Luke (Program #55) – Jubilee (1)

When all is said and done, in the human life they are really only two basics items that we really have to be concerned with #1 our possessions, #2 ourselves. To become poor is to loose all of our possessions, and to become a slave is to loose ourselves. In Israel, in ancient times all the families were given a rich portion of the land but the foolish or the unfortunate ones might be forced to sell off their possessions in order to continue to provide food. But eventually, they may be forced even to sell themselves into slavery, if they would to continue to eat. Yet the Lord made a way for these suffering ones to be released from their captivity and to be released to return back to their portion of the land. This way was called the Jubilee. The Jubilee is an important part of the New Testament as well.

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Luke (Program #51) – The Incarnation of the Man-Savior Fulfilling the Purpose of God’s Creation of Man (1 & 2)

The Gospel of Luke unveils that Jesus Christ was not just the Savior, but was the Man-Savior, that means He was both God and Man, a mingling of divine life and perfect humanity. As God we see many miracles and for these most people remember Him. However what touches us, as we read the accounts in the Gospel is not so much of the miracles but the humanity that He conveyed and how He loved and cared for so many poor and sinful ones. But here is the key, as we consider this perfect humanity we must also see that the divine life been expressed through His humanity, because this mingling of the divine life and humanity points us to the very purpose of God that He intended in His original creation. Sound like a deep and profound message, we hope the Lord would be merciful and shine His light and make it all clear to us.

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Luke (Program #20) – The Ministry of the Man-Savior in Galilee (11)

In the gospel of Luke, the Lord Jesus initiates His ministry with a visit to the synagogue in chapter 4 as He reads from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. He proclaims that His ministry is the fulfillment of the hidden but marvelous prophecy in the Old Testament regarding the Jubilee.   Chapter 4:14-19 “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee. And reports about Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues and was glorified by all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and according to His custom He entered on the Sabbath day into the synagogue and stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to announce the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to send away in release those who are oppressed, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of jubilee.” As we fellowship now beyond just a proclamation, declaration of the Jubilee we come to its application in chapter 9.

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Mark (Program #35) – The Preparation of the Slave-Savior for His Redemptive Service (9)

Just two days prior to His death the Lord Jesus gathered with His disciples in a small house in a tiny village of Bethany just outside of Jerusalem.

This little house, the house of a leper that Jesus had cleansed in the beginning of His ministry has become His dwelling place during His final days. Each night He would depart Jerusalem and return to this very humble and simple home. Now as the hours of His death approaches one of the great encounters in all the scriptures take place. Let’s read the account in Mark 14:1-8

“Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to seize Him by craftiness and kill Him,  For they said, Not at the feast, lest there be a tumult by the people.  And while He was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He reclined at table, a woman came, having an alabaster flask of ointment, of very costly pure nard, and she broke the alabaster flask and poured it over His head.  But there were some who were indignantly commenting among themselves: Why has this waste of the ointment been made?  For this ointment could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they were infuriated with her.  But Jesus said, Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a noble deed on Me.  For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you do not always have Me.  She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
And truly I say to you, Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be told as a memorial of her.”

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Mark (Program #26) – The Move of the Slave-Savior’s Gospel Service (15)

Mark chapter 10 present us with 3 cases all related to whether or not believers will enter into the kingdom of the heavens.  The best known of this cases concern a rich young man who approach the Lord Jesus wanting to what he must do in order to have eternal life. The Lord’s word shocked the young man as well as the Lord’s disciples. For He instructed him to go and sell all that he had and give it to the poor. Well, the young man turned and walked away knowing that he was not able to meet such a demand. And then this famous exchange took place between the Lord Jesus and His followers.

Mark 10:23-27: “And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, How difficult it will be for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God!  And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus again answered and said to them, Children, how difficult it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  But they were astonished beyond measure and said among themselves, Then who can be saved?  Looking upon them, Jesus said, With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.“

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Mark (Program #25) – The Move of the Slave-Savior’s Gospel Service (14)

Most of us remembered from our childhood the story of the rich man who came to Jesus asking what he must to do in order to have eternal life. The Lord’s answer instructing the man to go and sell all that he possessed and to give the proceed to the poor was more than the young man could bear. So he turned away and in despair of his inability to do what seems to be required.

The Lord’s disciples also expressed their dismay over His words to this young ruler to which the Lord answered, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

This passage from Mark chapter 10 though famous as a Bible story is also one that has perplexed many students of the Bible for there is no place in the scripture where we were given of such a requirement in order to be saved. Our salvation is by faith and not according to our works, such as selling all and giving all to the poor. And how should we understand such a story?

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Deuteronomy (Program #14) – The Rehearsal of the Law (6 & 7)

The word slavery has a powerful and we would say even a painful connotation in today’s society.  Yet in the Bible it often refer to to describe an aspect of everyday life for many of God’s people. In a sense it helps to remember that we all had a background of a very real kind of slavery, that’s slavery to the world and to sin. In Christ God has set us all free. This is the promise of the gospel and the hope of our Christian life. For in Christ not only are the captives set free, but the poor and the needy are fed and are clothed and sheltered. Deuteronomy, is an Old Testament book with many wonderful pictures of these aspects of the life of the New Testament believers.

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