The Gospel for Busy People: Jesus Offers Second Chances

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Learn more@harness.org and while you're there, browse our library of free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith maybe you have one, maybe you done something you would review the love of being would know this actually turned out to be so to testimony our lives are never true for all the choices we make. Don't leave us forever today Pastor Greg Laurie points out the whole board offers you follow will Jesus can give you a second chance if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not given that we're all in this boat together. What we do now for sinners like us find forgiveness worse for you and reestablish a relationship with a holy God � the subject on the table today. Greg Laurie launches a random series see how we can access that second your Bible inserted to the Jews of rupture Mark chapter 1 Luke chapter 4 again Mark chapter 1 of Luke chapter 4 and I have a message for you with the title the gospel for busy people.

Well, I think most of you watching me right now probably has one of these devices, we call it a smart phone, you probably either have an Apple phone or an android phone, and these phones have changed our lives heaven thing and some ways are better and frankly, in some ways, for worse, I remember when Steve Jobs came out with the first version of the iPhone in 2007 we had never seen anything like it was so revolutionary, so different than anything to the been made up to the point it was dubbed by some as the Jesus phone well no phone can live up to that, but the phone is affected everything that we do now know course live tablets and we'll watches that give us data and information in real-time and more barraged with him for make him a you can even have a conversation with the person anymore without it being interrupted by a phone. I mean if you're talking with someone in your bones in your pocket and you get a little buzz. You're so tempted to pull it out and see what it is might be something from a newsfeed you might get text. It might be an email is an article I read in the Wall Street Journal that made the statement and I quote, even though digital technology has led to significant productivity increase. The modern workday seems custom-built to destroy individual focus on the got through. I don't even think were able to have a proper conversation anymore. We have a whole generation, generation Z that is never known anything but this attack having it in their hands, and a poll was taken and they said they would rather text someone and have a conversation with them and then there's social media that has such a tremendous impact often in a negative way. Michael Hyatt made this statement focusing on everything means focusing on nothing and that's what I think is happening were just barraged with all this information and we are unfocused people. So I thought this is a great time to focus on Jesus read an article in the paper the other day about our guy was driving a big semi and he was looking out his phone and he ran off the road and that's I feel like a lot of people are right now were running off the road. We've lost our focus. We've lost our purpose because were looking down all the time and really we should be looking up. So were starting a brand-new series based on the gospel of Mark that I'm calling the gospel for busy people. Another thing you could call it is the gospel for people with ADD right people was short attention span to see Mark's gospel is a very fast pace. A series of shoes laid out in this amazing book.

He uses the word immediately. 42 times Mark uses the historical present tense hundred and 50 times. In other words, Jesus comes, Jesus heals. Jesus says all of the present tense. Not the best tent so it's almost like you are there. Mark almost reminds us of a breathless reporter giving us the events in real time as their unfolding and I think this is a gospel we can all relate to today because it seems like we collectively have a short attention span. So who is this guy Mark his full name is John Mark he's the author of this gospel and he is the nephew of Barnabas. You may remember Barnabas because he traveled with Paul and let's just say that John Mark was much younger than the others got up to week start. He was given the opportunity to go to missionary journey with his uncle Barnabas and the great apostle Paul, and I don't know what happened but Mark got cold feet wanted to go home maybe was just homesick and he bailed on them. So Monday one of their next missionary journey and Barnabas suggested they take Mark along always opposed O'Donnell wanted to go longer because he didn't stay with us on the last journey and so this was of a setback or Mark but whatever company was able to repair his relationship with Paul because later Paul writes of Mark in second Timothy 411. He's been helpful to me in ministry.

Something about this guy is a kid.

His uncle is Barnabas. He is a personal friend with the apostle Paul, and then add to this the fact that he was very close to Simon Peter.

In fact, Peter refers to Mark as his son in first Peter 513, and in fact, many believe that the gospel of Mark was actually written by Mark but dictated by Peter so it is believed by many. And I happen to agree with them that this is effectively the gospel according to Peter, but yet at the same time Mark was there. He was a young man, but he did witness the ministry of Jesus. Later on in the book of acts we read that Peter was put in prison. You remember that story. Next, 12, and that they were praying for him and Peter showed up at a house as an answer to their prayer because God delivered him from the jail.

What house was that that was the house of John Mark that he lived in with his mother Mary out.

I mean, so this guy was right in the epicenter of so many biblical events that were so incredibly significant. So here's the reason I bring all this up as is market a huge setback. You know he he walked away from the apostle Paul and Barnabas at one point but then he made a recommitment and he ends up being a bona fide gospel author quite a distinction and so maybe you've had a setback in life. Maybe you've done something you regret maybe you bailed on something you would committed to or you had a lapse of faith but know this, your setback can actually turn out to be a set up in your test can be turned into a testimony when our nation in the United States of America was forming. When we were still fighting with the British Empire Gen. Washington was put in charge of the Continental armies of the United States� It was a ragtag collection of all types of people ranging from farmers to common workers to people who were scholars with the point was it was a very interesting undisciplined Army in general Washington once was in the Queens Army, I should say the king's army at that time was a discipline soldier and he was trying to lead this motley crew of troops in one of the problems that he had was they would just walk up the field of battle with no explanation with no warning about good section of his army would disappear and it was watching to Nuno's own words describe this group of people is here today and gone tomorrow. He was at his wits end didn't know how to rally these troops to fight for the independence of what would become the United States of America will a friend of Washington's a great patriot name Thomas Paine wrote a simple little booklet called the American crisis in a minute. Quote a just a couple of lines from it. No probably sound familiar to you.

Thomas Paine writes in his little booklet quote. These are the times that try men's souls.

The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from service to their country. But he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of many women." These are the times that try men's souls by think were in another time like that right now in America, don't you, a time that is trying our soul run a political season were conflicted were divided were fighting with each other almost in a way that I've not seen maybe in my lifetime and we just wonder how we ever going to turn America around again.

I think we need to be turning to God.

The problem is in the same way we to still have our summer soldiers and are sunshine patriots or I would put it a different way are have parted Christians in our cause I believers who are not really followers of Jesus as they ought to be. So this is a time for us to rally. This is a time for us to get back in the battle and serve the Lord because we are in a spiritual battle in our nation today so if you fall in if you failed if you stumble.

God give second chances. We certainly see that in the life of John Mark, Esther, Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment.

It's so encouraging when we hear the listeners are growing like hearing the studies peer pressure. Greg and Eiko cried midnight very vital for my Christian life I first heard your preacher learned about evangelism at your first harvest Crusade in Anaheim Stadium where my friend Bill over my life. Jesus protected me time and time again including viewing the I've lived on the East Coast now for over 25 years and recently re-connected with you for your podcast where I found each podcast is a real Bible study for me and I'm learning so much that is causing me to know God's word more intently nearly 79 years old.

I'm enthused about my faith like I was. Those many years ago. Thank you for helping me rekindle my fire of love for Jesus and my old year. Life is wonderful reached pastor Craig's teachings from God's word has made an impact on this man's life, and if you'd like to listen to pastor Craig's podcasts. You can do that through Google Apple course modifying or just go to harvest.org that's harvest.org pastor Greg is launching a new series in Mark today called the gospel for busy people.

Let's continue. So the backdrop of the gospel of Mark is the believers were suffering and wrong Nero, the Caesar over Rome at that time had declared war on the Christian. He had a hand in burning Rome down and then he blamed it on the followers of Jesus Christ who had nothing to do with that. So the Christians were forced to flee to the catacombs to survive.

So Mark wanted to write a book that would encourage these believers. He wanted to show Jesus in the present tense able to deliver them during their times of crisis as the Bible says of God, he is a present help in times of trouble. So I hope is you might be going through your own difficulties. Maybe you're being harassed for your faith. Maybe you're being hassled for what you believe.

I pray that this newest series I were doing in the gospel of Mark would be a great encouragement to you. So let's read some of this gospel together. Grab your Bible or your phone or your tablet or were you ever you have your Bible and read these words with me if you would. I'm in Mark chapter 1 on the read verses 1 to 8 and by the way, this is from the new living translation. This is a good news about Jesus the Messiah, the son of God. It began just as the prophet Isaiah had written look.

I'm sending my messenger ahead of you and he will prepare the way he is a voice shouting in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord's coming clear the road for this messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and creates a people, should be baptized to show that they have repented of their sins and turn to God to be forgiven all of Judea including all of the people of Jerusalem came out to see and hear John. They confess their sins and he baptized them in the Jordan River is close were woven from course camel hair and he wore a leather belt around his waist and for food he ate locusts and wild honey. John announced someone is coming soon. Who is greater than I am so much greater.

Says John, I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals, I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. There, John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was a radical. He was a revolutionary.

He was like a rock star.

Everybody wanted to see and hear John as Mark writes all of Judea including the people of Jerusalem went out to see John. You have to understand that John was not just a prominent figure. He was super prominent of the ancient Jewish historian Josephus actually wrote more about the life and ministry of John that he wrote about Jesus Christ himself and so John was a significant figure you ask why will understand Israel had not heard from God for a long time from the time of the last Old Testament book the book of Malachi to the emergence of John was 400 years. Think about that Israel, which was so used to profits and in miracles and angels hadn't heard from God for 400 years and then, seemingly out of nowhere, but right in God's schedule emerges a colorful character.

John the Baptist and the other simple job to do, which was to prepare the way of the Lord.

John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, the last of the Mohicans. If you will not only was he the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the greatest of all of the profits of the Old Testament. Jesus himself said in Luke 728 I tell you of men born of women there is never been a greater profit.

John the Baptist.

Now you we read the story of John a week think. While I understand he was a great prophet but greater than Isaiah greater than Jeremiah greater than Elijah the prophet to perform miracles only to the point. John never called fire down from heaven. John never stopped it from raining. John never raised a person from the dead. John never wrote a great Old Testament book, like Isaiah and others so why was John the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.

Here's the answer. John and John alone was a direct Harold and forerunner of Jesus's greatness was a direct result of his nearness in connection to Christ. Now despite this great calling on his life. Despite this great popularity that he had. He was a really humble guy a look at verse seven of Mark chapter 1 he said someone is coming was greater than me so much greater and not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.

Let me update that Jonathan, I'm not even worthy to tie his shoes and he's so great, but John understood exactly what his role was even though he was a great public figure very popular. His mission was to get out of the way and prepare people for Jesus. That's that's amazing. And guess what, that's our mission as well. You might say that John's motto was, I must decrease and he must increase. Can you imagine if you put that on your mare and you saw this or get ready in the morning.

I must decrease and he must increase, if you put that on your Instagram account before either the post I must decrease and he must increase without was John he was setting the stage for Jesus, now Jesus enters the scene go back to Mark chapter 1. Look at verse nine he came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee. And he was baptized by John and immediately coming out of the water.

Notice the way that Mark writes coming out of the water.

When he came out of the work coming out of the water where there Mark puts us right there you 90s this very urgent kind of a rider coming from the water, he saw the heavens parting in the spirit descending on them like a dog. Then a voice came from heaven, which said you are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

A look at this immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan for 40 days he was out among the wild animals and the Angels took care of him. Have you heard of the Trinity. Did you know the Trinity, or lease the word Trinity is not in the Bible but the Trinity is in the Bible. I don't know that there's a clear verse in all of Scripture than this, showing us the Trinity and action we have Jesus the son being baptized. We have the Holy Spirit coming upon him as a dove, and we have the voice of the father saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

Know your verse 12 of Mark chapter 1.

Immediately the spirit drove him into the wilderness. The spirit drove him into the wilderness it. This is not suggesting Jesus didn't want to go, what it is saying that this was something that was urgent that the Holy Spirit was doing because this was something Jesus had to go through so no time basking in the glory of God. This was straight to work and that's pretty much the piecing of Mark, Jesus has a job to do, but it also shows us something very important. Often, trials or testings or temptations come after moments of great blessing mean here is Jesus in the Jordan River being baptized by John calming the father say this is my beloved son in whom I am well please and the Holy Spirit come upon them the form of a dove, and immediately right on the heels of that goes into the wilderness.

The basing after the end of came the devil after the blessing came, the trial Greg Laurie, the opening study in his new series in the Gospel of Mark series called the gospel for busy people.

That's also the title of today's study here on a new beginning. If you missed any part of today's insight just go online for a replay@harvest.org and that is a real joy to make available a new book called the women of the Bible speak written by Shannon bream. Shannon, as you may know, is the anchor of Fox News at night on the Fox News Channel. She's also the network senior legal correspondent and in this new book. She surveys the lives of 16 prominent women in the Bible and highlights the lessons to be learned from their lives. She speaking with pastor Greg's wife Kathy if I'm not mistaken I think you begin your book with the story who is unnamed in one of the Gospels, the woman who had an issue with black flag that she was ostracized and she was weak and she was poor and she was powerless but she did one thing that distinguished heard that Jesus was amazed by and we all are amazed by not waste what little strength she had. She knew where to go for help, and we do speak to that. This is an introduction to this entire, but you sent her out as a sort of the women we need to study and learn from.

I love this story so much. I really that if I like it because of the years I went through physical trials in chronic pain and doctor to doctor looking for help and I think about that because this one and were told in the Gospels have spent everything she had she been from doctor to doctor Dr. for 12 years. No one can help her, but she heard about this mean Jesus and she said if I can just touch the hem of his garment, I believe I'll be healed because of this issue bleeding that she had and we believe that she went and considered unclean. In many societies. She would've been considered an outcast, so she probably very isolated. Not being able to be in the temple or in crowds and other places probably very much confined to her home as many of us have felt this past year cell that she decided to venture out and she found Jesus and she got close enough that she just touch his garment. Scripture tells us immediately. She was healed and instead exchanging her in front of that crowd and senior Stephen be out here needing to ask my permission Jesus. I turned her in every account and Gospels. The first thing he says to her is daughter love that. I think it is so beautiful that he immediately shows in front of his cabinets watching he accepts her and what she's done is right. It's not wrong. There were so many people in those days who are accusing Jesus and always not following the letter of the law of the rules and he recognized that she had reached out in desperation, he said, your faith has made you whole credited to her. It was certainly his divine power, but he credited her with that think that she had.

It was enough to heal her. Just the touch of hand and keep show the people there that he accepted her that she was and not somebody to be thrown at a society that he viewed her as precious as a daughter and I just think her story is so beautiful and so encouraging on so many different levels will I want to thank you Shannon for writing this book. The women of the Bible speak subtitled the wisdom of 16 women and their lessons for today and you can order this from us here harvest that will send you for your gift of any size. That's right. And as you can tell is full of substantial encouragement for Christian women but really for all of us. It's deep and thought-provoking but also easy to follow and find the practical principles for our lives slither send you the women of the Bible speak will send it to say thank you for your investment in the work we do each day just right is that a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We are here to take your call anytime 24 seven.

That's at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org everybody Greg Laurie here. You know my uncle Fred Jordan at one of the first Christian TV programs out there. It was called church in the home. I remember watching it as a little boy when I was living with my grandparents we have church in the home for you every weekend is called harvest@homeinvitedtoharvest.org we have worship in a message of God's word. So join us this weekend for harvested home harvest.how long is it been since you been tempted. Did you just look at your watch.

Yet we are all tempted daily. Any times a day. Pastor Greg offer some important counsel understanding against temptation new series in the gospel of Mark continue to run a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie and everybody thinks her list. Beginning this is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. So for more content can help you know God and equip you to make him known to others or to learn more about how you can become a harvest partner. Just go to harvest.org