Ezekiel (Program #14) – God’s Recovery by Life

The Old Testament book of Ezekiel is broken up into four main sections. The first section is the amazing vision in chapter 1 of God’s move. Then from chapter 2 through 32 it covers God’s judgment and the degradation of God’s people. And then we jump to a very encouraging section – the third section which is God’s recovery by life from chapters 33 to 39. And this recovery by life will issue in God’s holy building from chapter 40 through the end of the book in chapter 48.

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Ezekiel (Program #13) – God’s Judgment Upon the Nations

There are seven nations mentioned from Ezekiel chapters 25 through 32. Even in the midst of God’s judgment from Ezekiel in the Old Testament on the nations, you will find that there is an application to us today in the church.

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Mark (Program #5) – The Contents of the Slave-Savior’s Gospel Service (1) & (2)

The book of Mark opens with these words, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” It then reveals that this gospel is really the fulfillment of the types, the promises and the prophesies of the Old Testament. Along with the removal of the custody of the law. But Mark chapter 1 goes further because it shows us not what just the gospel is but the content of the gospel. This gospel is not something vague but rich in its’ details.  And in this chapter, chapter 1 which is divided into 5 sections. We see the rich content of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

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Ezekiel (Program #12) – God’s Judgment Upon His People

In the book of Ezekiel, we come today to God’s judgment upon His people which is a picture of His judgment upon the church today. Yet the result of God’s judgment upon the church is to gain a group of people who return to Christ and gain Christ.

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Mark (Program #4) – The Beginning of the Gospel and the Initiation of the Slave-Savior (2)

Each of the four gospels is unique in how it begins.  The gospel of John begins with Jesus Christ in eternity past.  Matthew began with the generations of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the king.  Luke also presents us with the genealogy but not in the line of the kingship.  Luke’s introduction shows us Jesus as the genuine and proper man.

Mark on the other hand does not begin with any reference to the origin of the man, Jesus. Rather it begins this way. “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” Notice is not the gospel of Jesus or the gospel of the Son of God. But the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is a marvelous beginning to Mark’s gospel because it highlights both His divinity as well as His humanity.

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Ezekiel (Program #11) – The Degradation of God’s People

The first chapter of Ezekiel with its awesome vision of the appearance of the glory of God is one of the truly remarkable and critically important chapters in all of the Bible. From there the book of Ezekiel is best understood by viewing it in its respective sections. The second section, a long portion from chapter 2 through chapter 32 reveals how Israel, once the treasure of God, the chosen and lovely people of God had become utterly rebellious and fit only for God to judge. This judgment finally comes in chapter 22, we’ll read about it in verses 16 to 19, “And you will be profaned through yourself in the sight of the nations, and you will know that I am Jehovah. And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are brass and tin and iron and lead in the midst of the furnace; they are the dross of silver. Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovah, Because all of you have become dross, therefore I am now gathering you into the midst of Jerusalem.”

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Mark (Program #3) – The Beginning of the Gospel and the Initiation of the Slave-Savior (1)

Matthew, Luke and John all begin one way or another with the origin of Jesus Christ.  Matthew shows us His kingly genealogy.  Luke, His human genealogy.  And John, His divine, eternal origin as the Son of God.  But Mark begins not with the genealogy rather with the gospel. “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”  What is the gospel?  Well, Roman tells us that the gospel is the glad tidings, the good news. The reality of that good news is Jesus Christ our savior. And as Mark shows us the slave of God serving His people.

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Mark (Program #2) – A Word of Introduction (2)

Many people wonder why the Bible gives us four historical accounts of the life and ministry in Jesus. One of reasons is the each of the four gospels portrays Christ in a unique aspect.  For example, Matthew a book on the kingdom of God reveals Christ in His kingship. Luke shows us Christ’s perfect and upright humanity as a genuine man.  John on the other hand stresses the eternal, uncreated life of God as it is revealed in Christ. John is the gospel of Christ’s divinity.

Then what about Mark?  Well, chapter 10:45 gives us a clue,  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark is wonderful in that it uniquely reveals that Christ lay aside His kingship, His status as God and even His position as a high and honored man to become God’s servant and eventually to become a slave to all mankind giving His life as a ransom for many.

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Ezekiel (Program #10) – The Man on the Throne

After the revelation of the four living creatures and the great wheel of the move of God in Ezekiel chapter 1, we are presented with the striking description of the spiritual sky above these four living creatures. In 1:22, Ezekiel writes, “And over the heads of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the sight of awesome crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.” This vivid picture conveys that when God’s people are fully experiencing Him in Christ and are connected to one another in a way that expresses and glorifies Him, then they have a clear sky above them – so clear that they can see without limitation into the very third heavens where our dear Lord Jesus sits so preeminently on the throne. Verse 26, “And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, like the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was One in appearance like a man, above it.”

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Mark (Program #1) – A Word of Introduction (1)

It’s very interesting to pay attention to how each of the four gospels begin.  Matthew, a gospel that focuses on the kingdom, begins with the long genealogy of Christ, demonstrating that He is the bonafide heir of David the king.  Luke, on the other hand also shows us the genealogy but not that of a king, rather it’s a genealogy of a proper and upright man.  The gospel of John begins in a much different way – “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.”  John is the gospel that reveals Christ’s divinity.

But what about the gospel of Mark?   Mark has no genealogy what so ever. Because Mark is the gospel revealing not just the humanity of Jesus, but that in His humanity Jesus Christ took the position of a slave. And He came to us a Slave-Savior.

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