New Testament Bible Study by John Stanko

Mark Study 12

Dear Student of the Word,

I am in a Starbuck's in Bexleyheath, outside London. It has been a challenge to get online this week, but it has been no challenge to be into this study of Mark. I learned a lot this week and hope you do, too. We are past the halfway point for our Mark study and the action is moving quickly toward Jesus' death and resurrection. Mark's style has so much energy and he created such urgency as he wrote. I am caught up in the flow of the story and I can't wait to end. We have a ways to go before that happens, however.

This week I wrote:

8:34 -- Jesus told his followers that, not only was He (Jesus) to have a cross, but all of them would have crosses, too! The cross wasn't just for the Master; it was also for the followers. Notice the active role the disciples had to take in this process. The disciple had to come after Jesus, deny himself, take up the cross willingly and follow Jesus. That is four separate acts of the will: 1) come after; 2) deny; 3) take up; and 4) follow. Those four steps weren't just one-time events; they were to comprise a lifestyle. How are you doing with this four-step lifestyle?

No one can make you take up your cross; only you can agree to pick it up and go where God is leading you with it on your back. For me, that's church work. I've begged God to send me to the corporate world, and I have done some work in that field. Most of my work, however, is in the Church world, and that isn't my favorite place to function. Yet as I follow Jesus, that's where He leads me. So I willingly, not grudgingly, obey and do the best work I can do for Him, while being true to who I am and my purpose.

Feel free to add your comments to this week's study on the site where this entry is posted. You can also send a gift subscription to this Mark study on that site.

Download this week's study: Mark Study 12.doc

Mark Study 11

Dear Student of the Word,

I am in the Newark Airport heading to England for the week. Before I do, I am in the airline lounge preparing this study to send to you. I'm busy, but making every effort to stay in the word of God. How about you?

This week I wrote:

8:18 -- Jesus asked good questions and His questions are still relevant today. I won't pose my own questions here; I will simply use His. Do you fail to hear, see and remember? The answers back then were of course "yes, yes and yes." What about you? The question about remembering is reason why you should record or journal what the Lord says and does for you. It's so easy to forget. We have short-term spiritual memories where God's goodness is concerned, and long-term memories where offenses with others are concerned.

Feel free to write any comments on the site where this entry is posted. You can also send a gift subscription to this Mark study on that site.

Download this week's study: Mark Study 11.doc

Mark Study 10

Dear Student of the Word,

Greetings and may the blessing of this Easter resurrection season be with you!  I know it's a holiday weekend, but I still thought I would send along the latest installment from Mark's gospel.  We are steadily moving through this study and I also took steps this week to publish my first study, The Faith Files, in ebook format.  Eventually, every one of my studies will be published, a copy of which will be found in many libraries all over the world!  How's that for a goal!

At any rate, this week I wrote:

7:11-13 -- The tradition of the elders concerning care for parents conveniently circumvented the Law that Moses had decreed.  All one had to do was devote what he had to God and then that possession could not be used to help a needy parent.  For example, "Mom and Dad, I would like to help you, but I dedicated and devoted my savings account to God and I can't use it to help you.  Sorry!"  This must have been commonplace for Jesus to use it as an example of the tradition of man trumpint the word of God.

It is a priority with God for families to help their members and for children to honor their parents, with practical financial help if necessary.  It is important that we stay aligned with God's priorities.  For instance, God puts a high priority on helping the poor.  The Western church puts a high priority on facilities.  We will pay the utility company whatever they say we owe them for air conditioning, but we won't always help the poor.  That is an example of  man's traditions overriding God's priorities.  Am I against buildings?  Absolutely not!  I just don't think they should be built or maintained at the expense of God's clearly-stated priorities.

Jesus said there were many such inconsistencies like the example He gave. Can you think of any other examples from modern church life or society?  How about missions work?  We collectively spend millions of dollars on pizza for youth gatherings to babysit young people, but don't spend nearly that much on missions work.  If you can't think of any other examples, then you may be so much a part of your culture that you aren't aware of where it has dulled your senses and lulled you to sleep.

Feel free to add your insight or comments to this study on the site where these studies are posted every week.  You can also give a gift subscription by going to the same site or unsubscribe by clicking on the link below.

Download this week's study:  Download mark_study_10.doc