Mark’s Gospel

HomeMark’s Gospel

The Lord’s Supper

Posted on Nov 20, 2020 by Steven Renner in Church Services, Mark's Gospel |

On the evening of November 22, at six o’clock, we will observe the Lord’s Supper. We will take precautions to guard the health of all who participate. In the last three years we have taken communion on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and the Thursday before Easter. This year, due to the lockdown, we were unable to come together to the Table at Easter. This means we have not observed this solemn ordinance in a year. We should not wait longer to memorialize our Lord’s sacrifice, as He commanded us to do.

The Last Supper

Posted on Oct 31, 2020 by Steven Renner in Church Services, Community Fun, Mark's Gospel |

Enjoy tonight’s extra hour of sleep. We should all be fresh and well rested tomorrow for church! Our text will be Mark 14:12-21. We will go from supper at Simon the Leper’s house to the Last Supper in the upper room. We are just hours away from Judas’ betrayal and Jesus’ crucifixion. As always, the Master is in control of the situation. All of it. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Sunday school is at 10am and the worship begins at 11am.

Also, don’t forget that tonight from 6-8pm on the church parking lot is our Trunk or Treat event.

All for Jesus

Posted on Oct 24, 2020 by Steven Renner in Church Services, Freedom, Glorifying God, Gospel, Grace, Happiness, Involvement, Jesus Christ, Joy, Mark's Gospel, Sermons, Wholehearted |

This poem from the pen of the English missionary C.T. Studd is not only a tremendous challenge and blessing, but will prepare our hearts for tomorrow’s message from Mark 14:1-11.

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,

Gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave,

And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,

Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill,

living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,

When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way,

Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, “twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say,”Thy will be done;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Follow this link (click here) to read the church bulletin for tomorrow.

Another Appeal

Posted on Aug 9, 2020 by Steven Renner in Church Services, Mark's Gospel |

Our text this morning is Mark 11:27 – 12:12. The parable in this text, and the reaction to it, teaches us that to hear the gospel routinely preached is simultaneously a blessed and a dangerous thing. Dangerous because there is no neutrality with the gospel, and regular exposure to it will either soften or harden your heart. Blessed because only the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation!

The original hearers of this parable had hearts as hard as stone. These hard-hearted religious rulers rejected their Messiah and would have arrested Him but for their fear of the fickle crowd’s reaction (Mark 11:18). Instead, they left Him and went their way.

By now, their hatred for the Lord Jesus was palpable. Their contempt was no longer concealed. While some men were drawn to Jesus, these men were repulsed at Him. They heard the same marvelous words. They witnessed the same miraculous works, but there was no broken-hearted, joyful acceptance of the Lord for them. Instead there was only anger fueled by arrogance. He had not sought their approval. He did not toe their line. He did not behave according to their code. He ignored their traditions. He disrupted their domination of all things cultural and religious. He had interrupted their lucrative business enterprises in the Temple. Follow this Man? Not hardly. They wanted Him destroyed. They would not honestly compare His words and actions with the scriptures. Instead, they would present an accusation that masqueraded as a question.

Be tuned in on facebook.com/BBCMountVernon at 11am this morning to follow along.

Jesus in Jerusalem

Posted on Aug 2, 2020 by Steven Renner in Church Services, Mark's Gospel |

This morning at 11am we will be in Mark 11:11-26. The King had entered Jerusalem. Without doubt, His procession was the lowliest and meekest of any monarch in history, but the timing and the manner of His coming were according to the Divine plan. We must not confuse the meekness of Christ with weakness. Jesus was the master, not only of Himself but of every situation. Today’s text reveals His awesome authority and His burning zeal for the things of God.

Christ’s cursing the fig tree and cleansing the Temple are well known events. They also may seem confusing or even contradictory. We will allow the text to teach us important truths from a cursed tree and a cleansed Temple. Be tuned in at 11am on Facebook or through this website.

We will not be have in-person services again until Wednesday, August 12.

Here Comes the King!

Posted on Jul 19, 2020 by Steven Renner in Church Services, Jesus Christ, Mark's Gospel |

Jerusalem was jumping. Always was at Passover. Those from the region and from far away, journeyed to the city on a hill. It was time to observe the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This year, however, was unordinary. That was due to Jesus of Nazareth. This man spoke like no one else. He did things no one else could do. And He was on His way.

Recently, Jesus had been nearby in Bethany. There He called Lazarus, a man who had been dead for four days, back to life. More recently, in Jericho, He had given sight to blind Bartimaeus. But the people of Jericho did not know what was more amazing: blind Bartimaeus seeing or tax collector Zacchaeus repaying four-fold all the people whom he had cheated, and also giving half his goods to the poor. The air in Jerusalem was also electric because people were aware that the chief priests and Pharisees wanted to arrest Jesus. All of this conspired together to create a sensation as people watched the road, wondered to themselves and asked one another: “Do you think He will show?” (John 11:55-57).

Prophetically. Publicly. But NOT Pompously.

The Lord Jesus did show, and His public arrival not only frustrated the chief priests and Pharisees who wanted to stealthily swipe Jesus off the street so as to destroy Him after the feast, but it also fulfilled Messianic prophecies (Jeremiah 9:9; Psalm 113-118). While nothing was transpiring according to their plan, all of it was according to God’s plan. Everything about Jesus, from His birth to His death to His resurrection and all points in between, all happened according to the divine timetable. Obviously, that includes everything from His coming on the colt, to His cursing the fig tree, and to His cleansing the temple.

Mark 11:1-11 is this morning’s text. Come be with us!

Sacrificial Service

Posted on Jun 28, 2020 by Steven Renner in Church Services, Mark's Gospel |

Our text this morning will be Mark 10:32-45. That passage reminds me, in a slight way, of a childhood visit to Clifty Falls State Park in Madison, IN. As the Clifty Creek runs into the Ohio River there are several waterfalls along its stretch. The two I remember are not cleverly named – Big Clifty and Little Clifty. Both are basically the same size, being right around 60’, but their beauty compensated for their lack of cleverness. More than that natural beauty, I remember the creek’s velocity as it accelerated towards each falls.

Likewise, as the earthly ministry of Jesus nears its climatic conclusion (the Passion Week is just around the corner) there is a frightening resolution about Jesus. Unique to Mark’s account is the vividly detailed snapshot of this event. Mark 10:32 does not simply tell us that Jesus and the Twelve went up to Jerusalem. Instead we read that “Jesus went before them.”

Going on Before

This is no leisurely stroll up to the holy city. Jesus purposefully strides ahead of His followers with an unwavering determination. His resolve intimidated the disciples; not because Jesus normally vacillated. Not at all! His followers were “amazed” and “afraid.” They were unnerved by His unswerving commitment. They did not fully understand what was happening. We normally fear what we cannot fully explain it. But they sensed His commitment, and they could grasp that it required their commitment.

Jesus came down from heaven to do the will of the Father that sent Him. The “hour” that had been appointed in eternity past was fast approaching, and Jesus had set His face like a flint towards Jerusalem so that He might accomplish His Father’s will. As Jesus marched towards Jerusalem “He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him.” Our Lord described for them, now for the third time, exactly what it meant for the Son of Man to be lifted up.

Join Us!

That will be the focus of our time together in worship. Join us at 11am. You may also follow along online.

Just a reminder that next week we will resume our Sunday school classes at 10am and SHinE schedule (10am-Noon on Sunday morning, 7pm on Wednesday night). The vans will return for runs on Sunday morning and Wednesday night, but for children only. No adults on the vans for a little while longer. We apologize for the inconvenience, but are being purposefully gradual as we re-establish our usual routine.

This Sunday’s Sermon

Posted on Mar 29, 2020 by Steven Renner in Discipleship, Jesus Christ, Mark's Gospel, Sermons, Sin | Tags: Sin

We are making our way through Mark on Sunday mornings. Today we will walk in 9:38-50. As we work through this text we should learn about…

the folly of misplaced zeal,
the seriousness of discipleship,
the necessity to deal drastically with your own sin, and
the fact that we are called to be salty rather than sinful Christians.

As Sinclair Ferguson writes in Let’s Study Mark:

“Our Lord’s point is that unless we maintain the purity of our own lives and are purified by the flames of testing, and remain faithful to Christ, our lives will have no preserving influence on this corrupt world. If we begin to fall into the same patterns of life as those which are characteristic of the world, we will never be able to point men and women to another world.”

Sin is serious. Discipleship is, too, and both must be treated as such. Dealing seriously with sin will enable continued spiritual growth. That will produce increased joy, no matter the circumstances. This is serious and for our joy.

We will not gather for worship today, but the sermon will be live-streamed. Follow this link to watch the video feed.