Share Your Insights

Hey all - just the weekly reminder to share any insights you have as you read the Gospels.  Our hope is that the whole Body will start doing this and sharing in an on-line dialogue.  Your posts also help determine where we are going each Sunday!  So, keep reading through the Gospels - realizing that Jesus is speaking directly to each of us in His Word - and then share your insights here!

What stood out to you today (or this week)?

Posted on Wed, June 23, 2010 by Jonathan Goeke

5 comments (Add your own)

1. Elizabeth Leitko wrote:
On Sunday June 20th PJ was talking about faith and works going hand in hand. I am a firm believer in this because it is what I have always been taught- not a good enought reason!
I started the Gospel challenge but have been reading the sermon on the mount over and over and over again because it has been speaking to me in so many different ways. Last Thursday for some reason I just really felt compelled to read Ephesians 2. When reading this I got to verse 8-10 which is something that we memorized in VBS as kids but this time it totally spoke to me. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do". We are saved by the loving grave of God just by believing. But because we believe we believe that God created us to do good works. And not only does he want us to do them but her prepares them and us to do them. And he doesn't allow works to be the way to heaven because all we would ever do is try to be better then one another. After I read this Thursday it was like a light bulb went off and not only am I able to know this because thats what my pastor told me when I was 10 but because its in his word!!

Mon, June 28, 2010 @ 8:39 PM

2. wrote:
This may be a basic question, but...Why was Jesus baptised? Was that the marking of his ministry? Before that day, did Jesus know who he was and his purpose?

Thu, July 1, 2010 @ 10:43 AM

3. Yasmine wrote:
Oh PJ,

I can't wait to hear the sermons that respond to Verlyn's questions! One of them brought to mind James 2:26, which says, "faith without deeds is dead." This brother of Jesus even reminds us that demons believe in God but that doesn't save them, and they shudder. I believe faith and deeds are just opposite sides of the same coin, so we can't possess one without the other. And these deeds are a result of obedience.

I love John 14 & 15. These chapters are so rich! In John 14:31 Jesus says "the world must learn that I love the Father and I do exactly what my Father has commanded me." And in John 15:10 He says, "I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love." When Jesus tells us, "If you love me you will obey what I command" (John 14:15), "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me" (John 14:21), and "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching...He who does not love me will not obey my teaching." (John 14:23 & 24) He tells us a profound truth, exemplified by His own life. And which He
accomplished in the fullness of His humanity.

So the question then is, am I obeying His commands and teachings? Like, give to everyone who begs from you. This takes intentionality on my part. If I just work on implementing one teaching or command at a time, can you imagine the difference I can make in my little corner of this world. Now if I don't obey, I have a heart problem and need to ask the Lord to help me love Him.

Fri, July 2, 2010 @ 9:39 PM

4. PJ wrote:
Thanks Elizabeth - yes, that verse (which we also used on June 20) is crucial to helping us understand the relationship between faith and works. That's one of the reasons I say "We are saved by grace through faith alone, but faith is never alone." The works that God prepared in advance for us are always there! But you are so right - hearing it is one thing, digging in and figuring it out for yourself is another!

Thu, July 8, 2010 @ 11:22 AM

5. PJ wrote:
To anonymous and comment #2 - this may be a bit of speculation, but I think it should be fairly accurate. It just isn't "spelled out" for us, that's why there's some speculation.

Jesus was baptized for multiple reasons, some of which I will try to list here.

- Submission to the will of the Father. It was an act of obedience. In His humanity, He humbled Himself to the ways of this world, including baptism.
- A mark of the beginning of His public ministry. But I do believe He already understood who He was and what His purpose was, too.
- As an example for others - He wouldn't ask others to be baptized without being baptized Himself.

We could get more specific and list a couple other things, but I think these are the main reasons why Jesus was baptized. Thanks for the question.

Thu, July 8, 2010 @ 11:30 AM

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