Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Luke 10:25&26 "25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?" All summer long we are studying questions that Jesus asked. Last week we read the record of Jesus casting out the demons called "Legion" from the man in Decapolis. An incredible event inspiring us to hope and pray for Jesus's help with our own community. Our culture is possessed by "demonic" forces. We need revival in the hearts and minds of people today. We need reformation for our schools and institutions. We need to cast out these demons. Send them to the depths of the sea! This week we turn to the Gospel of Luke to read a very familiar parable that Jesus told. We are going to pay attention to the questions He asks along the way. "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?...

Mark 5:14&15 "14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid." "...in his right mind." This man was a terror to this community. These people had experienced this mad as a rabid beast. A monster who could NOT be chained up or controlled. There was nothing left that these people could do. Now, they witness this crazy man "...in his right mind." He is clothed and sitting there like a normal human being. And this scared them. This was not a normal transition, this was something supernatural. Like many of the situations recorded from Jesus's life, this was sought out by our Lord and Savior. Jesus's actions saved this man and this community. We can hope and pray for Jesus's help with our own community. O...

Mark 5:12&13 "12 And all the devils besought Him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea." Jesus asked the demon inside the man "What is thy name?" Names are not just labels, but rather a reflection of a person’s character, nature, and relationship with God. Names say who we are. The demons in the man were named "Legion." There was an army of evil spirits possessing this man. AND, those demons are groveling at the feet of our Lord and Savior, begging for mercy. In today's verses we read the demon's proposal to Jesus. "And all the devils besought Him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the ...

Mark 5:9-10 "9 And He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding." Jesus asked "What is thy name?" Jesus is speaking to the demon inside the man. Jesus has come here to same this man and the town that is affected by this tragic situation.  In the Holy Bible, names are more than labels or identification tags. They carry meaning, significance, and importance. Names have symbolism and meaning: revealing the character, nature, or destiny of the person. For example, Adam’s name means “man” or “human,” while Eve’s name means “life” or “mother of all living.” Names in the Bible can shape a person’s identity and destiny. When God renames someone, it often signifies a change in their life or a new direction. For instance, Jacob was renamed Israel, signifying his new role as...

Mark 5:7&8 "7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God? I adjure Thee by God, that Thou torment me not. 8 For He said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit." The DEMON possessed man knelt down and touched the ground with his forehead in sign of his submission and reverence to Jesus. From today's verses we gain the insight that it's the demon begging for mercy. Jesus's presence has the evil spirit worked up. We have to recognize that we see people in our world today with a fascination for the morbid, and mentally, they live in the graveyard. Self-harm is like an epidemic and people refuse any kind of help and assistance offered them. These are all tragic situations. Like Jesus and His Disciples, we may need to go out of our way to help. Each and every soul is priceless to our Lord and Savior.

Mark 5:5&6 "5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped Him," Have you ever experienced someone DEMON possessed??? Have you seen someone living on the edges of polite society?? Have you known someone with a morbid fascination, and they looked like they lived in the graveyard? Have you heard of someone cutting themselves, repeatedly harming themselves? They fought off any kind of help and assistance offered them. These are tragic situations. Unfortunately, these situations are seen in our society today.  In our study verses, this man plagued by demons is living a horrifying life. His disorder and distress is affecting the community he lives in. We can infer that Jesus did not just randomly end up here. Jesus led His followers here from the other side of the sea just so they could help these people! They sailed through a life-threatening storm to get ...

Mark 5:3&4 "3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him." This is a WILD MAN! DEMON possessed! No one could tame him! He lives among the tombs in the graveyard. It's a very spooky situation. Terrifying to almost everyone. This unfortunate man plagued by demons is living a horrifying life. His disorder and distress is affecting the community he lives in. We can infer that Jesus did not just randomly end up here. Jesus led His followers here from the other side of the sea just so they could help these people! They sailed through a life-threatening storm to get here. When we read carefully, we see the record in the Holy Bible that each and every soul is priceless to our Lord and Savior. No question about it. 

Mark 5:1&2 "1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit," We are studying the questions Jesus asked. Last week, we focused on His question to His Disciples, "Who do you say that I Am?" It's the question we all have to answer. The CORRECT answer requires us to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. This week we will look at another important question. We turn to the Gospel of Mark. Jesus and His Disciples sailed across the Sea of Galilee. Along the way, Jesus commanded a fierce storm to stop, and it did! The twelve are so amazed they ask, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea OBEY him?" (Mark 4:41). Today's verses, "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes." This is one of the few areas J...

Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Jesus did not mean to exalt Peter in supreme authority above all the other apostles, or to say that he was the ONLY one upon whom he would build His church. Jesus did mean that it was the FAITH that Peter demonstrated that would grow and spread the Gospel message. It was the Holy Ghost that inspired Peter to answer correctly. It was not his own understanding, it was not Peter's effort that gave him the faith to respond. It was solely God’s grace and mercy. All of us who believe our faith is a gift from God that enables us to receive the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice! Each and every person will have to answer the question "Who is Jesus to you?" The CORRECT answer requires us to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. The implications of answering correctly are profound...

Matthew 16:17 "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." So, it is with all of us! When and if we are blessed to answer Jesus's question correctly, it was "revealed" to us by GOD! Martin Luther saw this as the concept of justification by faith alone. He teaches us that it is not based on our own understanding or effort, but solely on God’s grace and mercy. We believe that faith is a gift from God that enables us to receive the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice! So, salvation is a sovereign act of God’s grace, received through our FAITH in Jesus Christ. Each and every person will have to answer this question. The CORRECT answer requires us to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. The implications of answering correctly are profound. We are acknowledging Jesus’ divinity, His authority, and His power to save us. I...

Matthew 16:16 "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." CORRECT!!! Jesus asked "Who do you say I Am?" Jesus has been performing miracles, teaching, and healing, and the disciples have witnessed much of this. Have the Disciples come to a deeper understanding of His identity and purpose? Jesus is pushing His Disciples and Peter comes through with the winning answer! 🌟✨️🏆 Each and every person will have to answer this question. The CORRECT answer requires us to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. When we answer this question in the affirmative, we acknowledge that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and that He has come to save us from our sins. The implications of answering correctly are profound. It means that we are acknowledging Jesus’ divinity, His authority, and His power to save us. It means that we are committed to following Him, to obey His teachings, and to trust in His promises...

Matthew 16:15 "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?" It is smart for us to study Jesus's questions. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus brought His Disciples to Caesarea Philippi. Where multiculturalism was the rule of the day. Much like it is today. In the midst of this confusion, Jesus asks His Disciples "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" He was given various answers. Not that different from the answers people give today. He's a teacher of a moral code. Or, He's a good Man who wants to make you better. All of which contradicts the record His Disciples sacrificed their lives to give to us. Today's verse gets to the real point. Jesus asked "Who do you say I Am?" Jesus has been performing miracles, teaching, and healing, and the disciples have witnessed much of this. Have the Disciples come to a deeper understanding of His identity and purpose? Jesus is pushing His Disciples to understand who He is and what He's doing.  Th...

Matthew 16:14 "And they said, Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." When Jesus's questions have a purpose. He is asking us to think and dig deep. He is the Master of asking questions. It is smart for us to study His questions. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus brought His Disciples to Caesarea Philippi. Where there were LOTS of temples. The Romans worshiped ALL kinds of gods. Multiculturalism was the rule of the day. Much like it is today. In the midst of this confusion, Jesus is a voice of clarity. And, He asks His Disciples "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" In today's verse we read their answers. "And they said, SOME SAY that Thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." The Jews seeing Christ do such incredible works, could not resolve for themselves who He was. What was inescapable; He was a prophetical person, resembling those of old...

Matthew 16:13 "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" Children can have MANY questions. Some, as soon as they can talk, ask questions NON-stop. "Why does the sun come up?" "Why do we have fire ants?" AND, so many more they test the limits of the idea that there are NO dumb questions.  When Jesus asks questions, do you think He didn't know the answer? His questions have a purpose. He is asking us to think and dig deep. Asking questions was a common teaching technique of rabbis. Naturally, Jesus is the Master of asking questions. It is smart for us to study Jesus's questions.  Today we return to the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus brought His Disciples to Caesarea Philippi. At this particular time and place there were LOTS of temples. The Romans worshiped ALL kinds of gods. So many temples and various deities that it would have been confusing. Still, this community was...

"Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service" #423 "2. Still Your children wander homeless; still the hungry cry for bread; still the captives long for freedom; still in grief we mourn our dead. As You, Lord, in deep compassion healed the sick and freed the soul, by Your Spirit send Your power to our world to make it whole." Jesus fed 15,000 people (maybe more?) a miraculous meal! AND! They had 12 baskets of leftovers! This free lunch would leave a lasting impression on everyone. Especially the Disciples, witnessing this event up close. Our Lord and Savior declared, “I am the bread of life. He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of God providing bread for His people in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4-36) and is a declaration of Jesus’ identity as the MESSIAH and THE SOURCE of spiritual nourishment. All the time, the things we study in the Holy Bible and work to understand are very beautifully explained in classic hymns. Like "Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service....

John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." Jesus fed 15,000 people (maybe more?) a miraculous meal! AND! They had 12 baskets of leftovers! It's not hard to see why Jesus had such a fervent following. Feeding a crowd like this would have been impossible. This free lunch would leave a lasting impression on everyone. Especially the Disciples, witnessing this event up close. God uses what we have. Bread is a basic staple that we all have and have experience with. It's so ubiquitous that it helps us better understand our faith in our Lord and Savior. Who declared, “I am the bread of life. Jesus is saying that He is the bread that comes down from heaven, giving eternal life to those who "eat" of Him. This phrase is a fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of God providing bread for His people in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4-36) and is a declaration of Jesus...

Mark 6:42-44 "42 And they did all eat, and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. 44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men." 5,000 men! With women and children, there may have been 15,000 people eating this miraculous meal! Maybe MORE? They were all full. The original all-you-can-eat buffet. AND! They had 12 baskets of leftovers! This is an incredible event. It's not hard to see why Jesus had such a fervent following. Feeding a crowd like this would have been very difficult. If not impossible. Reading here, seems it was done with ease. This free lunch would leave a lasting impression on everyone. Especially the Disciples, witnessing this event up close and in the middle of it all. Jesus wanted them to help. Even gathering the "Five loaves, and two fishes." The Disciples organized this massive crowd into groups of hundreds and fifties. They saw Him bless the food, and they experienced i...

Mark 6:41 "And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, He looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided He among them all." Jesus is teaching His Disciples, and us, to align with His plan. Jesus asked them "HOW MANY loaves HAVE YE?" They reported "Five loaves, and two fishes." He wants them to help. The Disciples help out. Organizing this massive crowd into groups of hundreds and fifties. After that, it's in Jesus's hands. Today's verse, "And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, He looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided He among them all." Jesus takes what little they had and blesses it and multiplied it! God uses what you do have. What we do have is not always things, like loaves and fish. Many times we just need to respond...

Mark 6:39&40 "39 And He commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties." Jesus has COMPASSION for random people coming out to hear Him preach. Jesus is redirecting the Disciples to align with His plan to feed the thousands of people. The Disciples did not understand. They knew they didn't have over ten thousand dollars it would take to feed a crowd like this. Jesus asked them "HOW MANY loaves HAVE YE?" They took inventory and reported "Five loaves, and two fishes." Can we see this unfolding? God doesn't expect His Disciples to catch all the fish. He doesn't expect them to bake all the bread. He doesn't want them to pay for it all. He does want them to help. He always wants us to help. In today's verses we read about the Disciples helping out. "And He commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks...

Mark 6:37&38 "37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto Him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? 38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes." We have returned to the Gospel of Mark. Jesus's fame has gone viral at this point. Wherever He goes, huge crowds follow. Jesus has COMPASSION for random people coming out to hear Him preach. The Disciples come to Jesus with a problem AND a solution. Don't we often treat GOD this way? We want to solve our own problems. We would do much better if we came to GOD open to His plan and solution for our lives. In today's verses, Jesus is redirecting the Disciples to align with His plan. "He answered and said unto them, GIVE YE them to eat. And they say unto Him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?" The Disciples push back, questioning Jesus...

Mark 6:35&36 "35 And when the day was now far spent, His disciples came unto Him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat." We are studying Jesus's questions all summer long! We have returned to the Gospel of Mark. For one of the most famous moments in His ministry, feeding the five thousand! Jesus's fame has gone viral at this point. Wherever He goes, huge crowds follow. Jesus has COMPASSION for random people coming out to hear Him preach. Our GOD wants us with Him! Our GOD cares. In today's verses, we read that His Disciples "CARE" too! "And when the day was now far spent, His disciples came unto Him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and BUY THEMSELVES BREAD: ...

Mark 6:34 "And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things." We are studying Jesus's questions all summer long! Last week we read where Jesus used questions as His teaching tool. Jesus was teaching us to TRUST GOD and that He has our fate secured. We can look forward to the future calmly. We need to focus on our present situation and any troubling situation that arises. We need to focus on avoiding pitfalls that will lead us into sin. We need to trust our Lord and Savior MUCH MORE. The underlying theme is always that God wants our hearts, minds and actions aligned to joyfully serve and worship Him. Our GOD wants us with Him! That's really incredible! Today we return to the Gospel of Mark. Here we will learn from another question from Jesus. One of the most famous moments in His ministry, feeding the five thousand! Jesus's fame has gone ...

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." We are studying Jesus's questions. The answers lead you to answer, you ARE MORE valuable than birds and flowers! Understand that Jesus has you in the palm of His hand. We do not gain anything by worrying. We need to rely on the love and wisdom of our Father in Heaven. We are charged with learning to TRUST GOD and that He has our inevitable fate secured. We can look forward to the future calmly. We need to focus on our present situation and any troubling situation that arises. We need to focus on avoiding pitfalls that will lead us into sin. We need to trust our Lord and Savior MUCH MORE. God wants our hearts, minds and actions all aligned to joyfully serve and worship Him. It's challenging and worth the time and effort. GOD has given us SO much. Our creating and saving GOD! ...

Matthew 6:33&34 "33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." All of Jesus's questions were to make the point outlined in today's verses. You ARE MORE valuable than birds and flowers! (Obviously!) Jesus has you in the palm of my hand. We do not gain anything by worrying. We need to rely on the love and wisdom of our Father in Heaven. "...all these things shall be added unto you." "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." This is MORE than the pious Christian's "carpe diem" or “make the most of the present.” We are not forbidden to question our future. We are charged with learning to TRUST GOD and that He has our i...

Matthew 6:31&32 "31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." Jesus has a point... He has been asking questions.  -"Are you not MUCH BETTER than birds?" -"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" -"And why take ye thought for raiment?" We spend a lot of our resources on food, clothes and shelter. We might even find ourselves being anxious about these things. Today's verses, "(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." We need to trust our Lord and Savior MUCH MORE. It's so easy to get wrapped up in the stress and strain of day-to-day life. In yesterday's verse we read where Jesus addressed the Disciples as "O ye o...

Matthew 6:28-30 "28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith." Jesus has MORE questions... Well-crafted questions lead to new insights, generate discussion, and promote the comprehensive exploration of the subject. So far, Jesus asked "Are you not MUCH BETTER than birds?" And, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" No anxiety, no thinking, no wanting will alter our bodily height, or any other condition of our life that is fixed by God’s laws. We often wish things were different than they are, but our "worries" will not change them. Today's verses reenforce Jesus's point. ...

Matthew 6:27 "27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" Jesus has questions... Beginning our study this week with "Why Do You Worry?" Questions have always been a cornerstone of education, used to assess students’ knowledge, promote comprehension, and stimulate critical thinking. Well-crafted questions lead to new insights, generate discussion, and promote the comprehensive exploration of the subject. It makes sense that GOD would use questions VERY effectively. In yesterday's verses, Jesus asked "Are you not MUCH BETTER than birds?" His questions do not end there. In today's verse we read another one, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" This is a sentence our culture needs to learn. No anxiety, no thinking, no wanting will alter our bodily height, or any other condition of our life that is fixed by God’s laws. We often wish things were different than they are, but our "wo...

Matthew 6:25&26 "25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" Jesus has questions... Lots of questions. We will study His questions this summer. Beginning this week with "Why Do You Worry?" As we read last week, God KNOWS you. God’s perspective is not bound by time, space, or human limitations. He sees the beginning and the end, and His ways are guided by His eternal and infinite wisdom. Accepting God’s ways means trusting in His sovereignty and wisdom, even when we don’t understand His plans or actions. As you seek to understand God’s omniscience, remember that you are known and loved by Him, and that He is always working to bring you c...

Psalm 139:1-3 "1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways." God KNOWS you. We have completed our series studying the LAST DAYS. Concluding with knowing that we need to pray for God to help us every step of the way. We need to align our THINKING and PLANNING with God's. God’s perspective is not bound by time, space, or human limitations. He sees the beginning and the end, and His ways are guided by His eternal and infinite wisdom. Accepting God’s ways means trusting in His sovereignty and wisdom, even when we don’t understand His plans or actions.  While we need to work to understand GOD, God KNOWS us. Today's verses describe this VERY well. "O LORD, thou hast SEARCHED me, and KNOWN me. Thou KNOWEST my downsitting and mine uprising, thou UNDERSTANDEST my thought afar off. Thou COMPASSEST my pa...

Isaiah 55:8&9 "8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." We have been reading about the LAST DAYS. Christians are called to stand apart from the secular humanism that people fall into by default. We want to remain open to the guidance from the Holy Ghost. We want to be ready to be generous and self-sacrificing. We want to do things that will be pleasing to GOD! Things we read about in the Holy Bible: piety, justice and charity. Things that need to define our lives and work. We need to pray for God to help us every step of the way. We need to align our thinking and planning with God's. God’s ways are not limited by human understanding or comprehension. His thoughts and plans are beyond human intellect and are often incomprehensible to us. This is because God’s perspective is not bound by time, space, or...