March 1, 2012
Central Truth
Make the most of every opportunity to serve one another humbly. We are called to be witnesses to anyone with whom we come into contact. Continue to be a light in this dark world using the power of the cross.
[So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.] (Mark 16:19)
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
9 [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]]
Mark 16 is the essence of why I live. This passage is simply the glory of God. I can't even begin to describe who I would be without this story. In reality, I live because Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).
While on the cross, Jesus who was and is God, could have made His suffering end, but because of His unending love and overflowing grace, He chose to remain where God had placed Him -- for us. He died for you and me in complete humility. Christ's entire life was lived in submission to His Father by humbling Himself. He spent time with the rejected; the sick, poor, and dying; the less fortunate; and those who were seen as outcasts -- even by His disciples.
Some question why Jesus didn't just heal the world while on earth, as He is all-powerful. Jesus, however, did something much more difficult. He took on the nature of a servant, becoming a living example for others. By living as a servant, He voluntarily limited the use of His divine power and submitted Himself to the leading of the Holy Spirit, just as we are called to do. He continued to serve even as He was dying on the cross. In fact, some of His last words were words of encouragement to those dying close by and words of forgiveness to those killing Him.
Each of us should be amazed and filled with reverence concerning the life Christ lived. Our greatest goal should be to live like Him and accomplish what He calls us to do in His name. Ephesians 4:1 (NIV) calls us to "live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble . . . ."
Spending most of my day at school, I'm challenged to seize every opportunity to humbly serve and use my example to lead others to a life filled with joy found only in my Savior. The verse that keeps me going is 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV), which says, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." Do not lose heart in serving the Lord, but humbly receive the power entrusted in you from the Lord and use that to honor Him. Trust in the power of the cross.
1. When was the last time you had a spiritual conversation with a non-believer?
2. Would you community group say that your life is marked with humility or a sense of entitlement?
3. Look up Philippians 2:5-8. Why should we walk humbly?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
MARK 13-LUKE 1 (FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 2)
Read Luke 1:26-56.
• What did the angel tell Mary?
• Who was the baby going to be?
• What did Mary do in verses 46-55?
• Make a list of ways that God has been faithful in your life and in your family's life?
Activity: Make a book of "God's Faithfulness!" Each person takes one of the times that God has been faithful and draws a picture or writes the story of God's faithfulness in that particular situation. Do this for the entire list. One page for each time He was faithful. Put this book somewhere where you can add pages to it. Any time you are having a hard time believing that God is with you, pull out the book and remember His serial faithfulness.