The Jews counted 613 commandments in the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Why did God give us commandments? God did not give commandments to us as a means of salvation. Even in the Old Testament, people were justified before God (i.e. saved) by faith. God gave commandments to us to define the boundaries of God’s design. So when an expert in the Jewish law asks Jesus which of all the commandments is the greatest, Jesus highlights this commandment because it is the most defining boundary of our design.
Work
July 24, 2022 • Andrew Cullen • Mark 10:45
Work is an essential thread in the fabric of society. Individuals feel a sense of purpose because they work. Communities bond together because they work together. Nations are built because people work. The difference between 2022 A.D. and 2022 B.C. is the sum of every person’s work. What is the purpose of work? Work is one of the means God gave us to steward creation, serve others, and glorify God. As Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23 Work is not what we do to gain power over others. Work is what we do to empower others. When we work according to our God-given design, we fulfill our God-given purpose.
Rest
July 17, 2022 • Andrew Cullen • Mark 2:27–28
We are a culture in desperate need of rest because we have connected our identity to our productivity. God gave us Sabbath rest as a means of stewarding ourselves and stewarding creation. When we rest, we disconnect our identity from our productivity. Rest frees us from the unnecessary burdens we put on ourselves. Rest frees us to work according to our design. And rest reminds us of the source of our identity and value.
Faith
July 10, 2022 • Andrew Cullen • Mark 1:15
Every person, before Jesus or after Jesus, Christian or non-Christian has faith. Every person believes something. The question is what are you believing to be true? Faith for Christians is the response to the truth God has revealed. We put our weight on the truth. We trust God's promises. When we do, our perspective changes. And so, faith frees us to take risks in following Jesus because we understand we are not in control.
The Gospel
July 3, 2022 • Andrew Cullen • Mark 1:1
The gospel is Jesus is king. Mark begins his account of the life of Jesus, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark was countering the false narratives of the culture. On one hand, the Jews expected the Messiah to be a military king. On the other hand, the Roman emperors were often referred to as “sons of the gods.” Jesus is both the King and the Son of God. This means the The gospel is something we explain and something we experience. The gospel is a message that people need to hear and the gospel builds a community in which people need to live.
