Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Daily Bread 2011 – Monday, February 28th 2011 Mark 13 The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times 1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” What Does This Mean? Jesus continues to usher in new reality for his disciples. In this passage, he gives a foreshadowing of future events by re-defining the temple. In the Jewish faith, the temple was the locality where God showed up and met the people. In the temple the High Priest went in once a year to offer the unblemished lamb for the forgiveness of the people’s sins. The temple was the sign of God’s blessing and His presence. In Leviticus, we learn of the detail and importance of everything in the temple. It was a holy place where God dwelt by His Spirit. As Jesus ushers in the new kingdom and new

Daily Bread 2011 – Friday February 25th, 2011 Mark 12 Marriage at the Resurrection 18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in t

Daily Bread 2011 – Thursday February 25th, 2011 Mark 11 Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King 1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and tho se who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he wh

Daily Bread 2011 – Wednesday February 24th, 2011 Mark 10 1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied. 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” What Does This Mean? Meanwhile as Jesus returns to the public scene, the Pharisees are at it again trying to trap him into a lose/lose argument. As he has confronted t

Daily Bread 2011 – Tuesday February 22nd, 2011 Mark 9 The Transfiguration 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him! ” What Does This Mean ? As Jesus was nearing the end of his journey, he realizes he and the disciples have been doing a lot of work for the kingdom and it is time for some rest. Most people rest from their work, but Jesus shows the principle of working from our rest. In this situ

Daily Bread 2011 – Monday February 21st, 2011 Mark 8 1 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” 4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” 5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. 6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. What Doe

Daily Bread 2011 – Friday February 18th, 2011 Mark 7 17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” What Does This Mean? One of the great paradigms Jesus had to confront in the Jewish religion was that a right relationship with God was defined by what happened on the outside. What a person wore, what they ate, or their outward expressions of worship. The Pharisees and teach

Daily Bread 2011 – Thursday February 17th, 2011 Mark 6 A Prophet Without Honor 1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. What Does This Mean? This is the famous passage where we hear the saying, “A prophet is not accepted in his hometown.” Despite the miraculous healings that Jesus was doing, the

Daily Bread 2011 – Wednesday February 16th, 2011 Mark 5 Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man 1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” What Does This Mean? As we mentioned in the first chapter, Mark’s gospel is often called the “power gospel”. Nowhere is the power o

Daily Bread 2011 – Tuesday February 15th, 2011 Mark 4:1-8 Parable of the Sower 1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” What Does This Mean? In chapter 4, Mark begins to intr

Daily Bread 2011 – Monday February 14th, 2011 Mark 3:31-34 Jesus’ Mother and Brothers 31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” What Does This Mean? The bible is clear that Jesus had at least 4 brothers, and Matthew 13:35 implies that he had sisters as well. The Roman Catholic Church argues for Mary’s perpetual virginity, but it is pretty hard to get around these passages that specifically name Jesus’ brothers. (I.e. Matthew 13:55: “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?) Some Roman Catholics claim these were his cousins, but the

Daily Bread 2011 – Friday February 11th, 2011 Mark 2:15-17 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” What Does This Mean? Jesus continues to show the disciples what it means for the kingdom to be at hand, in many ways that blow apart the stereotypes the religious leaders had created. He healed the paralytic man, but also forgave his sins upon seeing his faith. Jesus healed the presenting problem and the root problem in the man’s life. The Pharisees cited this as blasphemy, for who but God could forgive sins. Indirectly, this was one of the firs

Daily Bread 2011 – Thursday February 10th, 2011 Mark 1:14-15 Jesus Announces the Good News 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” What Does This Mean? The Gospel of Mark is the shortest gospel at 16 chapters. It is widely believed this is John Mark who was a close associate of the apostle Peter. Many feel John Mark recorded many of Peter’s recollections of Jesus. Mark is a fast paced narrative many focused on the events in Jesus’ life, with chapters 11-16 focused on the last week of his life. Many feel it is written from Rome. In the first chapter we see one of the major thrusts of Mark’s gospel, God’s kingdom coming near. And in Mark’s gospel, God’s kingdom comes in power. Jesus heals a man by driving out an evil spirit, Peter’s mother in law who had a fever (which could be deadly in that day), then he healed many others wh

Daily Bread 2011 – Wednesday February 9th, 2011 Matthew 28:19-20 “18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” What Does This Mean? Matthew ends the first Gospel with what is commonly called, “The Great Commission”. Most churches see the Great Commission as their calling card. Importantly now that Jesus has been resurrected from the dead, he commissions the disciples to go and make “disciples of all nations”. The word disciple means “learner”. In the first century if you were a disciple of someone you were completely devoted to their life and teachings. You spent tons of time with the person and learned by following their example. Jesus has spent three years investing most of hi

Daily Bread 2011 – Tuesday February 8th, 2011 Matthew 27:22-26 22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” 25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. What Does This Mean? As Jesus is on trial before Pilate, He does not refute Pilate when he asks Him if He is a King? His only reply is, “You have said so!” All the while, Pilate has many reservations about the whole ordeal. Meanwhile the chief priests and elders stir up and persuade Pilate to release Barabbas, a known crim

Daily Bread 2011 – Monday, February 7th, 2011 – Matthew 26:31-35 Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial 31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. What Does This Mean? Chapter 25 marked the end of Jesus’ teaching and preaching ministry. Jesus begins to transition from teaching and preaching to go to the cross. This is Passover time, when an estimated 250,000 lambs would be slaughtered in commemoration of the Passover reflecting the Exodus from Egyptian slavery. Jesus begins to conne

Daily Bread 2011 – Friday, February 4th, 2011 – Matthew 25:10-13 The Day and Hour Unknown 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. What Does This Mean? In response to the speculation about the “end times”, Jesus tells three parables in chapter 25 about being ready for His return. The first one about the 10 virgins, 5 who have prepared themselves for the bridegroom (this is a metaphor for Christ and the Church, which is often called the “bride of Christ”) to return. The second one is about investing the gifts/talents God has given us to produce more of the same, as symbolized by the five “bags of gold”. And the final parable has to do with how we have re

Daily Bread 2011 – Thursday February 3rd, 2011 – Matthew 24:36-40 The Day and Hour Unknown 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. What Does This Mean? As Jesus starts to head toward Jerusalem, towards the cross, questions start surfacing as to the “end times”. Jesus points out that there will be many false messiahs who will claim to be the Messiah, but are deceivers. These false messiahs and fa

Daily Bread 2011 – Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 – Matthew 23: 1-4 Verse of the Day: 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. What Does This Mean? Jesus is reaching the end of his ministry, and the climax would lead to his going to the cross for the sins of the world. In some of his last public speaking, while he has mostly focused on the Good News and the message of salvation, he has some harsh words for the religious leaders. The bible tells us that those who preach, teach and lead God’s people are under a higher degree of accountability for what they do. In chapter 23, Jesus outlines several accusation against the Pharisees and teac

Daily Bread Together – Tuesday February 1st, 2011 – Matthew 22: 8-10 Verse of the Day: “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. What Does This Mean? In each of the last several chapters Jesus uses parables to illustrate truths about God’s kingdom. In the parables, Jesus used examples in the natural world to bring further illumination to spiritual principles. Though the parables were short and simple, they had profound meaning. Parables were a commonly accepted teaching method in Jesus’ day, because they were easily repeatable. There is a danger in trying to give meaning to every line of the parable, but instead the parables have a “punchline” which drives home its main point. All three