E-pistle for July 10, 2015
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e-pistle
FreeWay Foundation July 10, 2015
jesus uses anonymous, unknown servants
(Mark 14:1-72)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus; He was anointed at Bethany, vv. 1-9.
2. Judas agreed to betray Jesus; Jesus celebrated the Passover with His
disciples and instituted the Lord's Supper, vv. 10-26.
3. Jesus predicted Peter's denial; Jesus prayed in the garden, where He
was betrayed and arrested; a young follower (Mark?) fled naked from
the soldiers, vv. 27-51.
4. Jesus was tried before the Jewish Sanhedrin; Peter denied Jesus and
wept, vv. 66-72.
II. Meditation: on what Jesus instructed His disciples to do
1. Go into the city of Jerusalem.
2. Find and follow a man carrying a pitcher of water (secret sign).
3. Ask his master, "Is the guest room ready for the TEACHER?"
(Password).
4. Make sure all preparations are made for Passover (and Lord's Supper).
III. Observations: on what we know about this anonymous, unknown man:
1. He carried a pitcher of water . . . "woman's work."
2. He stood out from the crowd because of his servant's heart; he did not
say a word, but he was essential to Jesus' plan.
3. He had "been there," so as a reliable guide, he knew the way.
4. He showed others the place, then allowed them to proceed; his service
was finished, and he was not mentioned again in the Scripture . . . but
he is well-known to Jesus.
IV. Revelation: on what we know about the place where he led the disciples:
1. LARGE – There is plenty of room for all who seek Jesus, Genesis 26:22.
2. UPPER – I must "GO UP" spiritually to meet Jesus, Ephesians 1:20; 2:6.
3. FURNISHED – Everything we need is supplied and found there,
Philippians 4:19.
4. PREPARED-The work already has been done; I merely enter into that
prepared place, I Corinthians 2:9-10; John 14:1-3.
V. Applications: on what this teaching means to my life today:
1. Like the disciples, I need to hear and obey Jesus' instructions.
2. Like the disciples, I need to operate only in the name of the "TEACHER."
3. Like the man carrying the pitcher, I need to be a vessel filled with the
Holy Spirit (living water), and different from the crowd because I have
a humble servant's heart.
4. Like the man carrying the pitcher, I need to guide others to the place
where they can meet Jesus for worship, instruction, and fellowship . . .
then I should step out of the picture.
THANKSGIVING: I'm glad Jesus uses anonymous, unknown servants . . . like me!
how the gold has become dim!
(Lamentations 4:1-22)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jeremiah portrays the "before and after" conditions of the temple (gold; stones)
and of the men (precious sons): after the Babylonians destroyed the city, gold
was "DIM," temple jewels were scattered, mothers became indifferent to the
needs of their children, and wealthy citizens were reduced to abject poverty,
vv. 1-6.
2. Jeremiah describes the Nazarites (high ranked nobles) as looking like skeletons,
emaciated by starvation; he relates that the mothers of the besieged city have
been forced into cannibalism, boiling and eating their own children, vv. 7-11.
3. Jeremiah blamed the unbelievable tragic conditions upon the deceptive,
murderous, sinful prophets, priests, and other leaders of the nation . . . who
killed God's true prophets (v. 13; Jeremiah 26:11) and who had looked to other
nations for protection (v. 17) rather than looking unto the Lord, vv. 12-20.
4. Jeremiah condemned the neighboring nation of Edom (the descendants of
Esau, Jacob's brother), predicting that they would be punished for their treachery
against Israel, vv. 21-22.
II. Meditation and Revelation: on some key verses in this chapter
1. "The precious sons of Zion . . . are regarded as clay pots, the work of the
hands of the potter," v. 2; all persons like clay in the hands of the Potter,
Almighty God, Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:2-6; Romans 9:21.
2. "The young children ask for bread, but no one breaks it for them," v. 4:
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those
who ask Him," Matthew 7:11.
3. "The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater
than the punishment on the sin of Sodom," v. 6; persons who have greater
knowledge of God's truth will be held more accountable than those who have
less spiritual light, Luke 12:47-48; Matthew 10:15; 11:23-24.
4. "The adversary and the enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem . . .
because of the sins of the prophets and the iniquities of her priests,"
vv. 12-13; leaders must walk obediently because their sins can bring God's
judgment upon a nation, Proverbs 11:11; 14:34.
III. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Yield my life to the Potter to be molded into a useful vessel.
2. Ask, with childlike faith, for good things from my heavenly Father.
3. Recognize my privilege and responsibility as an enlightened believer.
4. Walk with godly integrity so that my influence may benefit others.
Mark Twain said: "Forget and forgive. This is not difficult, when properly understood.
It means that you are to forget inconvenient duties, and forgive yourself for forgetting.
In time, by rigid practice and stern determination, it comes easy."
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