• Lesson 5 in the Connect360 unit “A Cry for Freedom: Grace That Is Still Amazing” focuses on Galatians 3:1-14.

There was no doubt by those who knew Paul—both before and after his conversion—that had a fiery temper. Jesus neither canceled nor diluted Paul’s temper. Instead, Christ transformed it into a fierce passion for the gospel. Never again would Scripture describe Paul’s temper as directed at someone for selfish reasons. Now he was enraged at the backtracking of the Gentile believers from grace to legalism.

Paul knew what this saving grace had cost Jesus Christ. He also knew legalism is always divisive, and as such would cause divisions in the churches. The very idea the Gentiles to whom this grace was freely offered would revert to living by the Law must have both puzzled and infuriated him at the same time.

Paul marveled they could be bewitched by the false apostles after he had so plainly and notably laid Christ before them, as if they had seen him with their very eyes. Paul knew this to be true, as he was the one who led them to Christ and founded these Galatian churches. Galatia was a region, not a single church, and comprised of several churches Paul founded on his first missionary journey. We can understand Paul’s passionate frustration and amazement.

“Foolish” did not mean ignorant in this case; it meant unwise. Having once depended on Jesus Christ amid suffering, it was indeed foolish to revert to legalistic living. We are not told what the Galatians had suffered in the name of Jesus, but Paul inferred they had done so.

The atmosphere in the first century certainly was not conducive to peace for followers of Christ. The Romans hated the Jews, and the Jews hated their own who had converted to Christianity. Paul himself had suffered severely at the hands of both Romans and Jews.

Paul knew from experience he could not depend on the flesh, or the Law, to sustain him in the time of suffering. He also knew suffering was inevitable in this life. When he asked God to relieve him of a certain “thorn in the flesh,” God replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Paul was asking the Galatians: “Is his grace no longer sufficient for you? Is the cross not enough?” If they resisted God’s grace, they would have no power to overcome any suffering. The Law was impotent. There was no power, only self-congratulations in it.

There was even more at stake by failing to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. They began their Christian journey through the Spirit. Did they think Christ died only to bring them into his kingdom, then let them fend for themselves afterwards? Such behavior and belief would indicate the Law was greater than the Spirit since it would complete what Christ could only begin. To this end, not only would any suffering be in vain, but their witness would be worthless.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Oct. 22 focuses on Mark 10:32-45.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bible lessons like this one have been an important part of the Baptist Standard for many years. Each has a cost of at least $50 to produce. To ensure these lessons continue to be provided the rest of 2023 and into 2024, you can make a donation in any amount by visiting our donation page. In the comments field, note your donation is toward the cost of Bible studies.

Jesus Predicts His Death (Mark 8:31-33, 9:30-32, 10:32-34)

Jesus has three conversations with his disciples in which he predicts his death. With each new conversation, he adds details but keeps a focus on his death—and resurrection.

Jesus’ stark news is a crisis for disciples, who coast along with daydreams of inevitable victory and thrones for themselves. The disciples do not yet know just how splendid their future will be. But first, they will serve in the place to which they are called.

Jesus’ mission includes being servant and savior. The disciples see Jesus as an incomparable preacher, teacher, healer and friend. He is the Messiah, too but they were not expecting Israel’s king to be so meek, kind and merciful—a servant of all, humbly taking the last place.

The disciples struggle with news of Jesus’ upcoming death, as might be expected. The disciples are in denial and bargaining that this will all just go away.  Their association with Jesus is arousing fears for their own safety.

In the three conversations about his death, Jesus talks about himself in the third person: The Son of Man must go up to Jerusalem where he will:

• suffer many things.
• be rejected by elders, chief priest, and teachers of the law.
• be condemned to death by Jewish leaders.
• be delivered into the hands of Gentiles who will mock him, spit on him and flog him.
• be killed.
• after three days rise again.

Responses from the disciples are not surprising:

• Peter takes Jesus aside and begins to rebuke him.
• The disciples do not understand what Jesus means.
• They are afraid to ask Jesus to explain.
• They argue about which disciple is greatest (Mark 9:33-35).
• James and John ask to be seated on thrones next to Jesus in glory. (Mark 10:35-37).
• They never acknowledge resurrection.

Luke 9:45 says, “They did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.”

“It was hidden from them” but Jesus is not hiding it. Maybe the disciples’ established beliefs are hiding it. Maybe the disciples think the Messiah will be more like King David?  How can they reconcile a passive, suffering and dying servant ushering in God’s kingdom of light, power, justice, victory, peace and love?  Shouldn’t Jesus at least be a fighter?

Jesus says, ^“I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe” (John 14:29).

Isaiah’s Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53)

Biblical literacy was high in Judea and Galilee during Jesus’ day. Why couldn’t the Pharisees, teachers of the law and rabbis, see in Jesus these unforgettable descriptions of the Messiah as suffering servant and savior in Isaiah 53?  The disciples could not see Jesus as the suffering servant who was:

• despised and rejected by men.
• a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
• one from whom men hide their faces.
• one who has borne our griefs.
• one who carried our sorrows.
• one whom we esteemed stricken, smitten by God.

This suffering servant was “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities.” Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and “with his wounds we are healed.”

He was oppressed, he did not open his mouth, and “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, like a sheep that before its shearers is silent by oppression and judgment, he was taken away.

The suffering servant was:

• cut off out of the land of the living.
• stricken for the transgression of my people.

Furthermore:

• His grave was with the wicked with a rich man in his death.
• He had done no violence.
• There was no deceit in his mouth.

Isaiah 52:13-15 said:  “My servant will act wisely. He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.” Do Isaiah’s words describe Jesus? Yes.

In Mark 9:35, Jesus says “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”  Does “servant of all” describe Jesus? Yes.

In Mark 10:43-45, Jesus says: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Does this describe Jesus? Yes. Does Jesus want us to be servants? Yes.

Glen Funderburk has taught children’s Sunday school for many years. These lessons on the Gospel of Mark are written from the perspective of children.

• Lesson 4 in the Connect360 unit “A Cry for Freedom: Grace That Is Still Amazing” focuses on Galatians 2:11-21.

Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch with the upbeat report of the Jerusalem church’s decision regarding the circumcision issue (see Acts 15:1–10) and of being extended the right hand of fellowship. Sometime later, Peter came to visit the Antioch church, where he set aside his Jewish dietary laws and rules, as well as the rule of not eating with Gentiles. Peter knew he was in a different culture and church. So, he habitually joined the Gentile Christians in the church meals with the rest of God’s family.

But eventually some Jews came from the Jerusalem church who were of the Judaizers’ party that insisted Gentile Christians become circumcised Jews in order to be saved and join in fellowship (2:12). Upon their arrival, Peter abruptly withdrew from sharing meals with non-Jewish Christians.

What made matters worse was the other Jewish Christians in the church followed Peter’s lead, and also withdrew from interacting with Gentile Christians. Peter’s reluctance to eat with the Gentiles in the presence of the Jerusalem Judaizers was splitting the church over secondary issues about circumcision and/or what people ate. Ethnic and class divisions entered the congregation. Even Barnabas withdrew with Peter.

Paul had seen enough. Since Peter had publicly separated himself from fellowship with Gentile Christians, Paul called him out publicly and emphatically about the issue. Paul told Peter he was in the wrong, and he was behaving like a hypocrite (2:13). The word used is the verb form of the noun “hypocrite.” It was a word from the theater, used when the actor would hold a mask in front of his face with a different face painted on it, and pretend to be the character painted on the mask. It referred to someone who knew he was just pretending to be someone he really was not in everyday life.

Paul saw Peter’s action as not merely pretending to go back to legalistic Judaism, but as an act of denying Jesus had set believers free from legalism. Peter’s act of appeasement had potential eternal consequences, if not stopped immediately. People’s souls hung in the balance, because he was leading other new converts back into Judaism by his own relapse—even influencing a church leader, Barnabas. This was an essential issue for Paul, because he understood that the Jewish Law was a dead end. No person can become righteous by following the Law (2:16).

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• Lesson 3 in the Connect360 unit “A Cry for Freedom: Grace That Is Still Amazing” focuses on Galatians 2:1-10.

The Jerusalem leaders realized God had indeed called Paul and sent him to proclaim Jesus to the Gentiles, just as certainly as Jesus called Peter to be sent to the Jews. Both Peter and Paul proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, as the Son of God, preaching salvation that was totally provided by God through His grace. They both proclaimed there was no other name under heaven by which men must be saved, other than Jesus Christ. The same Lord effectively working through Peter was the same Lord effectively working through Paul (2:8). There is only one salvation provided by God’s grace in Jesus, one Savior, one gospel, and all believers in the Lord Jesus are sons of God (Galatians 3:26–29).

The reputed pillars of the church (2:9) were James (the Lord’s brother), Peter and John. All three recognized the grace that had been given to Paul by Jesus, and therefore stood with Paul, Barnabas and Titus in front of the whole Jerusalem congregation, and extended to them a visual portrait of the oneness and unity that exists in the Lord’s church and mission. They extended to them the right hand of fellowship, demonstrating Paul, Barnabas and Titus were affirmed to be partners in the same mission as the reputed “pillars.”

Paul’s team and Peter’s team were all part of Jesus’ team. They had been gifted to reach different ethnic groups, but they all were commissioned to go and make disciples of all nations. Peter’s giftedness was primarily suited for reaching Jews, whereas Paul’s giftedness was primarily cosmopolitan and thus multiethnic, multinational and multilingual in nature.

All of this becomes a case study of the power of God’s grace. Peter was gifted to preach in the Jewish culture he was raised in, but Peter had to learn a few lessons. Remember his struggle to set aside the Law, even in order to obey God, and even though he was famished from hunger (see Acts 10)? In a vision, God lowered a sheet of unclean animals and ordered Peter to kill and eat. But he wouldn’t because they were unclean animals, and Peter never ate unclean animals, as per the Law. God told him not to call unclean what God had cleansed. God had to do this three times to get through to Peter.

Also, Cornelius was a Roman officer who feared God, whom God told to send for Peter to come to his house. Peter went, and when he arrived Peter realized that he needed to go inside the Roman’s house. But instead of saying: “I don’t associate with unclean people,” Peter went into the house.

Cornelius’ house was full of his relatives and friends. Peter realized that God sees all people the same, and that God wants all people to come to him through Jesus. In Acts 10:34–35. Peter began with: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation [ethnos—ethnic group] the man who fears him and does what is right is welcome to him.” He preached Jesus to them, and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. I wonder if these experiences flooded into Peter’s mind, as he dealt with the issues of welcoming Gentiles into God’s church and God’s people.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Oct. 15 focuses on Mark 9:17–29.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bible lessons like this one have been an important part of the Baptist Standard for many years. Each has a cost of at least $50 to produce. To ensure these lessons continue to be provided the rest of 2023 and into 2024, you can make a donation in any amount by visiting our donation page. In the comments field, note your donation is toward the cost of Bible studies.

This Bible passage’s subject matter may be more than a child is ready to hear.  Consider the maturity of children in the class and downplay the adult elements as needed to protect the child.

Transfiguration on the Mountain (Mark 9:2-9)

Jesus invites Peter, James and John to join him on a mountain. Once there, Jesus’ face shines brightly from within; his clothes dazzling white. Elijah and Moses, splendidly dressed, appear to talk with Jesus about his imminent departure in Jerusalem. God the Father appears in a cloud. God speaks of his love for his Son, and he asks the disciples to listen to him. Peter, James and John witness, for us, that Jesus is far more than his human body. He is the Son of God, full of light and love, ready to be our Savior and complete God’s redemption plan.

Descending the mountain, Jesus orders; “Don’t speak of today {transfiguration} before the Son of Man rises from the dead.”

Rejoining other disciples (Mark 9:14-19)

Jesus and the three disciples are soon jolted back into everyday life as they find the other disciples, surrounded by a large crowd and debating with teachers of the law. Jesus asks why they are arguing.

A man in the crowd responds: “Teacher, I brought you my son, possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. It seizes him, throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.”

The man tells Jesus his disciples tried and failed to drive out the evil spirit.

Jesus chooses to see the man’s son for himself.

 “If you can” (Mark 9:20-23)

The father brings his son to Jesus in a private place. When the evil spirit sees Jesus, it throws the boy to the ground in a seizure.

Jesus asks “How long has he been like this?”

The man responds, “From childhood, and it has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.”

“Often” reveals the pernicious impact of the evil spirit on the boy and the family. If the son suffered from epilepsy alone, the family might have protected him from repeated hazards. The “evil spirit” made the boy self-destructive and vulnerable. The community may have seen this as “neglect” by the family.

Jesus and the father watch the boy convulse on the ground. “But,” the man says to Jesus, “if you can do anything, feel sorry for us and help us.”

The man was hoping—a hope that energized him to seek out Jesus.  Jesus, in the man’s current mindset, is a real possibility for healing.

“If you can?” Jesus repeats.

It is easy to judge the father for not boldly trusting Jesus. His family knows no one will rescue them. They are not people of privilege. The boy is theirs. Every crisis is theirs; every injury. Every setback means they must pick up the pieces and start again. They love the boy so much, they will try again.

They are beaten down. After so many disappointments; so many mornings when the family had to start again with a new recovery regimen; it takes a toll. They love the boy. Yes, they pray for him (and themselves) more than we can imagine.

Decision time (Mark 9:23-24)

“Everything is possible if you believe,” Jesus nudges the father.

The man sees the inner shining of Jesus’ face which still glows from the mountain. His son is on the ground moaning because an evil spirit did not want to meet Jesus today.

Jesus waits, not pressing the man.

Immediately, the father lets go. “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Strength enough to trust (Mark 9:25-27)

Jesus sees the crowd running toward their “up to now” private spot. He rebukes the impure spirit. Perhaps Jesus even hastens the timing of the miracle to give the father some clarity before the crowd intrudes and begins to distort the moment.

The spirit screams, throws the boy into another convulsion and comes out. The crowd assumes the boy is dead, but Jesus lifts him to his feet.

We do not know what happens next. Hopefully, the man’s strength as a committed father and his example aid the boy in recovery. The father will tell his son about Jesus often, crediting Jesus for the boy’s health and growth. As Jesus’ church grows in the decades ahead, the two will be encountered again by Jesus. Next time it will be disciples of Jesus, equipped by the Holy Spirit; probably none of the original Twelve, but disciples nonetheless.

“Everything is possible if you believe.”

Glen Funderburk has taught children’s Sunday school for many years. These lessons on the Gospel of Mark are written from the perspective of children.

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Oct. 8 focuses on Mark 8:31- 9:1.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bible lessons like this one have been an important part of the Baptist Standard for many years. Each has a cost of at least $50 to produce. To ensure these lessons continue to be provided the rest of 2023 and into 2024, you can make a donation in any amount by visiting our donation page. In the comments field, note your donation is toward the cost of Bible studies.

Compelled to Follow (Mark 3:16-19)

As Jesus calls each disciple, the man appears to follow immediately. “Christ’s love compels us,” Paul tells us. (And we know it’s true.)

Each disciple leaves his familiar life to follow Jesus. In Mark’s Gospel, it is a physical following. They are interns or trainees who walk everywhere with Jesus, sleep outdoors, ride in scary small boats, observe divine healing and note hostility from the “good” establishment. They watch, listen and take it all in.

A disciple wakes in the morning, still groggy from sleep. He thinks: “This is not normal. I know normal. I am in the presence of … but this cannot be.  I pinch myself. Yes, this is real. But life is not like this. No, now life is like this! I know who Jesus is, but I don’t dare say the word out loud.  I’m not ready.”

Jesus speaks with authority, clarity and relevance. He is personable, perceptive and loving. His patience is immense. Miracles are exhilarating, always accomplishing good. Disciples see the stilling of storms, a legion of demons transfer to a herd of pigs, the feeding of thousands. Jesus’ teaching is sublime. His disciples will never forget these lessons. They are with him night and day, because he has chosen them.

Follower’s Moment of Truth (Mark 8:27-8:30)

After two years of ministry, Jesus and disciples come to Caesarea Philippi, a Roman town north of Galilee, near snowy Mount Hermon. They are alone.

“Who do people say I am,” Jesus asks.

“John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet, some say.”

Then Jesus puts them on the spot “What do you say?”

Bold Peter does not hesitate. “You are the Messiah.”

Jesus’ response comes quick. “Don’t tell anybody.”

Strange, no direct confirmation of Peter’s answer. Just that warning again, not time yet. But Jesus response is a confirmation.

Disciples have been growing in almost blissful anticipation for many months. In Jesus, God is revealing his glory. Peace has come. Evil appears to be losing. Judea has a grand future and the Twelve somehow occupy a place in the inner circle.  Following Jesus is an optimistic, joyous ride.

Jesus proceeds to burst their bubble.

Following is too hard (Mark 8:31-8:33)

Jesus says “the Son of Man (Messiah) must suffer many things. He must be rejected by elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law.”  Disciples think: “No surprise there. The establishment is rejecting Jesus.”

“He will be killed.” Disciples think: “No, no, no! We don’t want to hear this!”

“He will rise again after three days.” Disciples do not appear to hear this.

Jesus continues speaking but he has lost his audience. Disciples think: “It’s too much. Surely, God will never allowit, will he?”

Peter then pulls Jesus aside and rebukes him, which means he sharply disapproves of what Jesus has said.  Noting that all the disciples are listening, Jesus refers to Peter as “Satan.”

“You are not trying to understand God’s purposes,” Jesus tells Peter. “Yours are human concerns.” Disciples think: “This is hard! Would God would allow Jesus to die?”

Following Jesus (Mark 8:34-36)

When Jesus speaks to the crowd, he explains how they can be followers. The Twelve are listening.  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves. You must take up your cross and follow me.”

The crowd knows Roman death sentences require one to carry his own cross. It’s cruel, public, humiliating, exhausting, intensely painful and hopeless. Taking up Jesus’ cross would be public and invite persecution. It also leads to a purposeful, joyous, rewarding, sacrificial life in God’s will.

Jesus loved paradoxes—statements that sound false but prove to be true in God’s kingdom. A paradox requires a person to believe God’s truth is greater than human logic.

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and the gospel will save it.” Living to be humanly successful and self-satisfied will result in loss of the spiritual life God plans for us.

Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit (lose) their soul? If we are willing to give our life to God, live for Jesus and share his Good News, we can experience peace, joy, an active role in his church and a rich eternal life. Rely on God to transform us and include us in his work and will.

Followers become leaders (Mark 9:1)

Jesus promises the crowd some of them will live to “see the kingdom of God come with power.”  This promise is kept on Pentecost Sunday in Jerusalem (Acts 2) as the Holy Spirit comes upon the previously timid disciples mentioned in Mark 8:33. The Holy Spirit helps disciples speak in foreign languages to invite the crowd to accept an invitation to join the church as fellow believers. That day, 3,000 people are baptized in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit lives in us in 2023 as we, too, serve in God’s kingdom.

Glen Funderburk has taught children’s Sunday school for many years. These lessons on the Gospel of Mark are written from the perspective of children.

• Lesson 2 in the Connect360 unit “A Cry for Freedom: Grace That Is Still Amazing” focuses on Galatians 1:11-24.

Paul declared he received the gospel through a revelation of Jesus Christ (1:12). Don’t miss the joining of the two names: Jesus (Savior from Hebrew language) and Christ (Anointed One, meaning Messiah from Greek language). Jesus came to save all people, both Jews and Gentiles. There was to be one people of God, who were transformed by Jesus Christ.

Most scholars assume that this revelation of Jesus Christ to Paul is the event described in Acts 9:1–16, when a light shone around Paul, he fell to the ground, and entered into a dialogue with the resurrected, glorious Jesus Christ. Paul was physically blinded for three days from this encounter, and on the third day, Paul was figuratively resurrected as he regained his sight.

The words “through a revelation of Jesus” in 1:12 can be interpreted two ways. It can mean that Jesus is the content of the revelation, so the true nature, person, mission and message of Jesus was revealed to Paul. It also can mean Jesus was the source of the gospel, the channel through which Paul received it. Both of these are true. As Ray Frank Robbins has succinctly stated, Jesus is both the One revealed in the Gospel, and the Revealer of the Gospel.

The gospel is not just information transmitted, but rather a life-changing encounter with Jesus. In this passage, Paul definitely met the glorified Jesus, recognized him as Lord and God, and submitted his life to service of Jesus. Perhaps Jesus also flooded Paul’s mind with all the Old Testament Scriptures that talked about him, as Jesus did speaking with the two men on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection (Luke 24:27).

In 1:12–16, it is clear Paul did not discover the gospel through what he knew. He discovered the gospel through whom he knew. The gospel is a dynamic, life-shaping relationship with the living Christ, not merely a relationship with facts and intellectual content. Paul now had both.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Oct. 1 focuses on Mark 7:24-37.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bible lessons like this one have been an important part of the Baptist Standard for many years. Each has a cost of at least $50 to produce. To ensure these lessons continue to be provided the rest of 2023 and into 2024, you can make a donation in any amount by visiting our donation page. In the comments field, note your donation is toward the cost of Bible studies.

Can this continue?  (Mark 6:53-56)

Jesus and the disciples had been out on the Sea of Galilee. It had been an unforgettable scene in which Jesus had walked on the water and stilled a storm. Later, when Jesus disembarked on shore, people recognized him immediately (Mark 6:54). “The people ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard Jesus was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns, or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed (Mark 6:55-56).”

Jesus was seeing much suffering and desperation. He loved people and wanted to heal them. But suddenly, Jesus was on the verge of becoming an object. People knew him by sight, runners could alert the sick and gather them in marketplaces and the sick could touch just his cloak to get healed. Soon requests could come for cutting up Jesus’ cloak into 100 pieces and sharing the pieces with all villages. Jesus could wear a different cloak every day, and it could be cut up and sold to other regions…

Jesus recognized a change was needed. He walked away.

Time out!

Gentile Retreat (Mark 7:24-31, Matthew 15:21-28)

Jesus left Galilee going 35 miles northwest into the Gentile Tyre region; in Syria/Phoenicia, modern Lebanon. The Phoenicians were a seafaring people establishing colonies around the Mediterranean (including Carthage), trading with many countries.  Their alphabet had been a unifier serving as a bridge to later Greek and Roman (ours) alphabets.

Jesus entered a house and did not want anyone to know it. Here he could pray and rest.

The secret got out. “There’s a healer in that house. Which house?  That one right there.”

The first person that came was bold—a Gentile woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit.

Knocking on the door. Falling at Jesus’ feet. “Lord. Son of David. I beg you, sir. Have mercy on me. My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

Jesus’ response is mystifying: “First, let the children eat all they want for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

Perhaps Jesus thinks “I have come as Messiah to the Jews. And the Canaanite/Greek dogs have never been interested in the One True God. If I heal this woman’s daughter, Tyre could become like Galilee; there will be ships full of sick people docking every hour from all the Mediterranean.”

The woman is determined to save her child. “Lord”, she begins again, establishing a relationship. She is not interested in touching the hem of his robe. She is addressing him as a person. “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Perhaps Jesus thinks “She knows healing is available, abundant.  At the moment, I am neither Messiah nor Doctor for Jews or Gentiles. She believes I can heal her daughter.“

The daughter has been healed. The “impure spirit” is gone.

Now Jesus can report good news to a healthy little girl’s mother. “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

Included with the Willing 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:6-11).”

Gentiles always had been considered part of Jesus’ mission. Gentiles Rahab and Ruth were in his ancestry. They chose to be aligned with the Israelites. Their faith in God was the key to their inclusion. They became honored mothers of Israelite children; mothers of David himself.

Jesus left Tyre, going next to Gentile areas: Phoenician Sidon and then to Greek Decapolis, a region southeast of Galilee. Dogs are at the table with the children!

Did the time table for introducing the gospel to Gentiles accelerate with the mother in Tyre? It sure looks like it.

John 12:20-23 tells of some Greeks in Jerusalem to worship at festival of Jesus’ last Passover. They come to Philip, the disciple. They said, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Jesus was told. He responded, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

You are included if you are willing!

Glen Funderburk has taught children’s Sunday school for many years. These lessons on the Gospel of Mark are written from the perspective of children.

• Lesson 1 in the Connect360 unit “A Cry for Freedom: Grace That Is Still Amazing” focuses on Galatians 1:1-10.

Paul had a brilliant mind and instantly could see where ideas would lead to in the end. Such people often are misunderstood or criticized. While there are times to find areas of compromise, Paul did not compromise the gospel. When dealing with the eternal destiny of a soul or sustaining the truth of the gospel to be proclaimed in the name of Christ, there can be no redefining of who Jesus is, or what Jesus did and taught in regard to God and eternal life. This was Paul’s point in Galatians 1:6–10.

In verses 6–7, Paul told the Galatians he was dumbfounded that they, who had experienced the life-changing power of Jesus and his grace, would so quickly be snookered into turning away from freedom in Christ, to reenter a life of slavery to self-effort and legalism. He told them he had heard of the troublemakers (Judaizers) who were perverting the gospel by trying to add to it the following of Judaism’s religious laws. But human legalism negates grace.

The Judaizers infiltrating the Galatian churches were undermining the freedom provided by the gospel of God. They taught that to really become complete Christians, people also must become Jews via circumcision, and then daily follow the laws of Judaism. This meant God’s grace was not enough. Paul saw the end result would make Christianity a subsidiary of Judaism. Jesus and the Spirit would be replaced by Jewish traditions and legalism. All would be lost. Christians would lose the one and only good news, replacing it with bad news and bad rules.

No person can please God by being good enough to follow all the rules. The law was given to show it is hopeless to be able to keep them all (Ecclesiastes 2:10–11). The way to reconciliation with God is through Jesus who fulfilled and completed all that the law demanded, and Christ resurrected in order to show that sin and death cannot beat God.

In Jesus, and with Jesus in you, you are free. Free from sin, free from the devil, free from lies, free to know God, free to love God, and free to live for God. Stay free! Do not go back into trying to please God though bondage to your own efforts, rules or legalism. That implies what God did for us was not good enough. It is to turn your back on God.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• Lesson 13 in the Connect360 unit “Heaven & Angels: Our Eternal Home and Its Heavenly Hosts” focuses on Matthew 24:29-31.

Where is Jesus today? More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus died, he was buried and, after three days and three nights, God the Father restored him to life. For 40 days, Jesus remained on the earth, appearing to more than 500 witnesses, but at the end of that period, he ascended back into heaven, and that is where Christ rules and reigns today.

The disciples and other believers witnessed Jesus ascend into heaven (Acts 1:10). But notice the angels were more interested in watching the reaction of the witnesses, seemingly unamazed by Jesus’ ascension. Luke notes in his account in Acts 1:10-11, “And as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them, and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched him go into heaven.’”

The angels in Acts 1:10 are described as having white clothing. You may also have in your mind’s eye angels with golden halos. While angels do seem to exude a glorious brightness, there is no biblical evidence that they have bands of light encircling their heads.

Have you ever wondered why art—and church Christmas pageants—often depict angels with halos? A halo is descriptive of the kind of glory these heavenly beings possess, but it is not in the Bible. Designating deity, saints, angels, and other important cultural figures with a halo symbol (also called a “nimbus”) can be traced throughout the ages, including Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture. For example, depictions of Roman emperors often portrayed their power with a circle or band of radiant light.

For hundreds of years, early Christian artists depicted a scene like this in Acts 1:10 with halo-wearing angels, and even gave Jesus a halo. However, during the Renaissance, the halo seems to have lost its popularity with mainstream artists. Compare most early depictions of Christ with Leonardo’s da Vinci’s famous Last Supper painting and you will notice da Vinci omitted halos altogether. Although you might picture angels in white with golden halos, that particular detail is not biblically based.

So, here is the picture. The disciples stood there awestruck as they watched Jesus ascend into the sky, something spectacular that these ordinary first-century men never before imagined. Can’t you just see them looking at him for as long as they could, like people watching the space shuttle trying to keep their eyes on it until it becomes a tiny speck in the sky?

Finally, these two angels make the startling announcement that they had not seen anything yet! Jesus was going to return one day in the same way he left. Not only are we certain of Jesus’ return because this truth is taught throughout Scripture, but also the angels that day foretold it would happen. But that is not all. After Jesus’ triumphant return, angels continue to play important roles in our future.

 To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Sept. 24 focuses on Mark 6:30-44.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bible lessons like this one have been an important part of the Baptist Standard for many years. Each has a cost of at least $50 to produce. To ensure these lessons continue to be provided the rest of 2023 and into 2024, you can make a donation in any amount by visiting our donation page. In the comments field, note your donation is toward the cost of Bible studies.

Terrified!  (Mark 4:1-2, 35-41; 5:1-13)  

The crowd being so large, Jesus preaches from a boat to the crowd on shore.

At sunset, Jesus announces his intent to cross the Sea of Galilee tonight. He is still in the boat he preached from as they head out into the open lake along with other boats.

Jesus soon goes to sleep. A furious squall comes up when the boat is far from shore. The wind and the waves on the dark lake are so strong, disciples become terrified.  They fear the boat will soon be swamped. They wake Jesus. He speaks to the storm, and it subsides.

In the morning, the boats reach the region of the Gerasenes.

When Jesus gets out of the boat, disciples see a fierce, naked, unkempt, self-wounded man coming from the tombs to meet him. He runs and falls on his knees in front of Jesus. Jesus says to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!

The disciples watch a herd of pigs running into the sea leaving the man at peace with Jesus. As earlier with the storm, the disciples see that Jesus has spiritual authority over a legion of demons. The disciples are terrified and ask, “Who is this?”

Satisfied! In his right mind, witnessing for Jesus (Mark 5:14-20)  

Afterwards, the local people come out to see what has happened.

When they come to Jesus, they see the once fierce, violent man sitting there dressed and in his right mind.

The local people are afraid.  They plead for Jesus to leave the region.  As Jesus is getting into the boat, the man begs to go with him.

Jesus does not let him. “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

He goes away and begins to tell in the Decapolis—10 “Greek” cities southeast of Sea of Galilee—how much Jesus has done for him. All the people were amazed.

Why did Jesus leave the Galilee preaching ministry and receptive crowds, scaring his disciples in the midnight storm to arrive at this desolate spot? While still in Galilee, perhaps Jesus heard the man cry out to him for liberation from Legion. Jesus responded to his cry, left the Galilee crowds, faced the storm, and went straight to him.  The man responded by running to Jesus as soon as he got out of the boat (KJV says “worshipped”). Legion was cast out. The man became Jesus’ follower.

Satisfied! Rest can come later. (Mark 6:30-34)  

Later, back in Galilee: so many people come and go that Jesus and the disciples do not have a chance to eat. Jesus decides they will go away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

People who see Jesus and disciples leaving recognize them and run on foot from all the towns and get to the place ahead of them. Probably about this time, a boy has his mother or father pack a lunch for him in a piece of cloth—five loaves of bread and two fish, so he can go see Jesus with friends.

When Jesus’ boat lands and he sees a large crowd, Jesus has compassion on them. So, he begins teaching them many things.

Satisfied! Communion on the shore (Mark 6:34-44)  

The disciples remind Jesus “It is late and the people are hungry.” He responded, “You give them something to eat”.

But the disciples think it is “too expensive.”

Jesus says: “How many loaves do you have?  Go and see.”

The answer is five small loaves and two fish—a boy’s lunch.

“Have them sit down in groups of hundreds or fifties,” Jesus commanded.

Jesus accepts the five small loaves and two fish from the boy. Jesus looks up to heaven and gives thanks for the food. He starts breaking the loaves and the fish. Each disciple has obtained a basket to carry the food to the people.

Imagine you are in the crowd. The food is distributed, shared and eaten in a reverent way. Maybe no one notices the miracle because they are experiencing communion with Jesus.

God supplies. More than 5,000 people are satisfied.

Glen Funderburk has taught children’s Sunday school for many years. These lessons on the Gospel of Mark are written from the perspective of children.

• Lesson 12 in the Connect360 unit “Heaven & Angels: Our Eternal Home and Its Heavenly Hosts” focuses on Romans 8:38-39.

In Luke 16, Jesus tells a story that illustrates a fascinating truth about angels. He relates the story of an unnamed rich man and a righteous beggar named Lazarus. Jesus said the poor man died “and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s arms” (16:22).

It is comforting to know that angels are with us throughout our lives—even to the end. In this story, Jesus pulled back the veil from the afterlife and revealed to us a couple of truths about angels and heaven. First, Jesus was illustrating that God sends his “escort angels” to ensure our souls are seen safely into heaven when we transfer our address from this world to the next one. Second, this story reminds us of more evidence against our becoming angels when we die. The angels accompany Lazarus; he was not an angel himself.

When Lazarus died, the Bible says the angels carried him to Abraham. Where is that? That is another description of paradise. For any good Jew, joining Abraham would be a heavenly experience. The rich man, however, died and woke up in hades. The rich man was suffering there, and to make matters worse, he could look into paradise and see Lazarus and Abraham (16:23-24).

God does not want us to be afraid of death. Angels help comfort us, even at the end of our lives. In more than 40 years of serving as a pastor, I have conducted many hundreds of funerals. The toughest funerals I have ever conducted are for those who never indicated any interest in God or the church.

I am not the final judge of who is saved and lost—that position has been filled for eternity. So, I never assume a person did not go to heaven. That is God’s domain. But I have observed the deep, bottomless kind of grief expressed at funerals where the deceased gave no evidence of walking with God. I have often been brought to tears myself as I observe family members wailing over the death of someone who never gave any visible evidence of faith.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.