“But Jesus called them and saith unto them,
‘Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ ” Mark 10:42-45
Minister
Prayer for this Lord’s Day January 10, 2021
“Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
“He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.” Proverbs 10:17
Father, Lord and God, You are holy, holy, holy. There is none like You. By You all things were created. By You all things consist, You are the Sovereign of the Universe and there is no other.
Lord, there are many hearts that are grieved by the events of the past week, and even the months and years past. We have seen evil for many years now; though it seems many are seeing evil as good, and good as evil. It is time for You Lord to work, for many have made void Your law, Your word and Your will.
Let this judgment begin at Your house Lord, let it begin in the hearts of all who call themselves Christian. Show us our sins and convict us of our unrighteous and sinful ways and lead us to repentance. Forgive our sins.
Lord, even if our nation is past saving, touch Your Church, and make her holy. Show Yourself strong in the hearts of those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and lift up the name that is above every name. The name of Jesus our Lord, our Savior and our God. Amen.
Put That On My Account
“Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: but without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account…” Philemon 1:8-18 (KJB)
Christmas Day Two Hundred Twenty and Three
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to be a Holy Spirit filled pastor, undershepherd in Christ Jesus to the people I preach to each Sunday at Shiloah Baptist Church, and minister to the people of Jenkins, Missouri; to lead them in the way of Scripture, God’s Son Jesus Christ, His cross, burial and resurrection.
And when they were come to him, he said unto them, ‘Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:18-21 (KJV)
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” Acts 20:28-30
Elijah and Elisha
Sometimes these two men can be confused; at least they used to be to me. Elijah was the prophet who confronted Ahab, and the culture of the time; and the departure from the LORD God for man made idols; human imagination run amok.
Elisha is a young man when Elijah is called by GOD to anoint him “in thy room” (1 Kings 19:16). He was still in his father’s home, because he was plowing with the oxen when Elijah came to him (vv. 19-21).
I ask myself what the reason is for GOD calling another prophet to take Elijah’s place. Is GOD angry with Elijah, thus getting another? Is the ministry of Elijah coming to an end? Maybe soon? If we read ahead we find that Elijah would confront Ahab another time; concerning Naboth’s vineyard. We will look at that sometime later.
The LORD wants to put to rest Elijah’s assumption that he is the only true prophet of God. The LORD tells him,
“Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:18 (KJV)
Elijah obeyed and went as the LORD commanded him. He finds Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. That seems to be a plenty of ox power, and more than necessary; but that is what we are told. It probably means that there were twelve teams of oxen plowing – a yoke containing two – and with a man leading each yoke; and Elisha taking up the rearward. The mantle of Elijah is mentioned in Scripture at least five times; the first in 19:13; the second in verse 19; then the other three in 2 Kings chapter two.
The mantle seems to be used as a token or symbol of the power of God upon Elijah. With it Elijah covers his face when he hears the still small voice, he cast it upon Elisha, he smote the waters of the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:8), Elisha receives it as Elijah is taken away (2 Kings 2:13-14); and then Elisha divides the Jordan using it as well. More on that will come later in future study.
When Elisha passes by Elijah; Elijah cast his mantle upon him. Now Elisha left his oxen, asked Elijah to go and tell his parents he was leaving, then he would follow him. He would be Elijah’s student as a prophet; being prepared to take Elijah’s place in ministry of the Word of God.
“And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.’ And he said unto him, ‘Go back again: for what have I done to thee?’ And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.” 1 Kings 19:20-21 (KJV)
Elijah’s telling Elisha to “Go back…” was telling him to do as Elisha had requested, but to not reject his calling. Elisha goes and tells his parents of his calling in life, and they have a celebration, by the killing of Elisha’s yoke of oxen, and having a feast. In his training as a prophet he was a servant unto Elijah.
Elijah was a faithful prophet of God. Though he was weak in some points the LORD still used him. In human weakness GOD is strong. In our weaknesses God is glorified.
Be strong in the LORD and the power of His might.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Observations From Mark – 031311
The reading today is from the Gospel of Mark chapters 1 – 4.
The gospel of Matthew is related to the King and His kingdom. The gospel of Mark is related to Jesus as a servant. These characteristics are seen in the Old Testament in the book of the prophet Ezekiel (1:10), and also in the Revelation of Jesus Christ (4:7). There are four faces mentioned; the face of a lion – the King; the face of an calf/ox – servant or serving; the face of a man – humanity; the face of an eagle. The Revelation even calls it a “flying eagle”. I will deal with the significance of the others when we get to their respective gospels. Right now we will deal with Mark.
Let me make something as plain and clear as I can. There are not four different gospels. There are four different points of view so that we may have a more clear, and lovely picture of our Lord. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John though penned from different experiences are just as inspired by God as the other. They do not contradict but explain, and enhance, and complement one another.
The experience of Mark begins differently than the other three accounts. Matthew begins with a genealogy of our Lord and His Kingship. Luke, in chapter 3 has the genealogy from Mary’s side of the family, thus showing his humanity. John has no genealogy, but rather states quite clearly His deity with the first five verses, with verse 1 saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.
Mark includes no genealogy, because servants had no genealogy in that day; not publicly recorded. Looking at the total life of Jesus we see a King, a servant, a man, and His Divinity.
Look with me at the beginning of the gospel;
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the prophets, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make His paths straight.'” Mark 1:1-3
Mark seems to make the service of Jesus to the Father a point in a greater way than the others do. Many may frown on the idea of Jesus as a servant, but He said it Himself:
“Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:41-45
The work of Jesus while on earth was to fulfill the Father’s will, not His own. He was a servant/minister to do the bidding of His Father. He had come also to serve mankind by giving His life as a ransom for our sin, paying the sin debt which we owed.
Surely the best we have to offer Him is ourselves, believing what He has said, living for Him and His glory. We need to do as the apostle Paul says, “…Present your bodies a living sacrifice…” (Romans 12:1-2).
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Fire and Hammer 