Outlines of Mark

Thomas Constable's outline of Mark.

I. Introduction 1:1-13

A. The title of the book 1:1

B. Jesus’ preparation for ministry 1:2-13

      1. The ministry of John the Baptist 1:2-8

      2. The baptism of Jesus 1:9-11

      3. The temptation of Jesus 1:12-13

II. The Servant’s early Galilean ministry 1:14—3:6

A. The beginning of Jesus’ ministry 1:14-20

      1. The message of the Servant 1:14-15

      2. The first disciples of the Servant 1:16-20

B. Early demonstrations of the Servant’s authority 1:21-34

      1. Jesus’ teaching and healing in the Capernaum synagogue 1:21-28

      2. The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law 1:29-31

      3. Jesus’ healing of many Galileans after sundown 1:32-34

C. Jesus’ early ministry throughout Galilee 1:35-45

      1. The first preaching tour of Galilee 1:35-39

      2. The cleansing of a leprous Jew 1:40-45

D. Jesus’ initial conflict with the religious leaders 2:1—3:6

      1. The healing and forgiveness of a paralytic 2:1-12

      2. The call of Levi and his feast 2:13-17

      3. The religious leaders’ question about fasting 2:18-22

      4. The controversies about Sabbath observance 2:23—3:6

III. The Servant’s later Galilean ministry 3:7—6:6a

A. The broadening of Jesus’ ministry 3:7-19

      1. Jesus’ ministry to the multitudes 3:7-12

      2. Jesus’ selection of 12 disciples 3:13-19

B. The increasing rejection of Jesus and its result 3:20—4:34

      1. The increasing rejection of Jesus 3:20-35

      2. Jesus’ teaching in parables 4:1-34

C. Jesus’ demonstrations of power and the Nazarenes’ rejection 4:35—6:6a

      1. The demonstrations of Jesus’ power 4:35—5:43 

      2. Jesus rejection by the Nazarenes 6:1-6a

IV. The Servant’s self-revelation to the disciples 6:6b—8:30

A. The mission of the Twelve 6:6b-30

      1. The sending of the Twelve 6:6b-13

      2. The failure of Antipas to understand Jesus’ identity 6:14-29

      3. The return of the Twelve 6:30

B. The first cycle of self-revelation to the disciples 6:31—7:37

      1. The feeding of the 5,000 6:31-44

      2. Jesus’ walking on the water and the return to Galilee 6:45-5

      3. The controversy with the Pharisees and scribes over defilement 7:1-23

      4. Jesus’ teaching about bread and the exorcism of a Phoenician girl 7:24-30

      5. The healing of a deaf man with a speech impediment 7:31-36

      6. The preliminary confession of faith 7:37

C. The second cycle of self-revelation to the disciples 8:1-30

      1. The feeding of the 4,000 8:1-9

      2. The return to Galilee 8:10

      3. Conflict with the Pharisees over signs 8:11-13

      4. Jesus’ teaching about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod 8:14-21

      5. The healing of a blind man near Bethsaida 8:22-26

      6. Peter’s confession of faith 8:27-30

V. The Servant’s journey to Jerusalem 8:31—10:52

A. The first passion prediction and its lessons 8:31—9:29

      1. The first major prophecy of Jesus’ passion 8:31-33

      2. The requirements of discipleship 8:34—9:1

      3. The Transfiguration 9:2-8

      4. The coming of Elijah 9:9-13

      5. The exorcism of an epileptic boy 9:14-29

B. The second passion prediction and its lessons 9:30—10:31

      1. The second major prophecy of Jesus’ passion 9:30-32

      2. The pitfalls of discipleship 9:33-50

      3. Lessons concerning self-sacrifice 10:1-31

C. The third passion prediction and its lessons 10:32-52

      1. The third major prophecy of Jesus’ passion 10:32-34

      2. Jesus’ teaching about serving 10:35-45

      3. The healing of a blind man near Jericho 10:46-52

VI. The Servant’s ministry in Jerusalem chs. 11—13

A. Jesus’ formal presentation to Israel 11:1-26

      1. The Triumphal Entry 11:1-11

      2. Jesus’ judgment on unbelieving Israel 11:12-26

B. Jesus’ teaching in the temple 11:27—12:44

      1. The controversy over Jesus’ authority 11:27—12:12

      2. The controversy over Jesus’ teaching 12:13-37

      3. Jesus’ condemnation of hypocrisy and commendation of reality 12:38-44

C. Jesus’ teaching on Mt. Olivet ch. 13

      1. The setting 13:1-4

      2. Warnings against deception 13:5-8

      3. Warnings about personal danger during deceptions 13:9-13

      4. The coming crisis 13:14-23

      5. The second coming of the Son of Man 13:24-27

      6. The time of Jesus’ return 13:28-32

      7. The concluding exhortation 13:33-37

VII. The Servant’s passion ministry chs. 14—15

A. The Servant’s anticipation of suffering 14:1-52

      1. Jesus’ sufferings because of betrayal 14:1-11

      2. Jesus’ sufferings because of desertion 14:12-52

B. The Servant’s endurance of suffering 14:53—15:47

      1. Jesus’ Jewish trial 14:53—15:1

      2. Jesus’ Roman trial 15:2-20

      3. Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and burial 15:21-47

VIII. The Servant’s resurrection ch. 16

A. The announcement of Jesus’ resurrection 16:1-8

B. The appearances and ascension of Jesus 16:9-20

      1. Three post-resurrection appearances 16:9-18

      2. Jesus’ ascension 16:19-20

 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 109.

  1. God’s Servant Is Here!      (Mark 1)
  2. What the Servant Offers You      (Mark 2:1–3:12)
  3. The Servant, the Crowds, and the Kingdom      (Mark 3:13–4:34)
  4. The Servant Conquers!      (Mark 4:35–5:43)
  5. Will Anyone Trust God’s Servant?      (Mark 6:1–56)
  6. The Servant-Teacher      (Mark 7:1–8:26)
  7. The Servant’s Secrets      (Mark 8:27–9:50)
  8. The Servant’s Paradoxes      (Mark 10)
  9. The Servant in Jerusalem      (Mark 11:1–12:44)
  10. The Servant Unveils the Future      (Mark 13)
  11. The Servant Suffers      (Mark 14:1–15:20)
  12. The Servant Finishes His Work      (Mark 15:21–16:20)

R. Alan Cole, Mark: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 2, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 97–101.ANALYSIS

  1.      PREPARE THE WAY: THE PREPARATION FOR THE EVANGEL (1:1–13)
    A.      The title of the book (1:1)
    B.      The forerunner (1:2–8)
    C.      The baptism of Jesus (1:9–11)
    D.      The temptation (1:12–13)

  2.      HIS OWN DID NOT RECEIVE HIM: THE EARLY GALILEAN MINISTRY (1:14–3:6)
    A.      The kingdom of God in Galilee (1:14–15)
            i.      The first Galilean preaching (1:14–15)
            ii.      The call of the disciples (1:16–20)
            iii.      Jesus at Capernaum (1:21–28)
            iv.      Peter’s mother-in-law (1:29–31)
            v.      The evening healings (1:32–34)
            vi.      From Capernaum to Galilee (1:35–39)
            vii.      The cleansing of the leper (1:40–45)
    B.      The beginning of conflict (2:1–3:6)
            i.      The healing of the paralysed man (2:1–12)
            ii.      The ministry of Jesus (2:13)
            iii.      The call of Levi (2:14–17)
            iv.      Controversy about fasting (2:18–22)
            v.      Controversy about the sabbath (2:23–28)
            vi.      The man with the withered hand (3:1–6)

  3.      ALL WHO RECEIVED HIM: THE CALL AND TRAINING OF THE DISCIPLES (3:7–8:26)
    A.      The conflict increases (3:7–35)
            i.      The breach with the religious leaders (3:7–12)
            ii.      The call of the twelve (3:13–19)
            iii.      Mounting opposition: the Beelzebul controversy (3:20–30)
            iv.      The true relatives of Jesus (3:31–35)
    B.      Parables of the kingdom (4:1–34)
            i.      The parable of the sower (4:1–25)
            ii.      Two more parables of growth (4:26–32)
            iii.      The summing up of the parables (4:33–34)
    C.      Ministry round the lake of Galilee (4:35–7:23)
            i.      Jesus calms the storm (4:35–41)
            ii.      The Gadarene demoniac (5:1–20)
            iii.      Two more healing miracles (5:21–43)
            iv.      His own city rejects him (6:1–6)
            v.      The sending out of the twelve (6:7–13)
            vi.      Herod’s estimate of Jesus (6:14–16)
            vii.      The martyrdom of John the Baptist (6:17–29)
            viii.      The feeding of the five thousand (6:30–44)
            ix.      The walking on the water (6:45–52)
            x.      The healings at Gennesaret (6:53–56)
            xi.      A further clash with Judaism (7:1–23)
    D.      Ministry in northern Palestine: return to Galilee (7:24–8:26)
            i.      The Syrophoenician woman (7:24–30)
            ii.      The deaf and dumb man (7:31–37)
            iii.      The feeding of the four thousand (8:1–9)
            iv.      The Pharisees demand a sign (8:10–13)
            v.      The danger of yeast (8:14–21)
            vi.      The blind man of Bethsaida (8:22–26)

  4.      HE FIRMLY SET HIS FACE: THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM (8:27–10:52)
    A.      Confession and transfiguration (8:27–9:10)
            i.      Peter’s confession: the first passion-prediction (8:27–33)
            ii.      The cost of discipleship (8:34–38)
            iii.      The transfiguration (9:1–10)
    B.      The passion foretold again (9:11–50)
            i.      ‘Elijah returned’ (9:11–13)
            ii.      The epileptic boy (9:14–29)
            iii.      The second passion-prediction (9:30–32)
            iv.      The greatest in the kingdom (9:33–37)
            v.      The man casting out demons (9:38–40)
            vi.      Stumbling-blocks (9:41–48)
            vii.      The salt of the earth (9:49–50)
    C.      Departure from Galilee (10:1–34)
            i.      The local setting (10:1)
            ii.      The teaching of Jesus on marriage (10:2–12)
            iii.      Let the children come (10:13–16)
            iv.      The rich man (10:17–31)
            v.      The third passion-prediction (10:32–34)
    D.      The sons of Zebedee (10:35–45)
    E.      Blind Bartimaeus (10:46–52)

  5.      ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE: THE JERUSALEM MINISTRY (11:1–13:37)
    A.      Entry into Jerusalem (11:1–14)
            i.      The entry (11:1–10)
            ii.      The return to Bethany (11:11)
            iii.      Cursing the fig tree (11:12–14)
    B.      The cleansing of the temple (11:15–19)
    C.      Exhortation and debate (11:20–12:44)
            i.      The meaning of the withered fig tree (11:20–26)
            ii.      By what authority? (11:27–33)
            iii.      The wicked tenant farmers (12:1–12)
            iv.      Tribute to Caesar (12:13–17)
            v.      The Sadducean question (12:18–27)
            vi.      The greatest commandment (12:28–34)
            vii.      The Son of David (12:35–37)
            viii.      The warning against the scribes (12:38–40)
            ix.      The widow’s gift (12:41–44)
    D.      The ‘little Apocalypse’ (13:1–37)
            i.      The doom on the temple (13:1–4)
            ii.      The signs of the end (13:5–8)
            iii.      The beginning of the troubles (13:9–13)
            iv.      The ‘desolating sacrilege’ (13:14–20)
            v.      False Christs and false prophets (13:21–23)
            vi.      The coming of the Son of man (13:24–27)
            vii.      The parable of the fig tree (13:28–29)
            viii.      The date of the coming (13:30–32)
            ix.      The end of the discourse (13:33–37)

  6.      THE PASSION NARRATIVE (14:1–15:47)
    A.      The last supper (14:1–25)
            i.      The death of Jesus is decided (14:1–2)
            ii.      The anointing at Bethany (14:3–9)
            iii.      The betrayal by Judas (14:10–11)
            iv.      The owner of the upper room (14:12–16)
            v.      The prophecy of the betrayal (14:17–21)
            vi.      The Lord’s Supper (14:22–25)
    B.      The agony in Gethsemane (14:26–42)
            i.      The road to Gethsemane (14:26–31)
            ii.      The agony in the garden (14:32–42)
    C.      Jesus is taken prisoner (14:43–52)
    D.      The fall of Peter (14:53–72)
    E.      The trial before Pilate (15:1–15)
            i.      The stage is set (15:1)
            ii.      Pilate condemns Jesus (15:2–15)
    F.      The crucifixion (15:16–47)
            i.      The mockery (15:16–20)
            ii.      Carrying the cross of Jesus (15:21)
            iii.      The cross (15:22–32)
            iv.      The death (15:33–41)
            v.      The burial (15:42–47)

  7.      THE THIRD DAY: THE RISEN LORD (16:1–20)
    A.      The resurrection (16:1–8)
    B.      The longer ending (16:9–20)


John D. Grassmick, “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 101–102

    I.      The Title (1:1)
    II.      Introduction: The Preparation for Jesus’ Public Ministry (1:2–13)
      A.      Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist (1:2–8)
      B.      Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist (1:9–11)
      C.      Jesus’ temptation by Satan (1:12–13)
    III.      Jesus’ Early Galilean Ministry (1:14–3:6)
      A.      Introductory summary: Jesus’ message (1:14–15)
      B.      Jesus’ call of four fishermen (1:16–20)
      C.      Jesus’ authority over demons and disease (1:21–45)
      D.      Jesus’ controversies with Jewish religious leaders in Galilee (2:1–3:5)
      E.      Conclusion: Jesus’ rejection by the Pharisees (3:6)
    IV.      Jesus’ Later Galilean Ministry (3:7–6:6a)
      A.      Introductory summary: Jesus’ activity around the Sea of Galilee (3:7–12)
      B.      Jesus’ appointment of the Twelve (3:13–19)
      C.      The Beelzebub accusation and Jesus’ identity of His true family (3:20–35)
      D.      Jesus’ parables depicting the character of God’s kingdom (4:1–34)
      E.      Jesus’ miracles demonstrating His sovereign power (4:35–5:43)
      F.      Conclusion: Jesus’ rejection at Nazareth (6:1–6a)
    V.      Jesus’ Ministry in and beyond Galilee (6:6b–8:30)
      A.      Introductory summary: Jesus’ teaching tour of Galilee (6:6b)
      B.      Jesus’ sending forth of the Twelve and John the Baptist’s death (6:7–31)
      C.      Jesus’ self-disclosure to the Twelve in word and deed (6:32–8:26)
      D.      Conclusion: Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ (8:27–30)
    VI.      Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem (8:31–10:52)
      A.      The first Passion prediction unit (8:31–9:29)
      B.      The second Passion prediction unit (9:30–10:31)
      C.      The third Passion prediction unit (10:32–45)
      D.      Conclusion: The faith of blind Bartimaeus (10:46–52)
    VII.      Jesus’ Ministry in and around Jerusalem (11:1–13:37)
      A.      Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (11:1–11)
      B.      Jesus’ prophetic signs of God’s judgment on Israel (11:12–26)
      C.      Jesus’ controversy with the Jewish religious leaders in the temple courts (11:27–12:44)
      D.      Jesus’ prophetic Olivet Discourse to His disciples (chap. 13)
    VIII.      Jesus’ Suffering and Death in Jerusalem (chaps. 14–15)
      A.      Jesus’ betrayal, the Passover meal, and His disciples’ desertion (14:1–52)
      B.      Jesus’ trials, crucifixion, and burial (14:53–15:47)
    IX.      Jesus’ Resurrection from the Dead near Jerusalem (16:1–8)
      A.      The women’s arrival at the tomb (16:1–5)
      B.      The angel’s announcement (16:6–7)
      C.      The women’s response to the news of Jesus’ resurrection (16:8)
    X.      Disputed Epilogue (16:9–20)
      A.      Three of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances (16:9–14)
      B.      Jesus’ commission to His followers (16:15–18)
      C.      Jesus’ Ascension and the disciples’ ongoing mission (16:19–20

.

The Gospel: A Message of Our Response - Luke 18.9-14; 23.39-43 - 150719AM@TBC

INTRODUCTION

Segway:

   

The Gospel: A Message about Our Response

•         God

•         Sin

•         Christ

   What is your Response?

Review

1. The Gospel: A Message About God

 “If you don't begin where the Gospel begins, you won't end where the Gospel ends.”

àGod created us to glorify and enjoy Him forever.  He is our…  --Shorter Westminster Catechism

Creator – Lord - Sustainer - Determiner - Judge

 2. The Gospel: A Message About Sin

A conviction of …

•        Our Broken relationship with God

•         Our Sinfulness

•        Our Specific sin-s

àThe tragic results of sin and our sinfulness should turn our attention to our fundamental problem.

 3. The Gospel: A Message About Christ

àWho He is and What He has done.

“Jesus Christ, as the God-man, came to save and rescue sinful men

to portray Himself as the only Savior

so that others can come

to saving faith in Jesus Christ.”

BIG IDEA:

We need a heartfelt turn from our sin against God

to faith in Christ and His redemptive work.

Men are justified on the simple and single ground of the shed blood of Christ and upon the simple and single condition of faith in Him who shed the blood, and are born again by the quickening, renewing, cleansing work of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God. -- AoF

We teach that Salvation is freely offered to all.¹ Those who turn to God in repentance from their sin² and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ³ will be saved.  --WWT

I. The Pharisee and the Publican  

The focus and point of this parable was to correct those who..

·       Were confident (trusted) in themselves.

·       Despised others.

ἐξουθενέω G1848 - exoutheneō:"to regard as nothing, to despise utterly, to treat with contempt."

1.  Standing to pray was a common position.

2. Pharisees were from a strict, fundamentalist sect of Judaism that prided themselves in exacting observance of the Law.

3. Tax Collectors (publicans) were viewed as collaborators with the Romans, used their power to cheat people out of more money that they actually needed to pay, and were know for loose morals and attitudes about the laws and customs.

 A. The Pharisee

“God,

I thank You that

I am not like other men

extortioners

unjust

adulterers

I fast twice a week;

I give tithes of all that I get.”

1.  It was commendable that the Pharisee made time to pray.

     It was commendable that he was serious about keeping the Law and more.

    It was commendable that he did not extort, be unjust, or commit adultery.

2.  It was good, but not enough.

Matthew 23:23  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”

3.  Note the grammatical emphasis of his “prayer.”  He uses God as a noun of direct address at the beginning of his prayer, but every sentence and phrase has himself as the subject.  It was about him.

‘He glances at God, but contemplates himself’ (Plummer). After his opening word he does not refer to God again, but he himself is never out of the picture.^[1]

4.  His attitudes of pride and distain were actually more deadly than the sins of extortion, being unjust, or adultery. 

Proverbs 3:34 “Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.”

James 4.6 & 1 Peter 5.5  “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Isaiah 65.2a,5a

² I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,

Who say, “Keep to yourself, …

⁵ Who say, “Do not come near me,

For I am holier than you!”

B. The Publican (tax collector)

God, (You) be merciful to me, the sinner.

1. Notice his humble demeanor as he prayed.  

 ³ Isaiah 57.15

For thus says the High and Lofty One,

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy;

I dwell in the high and holy place,

With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,

2.  The subject and focus of his prayer was God.  His desire was for God to act and show mercy.

3.  Notice the Gospel in his short prayer.

God—He acknowledged God as his Lord and by implication, judge.

Sin—He was full of remorse for his sinfulness and sins against God.  The Greek literally says “Have mercy of me, the sinner” in the attitude of 1 Timothy 1.15  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

4.  Response—A godly repentance.  He knew Who he had sinned against and begged for and received mercy.

APPLICATION:

Responding to Christ involves more humility than theological knowledge.

“Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Luke 18:17

·       We need to be careful to not over intellectualize the Gospel. 

·       "A child of five, if properly instructed can as truly believe and be regenerated as an adult."  --CH Spurgeon

II. The Thief on the Cross

·       According to Matthew 27.44 & Mark 15.32 record that two criminals were crucified with Christ. 

·       Both  proud, scornfull men joined the crowds, scribes, and priests to rail at and revil the Savior who was dying for their sins.

·       Luke records a strange change of heart and transformation.

Luke 23:39-43  “³⁹ Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

⁴⁰ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done lnothing wrong.”  ⁴² Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

⁴³ And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in mParadise.”^[2]

Observe all the Gospel truth packed into that short exchange. 

God—The fear of God acknowledges Him as Lord and Judge. 

It is a wicked and dangerous thing to think we can do what we want with no response ever coming for God.

Sin—He acknowledged his wrong deeds that deserved the punishment he was receiving.

Christ—“This man has done nothing wrong.”  We don’t know whether he understood implications of that statement,

but He acknowledged that Jesus was the King with a kingdom beyond this world.

Response—In faith he called out to Jesus to “remember him.” 

Jesus acknowledged His saving faith with the promise that he would see Him in Paradise.

·       The believing thief was never able to be baptized, demonstrate a reformed life, or make any restoration for his crimes. 

·       He was able to acknowledge the truth of Christ’s claims and call out to Him.

III. What saving faith?

A. Knowing about the facts of the Gospel is necessary, but not enough.

Romans 1:32 … Describing people who have rejected God and God has left them to their own devices. 

 ³²who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

·       “Knowledge of the facts of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection for us is not enough, for people can know the facts and rebel against them.”  –Grudem’s Systematic Theology

B. Acknowledging the truth of Gospel facts is necessary, but not enough.

·       In James chapter two he makes the point that just saying you have faith is not enough.

·       He give the demons as examples of and emotional response to the Gospel that is not saving faith.

James 2:19 8  ⁸But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!

²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

·       The demons knew their fate, trembled in fear, and yet continue to be defiant and rebellious.

·       There is an acceptance and commitment to the truths that is part of saving faith.

C.  Jesus speaks of “coming to him” in several places. (Jn 6.35-37; 7:37; Matt. 11.28-30)

“In these passages we have the idea of coming to Christ and asking for acceptance, living water, and for rest and instruction.”  –Grudem’s Systematic Theology

John 6:37

³⁵ And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.  ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.  

³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

D.  Faith is spoken of in very personal terms of trust and relationships.

John 1:12-13

¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

·       “Much as we would speak of receiving a guest into our homes, John speaks of receiving Christ.”  –Grudem’s Systematic Theology

E.  Faith is more that believing about something; it is believing in someone.

John 3:16

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

·       The Greek phrase pisteu0 eis auton could also be translated “believes into him” with the sense of trust or confidence that goes into and rests in Jesus as a person.”  –Grudem’s Systematic Theology

The idea of “believing in Jesus and all that stuff” is foreign to the Scriptues

IV.  Salvation involves two sides of one coin

·       We need to avoid thinking of a list of two, three, or however many things to do in order to be saved.

·       It is better to think of turning from sin to Christ as two sides of a coin.

·        “Scripture puts repentance and faith together as different aspects of the one act of coming to Christ for salvation.  It is not that a person first turns from sin and next trusts in Christ, or first trusts in Christ and then turns from sin. But rather that both occur as that same time.”  –Grudem’s Systematic Theology

·       “When we turn to Christ for salvation from our sins, we are simultaneously turning away from sins that we are asking Christ to save us from.”  –Grudem’s Systematic Theology

D.L. Moody was one of the great evangelists of the 19th Century.  The story is told when one night a drunken man approached Moody on a train.  “Mr. Moody, I'm one of your converts,” said the drunken man.

Moody replied, "I'm afraid you are, because you're obviously not a convert of the Lord's."

BIG IDEA:

We need a heartfelt turn from our sin against God

to faith in Christ and His redemptive work.

 APPLICATION:

Believers should continually live

repenting of sins and

growing in their faith.

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so… Colossians 2.6

 APPLICATION:

·       The prophet Isaiah’s words call down through the centuries to one who has never turned to Christ.

⁶ Seek the Lord while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way,

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him;

And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 55:6-7

---

Plummer Alfred Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to S. Luke, International Critical Commentary (T. and T. Clark, 1928).

^[1] Leon Morris, Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 3, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 282.

^l [2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 7:26; 1 Pet. 2:21–24]

^m [2 Cor. 12:4; Eph. 4:8–10; Rev. 2:7]

^[2] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 23:39–43.