor by standing in the gospel, confidently recognizing that all your righteousness is in Christ, and that your identity is rooted in Christ as truth for all of life! Now notice the final three pieces of the armor of God and how Paul distinguishes them from the first three pieces with the words, in addition to all...: ...taking up the shield of faith (v. 16) ...take the helmet of salvation (v. 17a) ...take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (v. 17b) The soldiers shield, helmet, and sword were all a part of his armor, but they were pieces he could take up and put down at will. The enemy can tempt you to believe that Christ is not enough, but what he already knows is that your righteousness is Christs righteousness; wearing the breastplate of righteousness is simply walking in light of that truth. However, when the enemy attacks with his flaming arrows in the form of temptations, lies, and accusations, you can choose to take up the shield of faith or allow those arrows to pierce you so that their fire can overwhelm, consume, and incapacitate you. If you are a Christian and you have truly been born again, the flaming arrows may not be able to destroy your soul, but they certainly can wound to the point of rendering you immobile and unable to fully engage and participate in Gods mission in the world and purpose for your life. If you are a Christian, the enemy knows that God chose you before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-6), that you were fully and completely redeemed by the blood of His Son (1:7-12), and that you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit as Gods inheritance to receive all of His promises (1:13-14, 18-23). In fact, I am convinced that the devil has more of a theological grasp over what it means for you to be a Christian than many Christians, but if he can deceive you, if he can aid in destroying your Christian witness, if he can paralyze you with shame and guilt to keep you from clinging to all that the cross of Christ represents, then he will do all within his ability to do just that! Dear Christian, when those flaming arrows come, you have a shield God has given that you can take up to defend yourself from such attacks! God has given us all that we need, but faith in His promises, a dependance upon Him, and the responsibility to proactively saturate our faith with the word of God is something we must do. Conclusion The enemy will launch his flaming arrows but make no mistake from what we have learned so far from Ephesians, there is also the danger we face from self-inflicted wounds when we fall into temptation. The devil never makes us sin, we do that all on our own! This is why it is important to take on the full armor of God. When we are mindful that Jesus is our identity and not our sin, when we are fully aware that Jesus is our only hope and righteousness, and then stand in the truth of all of Gods redemptive promises, our resolve to resist sin and temptation becomes more determined. But, when the flaming arrows fly you can lower your shield and let them pierce and consume, or you can take up your shield. When the enemy whispers: You sinned and now you are too disgusting for God to love you! You take up your shield saturated with the word of God and say: Do not rejoice over me, enemy of mine. Though I fall I will rise; though I live in darkness, the Lord is a light for me... He will bring me out to the light, and I will look at His righteousness (Micah 7:8, 9). You take up your shield saturated by the word of God and say, God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.... For if while we were enemies we were reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Rom. 5:8, 10). Dont you think that Mary and Joseph endured many the constant barrage of the enemys flaming arrows the moment they found out about the conception of Jesus while Mary was still a virgin? Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus (Luke 1:30-31). Her only question was: How? since she was a virgin. After the angel told her that the Holy Spirit would make it possible miraculously, her response was simply: Behold, the Lords bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word (v. 38). Mary could have been overwhelmed by fear over what her mother, father, relatives, and neighbors would think, but instead she raised up her shield of faith in the form of a song saturated with what she knew from the word of God: My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. And His mercy is to generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed. He has given help to His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, Just as He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever. (Luke 1:4755) Joseph could have walked out on Mary in disbelief, but He took up his shield as well and believed that God was not only big enough to make the conception of Jesus supernaturally possible, but he too believed the word of God: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel (Isa. 7:14; see also Matt. 1:18-25). So, how do you use the shield of faith? How do you take it up to defend yourself? You take up the shield of faith each time you flee to God for refuge through the truth of His word and cling to Him to find your comfort and protection in times of difficulty and distress. [1] Iain M. Duguid, The Whole Armor of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2019), p. 68.

Sermon by Davy Lee on December 1, 2024. 

When we come to Luke 6, we believe that Jesus is finishing His first year of ministry. At this time, He has a small group of disciples with Him, He is teaching in the synagogues and also ministering to large crowds as He travels throughout the region preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. He is healing the sick, causing the lame to walk, and casting out demons.   But the Pharisees and religious leaders of the Jews are not impressed. They perceive that Jesus is a threat to their religious control over the people and they are also following Him to find fault and discredit Him in front of the people. They claim they care for the poor, sick and needy, but the truth is that they only care about their control over the people with their man-made laws that they have attached to the Law of Moses. I personally get the sense that this is exactly what is happening in the politics of the present election in America.   It is wonderful and amazing that in the midst of the controversy and public criticism that surrounded Jesus He still cares for the poor and needy and performs wonderful miracles of healing! I believe the Lord wants to do the same today in our neighborhoods, in our communities, in our churches and in our country.   In Luke 6:6-11, the Pharisees knew that it was our Lord's practice to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath, so they were there to watch Him and to gather more evidence against Him. Did they know that the handicapped man would also be there? Did they "plant" him there? We do not know, and Jesus probably did not care. His compassionate heart responded to the man's need, and He healed him. Jesus could have waited a few hours until the Sabbath was over, or He could have healed the man in private, but He did it openly and immediately. It was a deliberate violation of the Sabbath traditions.   Our Lord's defense in the field of grain was based on the Old Testament Scriptures (Luke 6:1-5), but His defense in the synagogue was based on the nature of God's Sabbath law. God gave that law to help people, not to hurt them. "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). Every man in the synagogue would rescue a sheep on the Sabbath, so why not rescue a man made in the image of God? (Matthew 12:11-12) The scribes and Pharisees had turned God's gift into a heavy yoke that nobody could bear (Acts 15:10; Gal. 5:1).   This miracle illustrates the power of faith in God's Word. Jesus commanded the man to do the very thing he could not do, and yet in obedience, he did it! (Luke 1:37). God's commandments are always God's enablements. Immediate obedience to the Word of God is the open expression of our faith! We can't save ourselves, but when we call out on the name of Jesus in obedience to His Word, He performs the miracle of salvation and spiritual healing for our soul! (Romans 10:13; Acts 16:29-31)   The scribes and Pharisees were filled with fury. It certainly did not do them any good to worship God in the synagogue that morning. So angry were they that they even joined forces with the Herodians (the Jews who supported Herod) in a plot to kill Jesus (Mark 3:6). Jesus knew their thoughts (Matthew 12:15; Luke 6:8); so He merely withdrew to the Sea of Galilee, ministered to the multitudes, and then went up to a mountain alone to pray.   Today, Jesus gives a spiritual "Sabbath rest" that is in the heart all the time (Matt. 11:28-30). Unlike the galling yoke of the Law, the yoke that Jesus gives is "well-fitting," and His "burden is light." When the sinner trusts the Savior, he has peace with God because his sins are forgiven, and he is reconciled to God (Rom. 5:1-11). As the believer yields to Christ in daily experience, he enjoys "the peace of God" in his heart and mind (Phil. 4:6-7).   Read Hebrews 4 to learn how obedience to God's Word will bring you into God's promised rest in Christ Jesus!   Have you come short of the promise of God's rest because of disobedience? (Hebrews 4:1)   God bless!

In "Christians And The Sabbath," Guest Speaker Lucas Crawford delves into the book of Mark, making a compelling case for the significance of Sabbath observance among Christians. He argues that the Sabbath isn't just a commandment to be potentially overlooked, but an integral part of our faith, reinforced by Christ's resurrection. Lucas challenges the common oversight of the fourth commandment among believers, suggesting that to fully embrace God's blessings, we must adhere to all His commandments, including honoring the Sabbath day. This sermon invites viewers to reconsider their approach to Sabbath keeping as an essential aspect of Christian life.Verse References: Mark 2 verse 23 through Mark 3 verse 6Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

There has been increasing tension in Mark 2 between Jesus and the religious leaders. By the end of this passage, they are plotting to kill him. What pushes them over the edge is two incidents related to the Sabbath, specifically what Jesus says about the Sabbath and does on the Sabbath.

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Conituig the series marching through Mark at River Of Life OPC. I this exhortation Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees about the Sabbath. Christian Podcast Community www.christianpodcastcommunity.org

Conituig the series marching through Mark at River Of Life OPC. I this exhortation Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees about the Sabbath. Christian Podcast Community www.christianpodcastcommunity.org

Today's program looks at Mark 3. What is the reason God gave the Sabbath? 

Reading Mark 3:1-12 where Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, and Jesus' opponents hate him for it, but Jesus shows compassion to the people in keeping with the law. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

Reading Mark 2:23-28 where the Pharisees challenge Jesus as to why the disciples are plucking heads of grain on the Sabbath, and Jesus proclaims that He is Lord of the Sabbath. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!