What He Said / What He Did
Throughout the years, a lot has been added to what it means to be a follower of Jesus. What would happen if we looked at Jesus through the eyes of those who saw and got to know Him for the first time? In this series, we will walk through the book of Mark. We will look at what He Jesus actually said. We’ll look at what He actually did. Then, we’ll know what it really means to follow Him.
What He Said / What He Did, Part 1
What He Said / What He Did | June 12, 2022
This morning we kicked off our new series in the book of Mark. What's so interesting about this book is that we know from the very first line who Jesus is and those who are reading this book know who Jesus is, but as the story unfolds nobody in the story knows who Jesus is. Our hope for this series, the challenge Pastor Dale has given himself and us, is that we would come open-handed and look for who Jesus really is. That we would look and listen to what he said or what he did, see and hear in a fresh new way, and come to know what it really means to follow Him. One of the ways we can do this is through Lectio Divina, or divine reading. It is a practice of reading and meditating on scripture so that we can know and follow Jesus better. Each week we will provide a Lectio Divina with a verse to pray through for the new week. Printouts are available in the worship center and the large chapel. We encourage you to pray through it as often as you're led and take note of what our Father is speaking to you.
What He Said / What He Did | June 19, 2022
In this series the challenge and opportunity for us all is to come open-handed and look for who Jesus really is, listen with fresh ears to what he said, and see with new lenses what he did. All so that we can know what it is to really follow Jesus. The verse we are studying this week is below: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:17-18 What Jesus doesn't say is "Come, I have a theological system which I would like you to investigate; I have certain theories that I'd like you to think over; I have an ethical system I'd like to discuss with you." Jesus simply says "follow me.”
What He Said / What He Did | June 26, 2022
This week, Danny Busch delivered an incredible teaching in our series looking at What Jesus Said and What Jesus Did. The passage we studied was Mark 1:21-34 and the authority of Jesus. Rather than impose His authority over others, Jesus offers something different. Jesus extends an invitation to everyone to accept His authority and live under his rule in the Kingdom of God. The authority Jesus offers gives us hope to believe, hope that in our darkest and most difficult moments, God sees us and is with us. When we accept His authority and when we believe and belong, there is a responsibility given to us to practice the way of Jesus and practice the values of the new kingdom. We are to go and share the good news with others, inviting more people into the kingdom, breaking down the barriers that might be keeping people from belonging in the kingdom. We are to use the authority Jesus gives us the same way we see Him use it, not over creation, but for creation, and for people.
What He Said / What He Did | July 3, 2022
This morning, Pastor Rob delivered an important and relevant message this morning. We looked at What Jesus said and did in Mark 1:35-45. Jesus was busy. He was teaching, healing, ministering. He knew what it was to have countless others needing him, wanting to spend time with him, things he had to do. While Jesus was undoubtedly tired, he shows us that what we need more than sleep, more than time to ourselves, is time with our Father. It is in relationship with our Father, in time spent with our Father, where we are replenished, where we are nourished, where our stress is exchanged for peace. It is where the demands on our lives can be prioritized by the one who knows exactly what should be done and what should fall away. It is time with our Father that gives us the strength to continue pressing on with the work that lies ahead. Pastor Rob encouraged and challenged us to choose a day this week and set the alarm for 15 minutes earlier than a typical day. In those 15 minutes, he invited us to pray through the Lectio Divina for this week. For those who weren't able to attend this morning or didn't get to pick up the Lectio Divina this week, you can find the digital version below.
What He Said / What He Did | July 10, 2022
This morning we looked at what Jesus said and did in Mark 2:1-12. In the scriptures, we read about four friends who with faith and determination, bring their paralytic friend to Jesus, dig through a roof, and lower their friend to be healed by Jesus. Jesus was moved by the faith of four ordinary men who didn't just believe Jesus could heal, they took action from that faith and not only witnessed a miracle, but also played a key role in the miracle taking place. "Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:4-5 The Lectio Divina verse for this week can be found at https://www.calvarylg.com/mark. We encourage you to pray through it as often as you're led, taking note of what our Father is speaking to you. What part of the story is our Father drawing your attention to? What does he want to say to you about it? Is there a step of faith he's asking you to take?
What He Said / What He Did | July 17, 2022
Today Pastor Steve Dang continued our series on Mark. This morning we looked at what Jesus said and did in Mark 2:13-17. Jesus chose Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. That evening, Jesus has dinner at Matthew's house with many tax collectors and sinners. Jesus tells us he did not come to call the righteous but the sinners. He shows us with his actions he was not concerned with simply changing the culture. Jesus was concerned with creating a culture, one of invitation and participation. How can we do this today? As followers of Jesus, how can we step into the invitation and participate? Pastor Steve gave us three steps with a question to ask ourselves in each step. 1. Creating the culture of Jesus begins by accepting the invitation of Jesus. Have you accepted the invitation to follow Jesus? 2. Creating in the culture of Jesus requires repentance. Is there a relationship that requires a humble u-turn in your life? 3. Creating the culture of Jesus is a journey of 1000 small choices toward philoxenia. Are we a steppingstone, a stumbling block, or completely silent to Jesus? We invite you to take time and seek our Father on the above. Allow him to speak to your heart and we encourage you to write down what you hear.
What He Said / What He Did | July 24, 2022
We love our Sunday mornings with you! Gathering with you and engaging with our Father, it sets the stage for a wonderful new week. The real goodness though, is what happens Monday through Saturday. As we are released into our weekly lives, our places of business, our communities, we have the opportunity to pour out and into others from what God has poured into us. Today Pastor Dale taught on Mark 2:18-22. How when we are connected with Jesus, His active presence brings freshness and newness each day. When we are submitted and following Jesus, he pours new wine into us, and we are made new in Him. We invite you to take time this afternoon and engage with our Father. Find a quiet space, grab paper and pen, and go through the Lectio Divina, or divine reading, on this week's verses. What new thing is our Father looking to do in you? What new wine does he want to pour into you? Allow him to speak to your heart and we encourage you to write down what you hear and pray through it. If we can be praying for and with you, we'd be honored to do so. Simply reach out to us at https://www.calvarylg.com/prayer.
What He Said / What He Did | July 31, 2022
As we looked at Mark 2:23-3:19 this morning, Pastor Dale unpacked a disturbing story. The Pharisees were at the Synagogue on Sabbath. They were in the very presence of Jesus, knew Jesus could heal and were watching him closely. They weren't there to worship him, looking to learn from Him, or watching with pure hearts for what miracle he would perform. Instead, they were there to scrutinize and criticize. They were looking for a reason to condemn. Their faith had drifted to a place where the very Messiah they were praying for to come was right in front of them and they didn't even see it. The risk to drift is a risk for all of us. It might be work that pulls us away, the business of our daily lives, a relationship, parenting, striving to achieve, the list is endless. What's behind it? We don't stop and ask "what has become first in my life?", "why am I doing this?". We miss God when we drift. Drifting pulls us away from our first love and pulls us away from how to love others. In our response time, Pastor Dale gave us time to engage with our Father and allow him to speak into our lives, to reveal if we've drifted in our lives. We invite you to sit with our Father now, to sit in the presence of the One who is present with you. Questions you can ask: Heavenly Father, will you reveal where I've drifted in my life? Father, where do you want me to begin? What do you want me to remember? What do you want me to repent of? What do you want me to redo? Who do I know that’s drifted and how can I help them get back to the beginning? Allow our Father to speak to your heart and we encourage you to write down what you hear and continue praying through it this week. If we can be praying for and with you, we'd be honored to do so. You can reach out at www.calvarylg.com/prayer.
What He Said / What He Did | Aug 7, 2022
This week, we had our dear friend and member of our church family, Patrick McDonald, teach us today. Patrick took us through Mark 3-13:16 as we looked at what it means to belong to God's family. While our valley and culture often point to achievements in our lives or our jobs to determine our value, in the Kingdom of God, our value and our identity are found in who we belong to. Questions Patrick encouraged us to ask ourselves and seek our Father's response on: What does it look like for you to be part of our church family? What could it look like on Sunday to become more involved at Calvary?
What He Said / What He Did | Aug 14, 2022
This morning, Pastor David Kim shared God's word for our church on the posture of our hearts as we looked at the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:1-20. Pastor David encouraged us to take a step that may be difficult, and that is to let our Father examine our hearts. Questions we can ask: - Heavenly Father, how is my heart? Will you reveal to me any areas where my heart is hard, shallow, or divided? - What do I need to change? What is the step you'd like me to take to replace what is hard, shallow, or divided with good soil?
What He Said / What He Did | Aug 21, 2022
This morning Pastor Dale taught on Mark 4:21-34. He encouraged us to seek our Father and receive the seeds of His Kingdom our hearts are in need of. What Kingdom seeds are you in need of? It may be: - Seeds of forgiveness - Seeds of grace - Seeds of hope - Seeds of a renewed spirit - Seeds of peace - Seeds to break roots of bitterness. We invite you to sit with our Father now and invite Him to speak to you. To reveal what seed you need from Him and to receive it. We encourage you to open your hands and through prayer, give Him what you've been holding onto, the pain, the disappointment, the frustration, the broken dream, the worry, the bitterness. Allow Jesus to take it and receive from Him the kingdom seed he wants to replenish and renew in you. As you receive from Him and as you're renewed, we encourage you to seek guidance on where and whom our Father is looking for you to spread His Kingdom seeds. Is there a next step He's inviting you to take this week?
What He Said / What He Did | Aug 28, 2022
Today we were joined by Pastor Dave Lomas from Reality SF. Pastor Dave continued our series in Mark 4:35-38 and we took a fresh look at what was happening when Jesus calmed the storm. What were the disciples' feeling? In a hurricane, their boat filling with water, as Jesus slept the disciples wondered and then woke him and asked "Don't you care?" It's a question we often ask when we face storms in our lives. Jesus, where are you? Jesus, don't you care? And yet, we know our Savior loves us beyond our understanding. So much so that he left his throne to not only be with us but to die for us. The opportunity before us today is to examine our hearts, to seek our Father and allow him to reveal what is keeping us from trusting him in the storms we face. We invite you to sit with our Father today and allow him to speak to your heart. Questions we can ask: Heavenly Father, will you speak to me about the storm I'm facing? What do you want me to know? What does it look like for me to trust you more in this season?
What He Said / What He Did | Sept 4, 2022
Pastor Dale took us through Mark 5:1-20, where Mark tells us a story about walls, walls that need to come down. Sometimes walls are people who have hurt us. It could be lies of the enemy you've come to believe. Or maybe it's traditions, things of the past you're holding onto, afraid or unwilling to let go and step into the new thing Jesus has for you. This afternoon we invite you to sit with our Father and invite him to reveal what walls are in your life that are blocking you. Questions we can ask: Heavenly Father, will you reveal the wall in my life that you're looking to break down? Will you show it to me now? What does breaking it down and stepping into the new thing you have for me look like?
What He Said / What He Did | Sept 11, 2022
This week, Pastor Rob took us through Mark 5:21-43. In the passages we see Jesus say and do what only he can - heal as only he can, resurrect what only he can. The question and the opportunity lies with us. Are we willing to reach out to Jesus and ask for his help? Are we willing to trust in his power to heal and to save not just us but our loved ones, our children, our parents, our broken dreams. We invite you to sit with our Father and allow him to speak to your heart. What is it in your life that Jesus wants to resurrect? Is there an area he's looking for you to surrender and trust in Him, His ways, and His timing? We encourage you to write it down and continue praying through it this week.
What He Said / What He Did | Sept 18, 2022
This week we were blessed to have our friend Patrick McDonald back to continue our series in Mark and take us through what Jesus said and did in Mark 6:1-6. In the verses, we see Jesus in his hometown, unable to do any miracles. The lack of faith was so strong, that it amazed Jesus. As followers of Jesus, there's a risk of getting complacent in our faith. We can go through the routines of our lives, even going to church on Sundays, and miss out on what God wants to speak to us, do through us, his purpose and plans for us. Our invitation is to seek the Father on what we can do this week to make ourselves more available to our Father. Questions we can ask: 1) Heavenly Father, will you reveal what I can do to make myself more available to you? 2) What can I do to make myself more aware of how you are working in my life or my community? We invite you to write down what you hear and tell a friend or loved one about it. Take that step today, tomorrow, and make a plan to connect this week and share how it went. Our Father has something special in store for you and how he wants to use you for His Kingdom.
What He Said / What He Did | Sept 25, 2022
This morning Pastor Dale took us through Mark 6:7-13. At this point in Jesus' ministry, his disciples have been with him for close to two years. They had witnessed Jesus' authority over nature, authority over the supernatural, and his authority over the physical. In each of those moments, there was a call to respond. Jesus implements his power and then asks for a response...a life of faith, mercy and peace. As followers of Jesus, we are called to respond. Our invitation today is to seek the Father on what he is asking us to respond to in our own lives. Questions we can ask: 1) Heavenly Father, what are you placing on my heart to do? Is there a place you're calling me to go? A step you're asking me to take? 2) Father, who have you placed in my life that needs a word of blessing? 3) Father, what do I need help with? Who would you like me to share this with and/or ask for help from?
What He Said / What He Did, Part 2
What He Said / What He Did pt. 2 | Nov 13, 2022
This morning Pastor Dale brought us back to our series in Mark where we looked at what Jesus said and what He did. Jesus listened moment by moment to the voice of the Father. It was a steady rhythm he modeled for us, critically necessary for us due to the noise that surrounds us along with an enemy whose desire is to steal, kill and destroy. Pastor Dale mentioned last week and reminded us today, the goal of the Christian life is not to get to heaven, but to bring heaven to earth. We can only do this when we spend time meeting and engaging with our Father. It's in that quiet place when we hear his whispers, that compassion is activated in us. It is when we hear what God is saying, receive his guidance on what he's asking us to do, and then take action, that we live out our calling as sons and daughters. We invite you to spend time with our Father this evening and seek Him on what he wants to say to you and what action he's asking you to take. As you hear His whispers, we encourage you to write down what you hear. Finally, we invite you to pray the following prayer taken from Psalm 23: Lord you are my shepherd, your provision leaves me lacking nothing. You lead me to and provide for me, the greenest pastures, the quietest waters. Both of these refresh my soul. You guide me along the right paths for your purpose and your plan. Even when I walk through the darkest valleys, the most difficult times a person can face, I am free from anxiety because you are with me, and stay with me to the other side. You're directing and correcting comfort me. You have blessed me beyond what I deserve, and you keep reminding me that I am your child. I am confident that your goodness and your love will stay with me every day I have remaining as we are with each other forever.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 2 | Nov 20, 2022
This week we continued our series in Mark looking at what Jesus said and what He did. As we looked at Mark 6:45-56, we saw how Jesus went away to be with God. Whether Jesus had experienced a season of success, a season of desperation, or even a season when the people were trying to force him into their expected role of him as their king, Jesus pursued time with His father. Jesus was seeking alignment with the heart of God. He wanted to be who the Father wanted him to be, to do what the Father wanted him to do. That required heart alignment which can only come with time spent with the Father. Pastor Dale invited us to spend time with the Father and seek his heart. Questions you can ask: Father, what are my expectations of you? Is there something I'm holding onto that you want me to let go to you? Is there a storm I'm facing that you're waiting for me to invite you into? Is there an invitation you have for me to take a next step, to take action for you? Will you reveal it to me? As you hear His response, we encourage you to write down what you hear and invite you to continue praying through it this week.
What He Said / What He Did, Part 3
What He Said / What He Did pt. 3 | Jan 15, 2023
This week, we looked at Mark 7:24-30 and a parable that for most of us, is confusing. In it, we see Jesus interact with a Gentile woman who came to see Jesus for help for her daughter. On the surface, it appears Jesus insults the woman. But as we look deeper, we see a beautiful story unfold that reveals the beauty of the gospel, the redemption plan for the world, and how a person who others would view as on the outside and in the margins of life, who really understands Jesus. This woman comes to Jesus. She believes in Jesus. She understands what's possible in Jesus and in her faith and action, she receives it.
In John 6:28-35, Jesus says two things:
Come to me…Never grow hungry
Believe in me…Never go thirsty
These two things are linked – both are essential. You can have plenty of water, but no food will kill you. You can have plenty of food, but no water will kill you. What our Gentile friend shows us is how they always should be intertwined and interdependent.
She came to Jesus
She believed in Jesus
You may be feeling that you're in the margins. You might be feeling unheard, unseen, unloved. We want you to know, nothing could be further from the truth. You are seen. You are known. You are loved. That may be difficult for you to receive. We invite you to spend time with our Savior so that he can speak this truth directly to you. Jesus sees you – what do you want to say to him? We encourage you to go to Him in prayer right now and ask Him to share what's on His heart for you, what he wants you to know.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 3 | Jan 22, 2023
Today we continued our teaching in Mark, looking at 7:31-37, where we looked at the power of mercy. The people knew Jesus could heal and they took their friend who could not hear or speak to Jesus and begged him to heal again. Jesus does so intimately. He pulls the man aside, communicates to him in a way the man could understand, pointing, touching, and then sets him free. He heals him.
What we see in Jesus is a powerful model of how we are to engage with others - in love, in compassion, in mercy. The ability to engage in this way comes out of spending time with Jesus. When we walk with Jesus, speak with Jesus, listen for His voice, seek His perspective and guidance on what he wants us to do and say, it changes our response. It moves us from fear, anger, and criticism to peace, forgiveness, compassion, and hope. When Jesus is in the middle of something, it is good. Something new and restorative should happen. Reconciliation should happen. His will should be done. And as in creation, it is good.
You may be in a situation where you're feeling hurt, angry, or let down. You or someone in your family may be dealing with a crisis that feels hopeless or as though things will never change. We invite you to spend time with our Savior so that he can speak into what you're experiencing. Jesus is with you. He is filled with compassion and wisdom. He knows just what you need and the step he wants you to take, but it requires going to him and listening for his voice. We encourage you to go to Him in prayer right now and ask Him to share what's on His heart for you, what he wants you to know, and what step he wants you to take.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 3 | Jan 29, 2023
Today, our friend Patrick McDonald continued our teaching in Mark as we looked at 8:1-21. We see the disciples who having been with Jesus, having heard firsthand what He said and seeing firsthand what He did, still don't get it. We see the Pharisees approach Jesus with hard hearts trying to prove Jesus was wrong. What we learn from Jesus is that we need to be alert and pay attention to our hearts. We live in a culture and a time where it's so easy to make everything about us and how we want things to be - our thoughts, our opinions, our preferences. Instead, Jesus is asking us to make our lives about Him. He invites us to spend time with Him and to allow our hearts to be aligned to His.
We invite you to spend time with the Father and seek his revelation on one question:
Father, where is my heart being hardened?
As you hear His response, we encourage you to write down what you hear and invite you to both pray and act on what you heard.
What He Said / What He Did, Part 4
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | June 4, 2023
What a blessing to have our friend Patrick McDonald teach us as we looked at what Jesus said and what he did in Mark 8:22-26. Patrick spoke with us about spiritual sight, which can only come from Jesus. To gain this spiritual sight is a process. We must be intentional about it, about our spiritual growth, and we need a community to support it.
Patrick challenged us to identify one thing we can do to be more intentional about our growth in Jesus. We invite you to spend time with our Father this evening and ask him to reveal what he'd like you to do this week to set your heart and mind on Jesus so that you can be in a place and a posture to receive spiritual sight from Him. We encourage you to write down what you hear, share it with a friend or loved one, and commit to taking that step this week.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | June 11, 2023
Today Pastor Dale took us through Mark 8:27-38, and we looked at what some call “A War of Myths.” As we know myths, rumors, and ideas get spread in a variety of ways. This is true for us today with social media, podcasts, the news, and has been true throughout history with writings, stories, and fables that have been passed on. The myths and stories are deepened through our family of origin, human interaction, and living from relative truth. We look to people to verify the myths and stories we've come to believe and we also bring these ideas and stories to how we approach the Bible.
The Bible was written for us, not to us. It is God's story. As we see scripture for what it is, the story of God, we get to know God. More than simply reading a book, to understand what God is saying to us, we need to know how to read the Bible. With that, we are so excited to announce the launch of our digital course on Biblical Literacy.
In this course, you’ll have the opportunity to discover more of what the Bible is about, how to approach it with consistent integrity, and develop a life that is shaped and empowered by the amazing story of God. Hosted on the Teachable platform, you’ll discover video teachings from Pastor Dale, opportunities for reflection, practice, and more.
For those who were able to come in person today, you received a workbook and quick instruction guide to access and get started in the course. Please note, the URL on the instruction guide included “www.” That was a mistake and we apologize. The correct URL to access the course on teachable is https://calvarylg.teachable.com.
We will have the workbooks available on Sundays for those who haven't yet received one. The resources are also available online and can be found at www.calvarylg.com/courses.
This is a course we are asking our entire church to take. Whether you're new to reading the Bible or have read it hundreds of times, we believe these teachings will allow you to go deeper in your relationship with the Lord as you gain tools and resources to further understand His word.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | June 18, 2023
If you've been to Calvary a few times, it's likely you've heard us say that the Bible was written for us, but not specifically to us. That to understand what God is saying, requires a bit of work. We saw a powerful example in this morning's scripture and Pastor Danny's teaching. In Mark 8:38, Jesus says "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
In our culture and context, shame is awful. It's a horrible and painful feeling of humiliation or distress. Shame is something that has become intertwined with our identity, with who we are, and something we've been conditioned to avoid at all costs. So when we apply that view to our King, to the Son of Man being ashamed of us, without a closer look we can interpret what God is saying and even who God is incorrectly.
In the biblical context, shame refers to being disgraced, bringing on "fitting" shame that matches the error of wrongly identifying (aligning) with something. It is Holy Spirit in us, convicting us, letting us know our behavior is not in alignment with who we are created to be. It is a process of sanctification where God is shaping us, through the work of the Holy Spirit, into the kind of person who lives within the Kingdom of God and reflects the King.
Our culture has encouraged us to define our identity with things that were never meant to be our identity - our jobs, possessions, passions, roles as spouses, parents, friends. The myth Jesus calls out is any identity outside of who we are as children of God is out of alignment with the way of God. Jesus is saying if we hang on to worldly ideologies, the things we enjoy doing, the roles and responsibilities we carry, things other people say about us, if those things are most important in our lives over and against what God says about us and who he designed us to be, our identities will fall apart.
Our identity is not just that we imitate Christ, but as we follow him faithfully, the form of Jesus takes form in us. This becomes our new identity which gives life to every other part of our life.
How do we do this?
To be with Jesus, be like Jesus and do what Jesus did, requires denying ourselves. It is taking up the cross in a daily posture, listening with sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and obeying His guidance. It's a posture we assume over our lifetimes.
As we are with Jesus, as we read our Bible, as we study it (Biblical Literacy), as we pray and worship
As we are being like Jesus, practicing the things Jesus practiced; generosity, service, solitude, fasting
As we do what Jesus did we are actively denying ourselves
Jesus did this. He went first. And following his example draws us into the realities of the kingdom he experienced on earth and for eternity.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | June 25, 2023
This morning, our friend Pastor Andrew West continued our series in Mark as we looked at what Jesus said and did in Mark 9:2-13. In the scripture, we see Jesus take three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, to a high place. Jesus is transfigured before them and God the Father speaks saying, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”
There are so many voices trying to influence what we think and what we do. God the Father is directing us, there is a singular voice we're to listen to above all others. To follow Jesus, we need to obey him. To obey him requires hearing what it is he wants us to do.
The words of Jesus are words of life that help us through every season. When life is good, when life is hard, when we have joy, when we have pain. The reality is, we will face hard times. We live in a broken world. And it can be incredibly difficult when Jesus doesn't remove the pain we're in the way we want. But what Jesus does provide is what we need in the midst of that pain. He will let us see the purpose in that pain and what he will make from that pain. So we listen to him. We hear him. We trust his words of life and that he will give us strength even in the land of death.
To hear him we must be with him. When we are with him, we must listen to him. When he speaks, we must act. Where he leads, we must go. In all seasons, in all times, in everything, we listen to him.
Pastor Andrew gave us practical advice to begin stepping into this. The invitation is to practice listening to God this week, to be intentional and set aside time. The other piece of it is to do what He's asking of you. To listen and obey. For some, setting aside time to listen to the Father may be new. For others, a common practice. For us all, the invitation is to make space to hear his voice and step into what he's asking us to do. A simple prayer you can pray to begin the conversation:
Father, as I come before you, I ask you to still my heart and quiet my mind. Father, I want to hear your voice. I want to be led by you. I ask you to give me ears to hear and courageous feet to follow wherever you may lead. Father, what would you like to say to me today?
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | July 2, 2023
What a blessing to come together this morning and hear from Pastor Rob as we looked at what Jesus said and did in Mark 9:14-29. In the scripture, we see a Father who is desperate to see his son freed from a demon. He comes to Jesus and in verses 22-24 we see the following exchange: "But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
This man is in the presence of Jesus, the author of faith, and Jesus calls him to trust him. When this story took place, Jesus had been in his public ministry for three years and word had spread about his ability to heal and do the miraculous. The father had every reason to believe Jesus could heal his son. He just wasn't sure if Jesus would be compassionate enough to heal his son. So, he responds in honesty, and says, “I believe - help my unbelief.”
Each of us who follows Jesus has some level of authentic saving faith in our hearts, but the level of our faith is not constant. There are moments where our faith is assaulted by the enemy and sometimes our faith is barely hanging on and we make the prayer this man made to Jesus.
The strength of our faith can never be put on automatic pilot. When we face a formidable foe it's not enough simply to depend on the reservoir of faith that we have in our souls. We must stay close to God - immerse ourselves in His word, in worship, in prayer.
Pastor Rob provided many wonderful opportunities to deepen our prayer lives.
Friday morning prayer, in the chapel, 8:30 am
Sunday morning pre-service prayer, in-service, 8:15 am
Sunday morning response time, receive prayer or volunteer to pray for others
Attend Novo Prayer Cohort this fall
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | July 9, 2023
Pastor Steve Dang took us through what Jesus said and did in Mark 9:30-41.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | July 16, 2023
Today Pastor Dale walked us through what Jesus said and did in Mark 9:42-50. In the passage, Jesus talks about causing another to stumble.
"If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea..."
To stumble means to scandalize, to throw off another because of one's action, often causing them to sin. Jesus is giving a warning to his followers. His Kingdom is one of compassion and empathy. It is a Kingdom where followers serve one another, a Kingdom where people are to be at peace with one another.
This past spring we spent time looking at Emotionally Healthy Relationships. In one of the teachings Pastor Dale covered the need to:
Stop Mind Reading
Clarify Expectations
When we mind read and live with un-clarified expectations, covenants are broken. Stumbling happens. Relationships, families, communities of faith are in trouble. Stumbling can happen at any time. There may be people in our lives causing us to stumble or we may be causing others to stumble.
The invitation for us all is to seek the Father and ask him to speak into this. Ask the Father to reveal if you may be causing someone to stumble and what action step he'd like you to take. If there's something or someone causing you to stumble, seek His guidance on how he'd like you to move forward. He may be asking you to forgive, to reach out and have a conversation, or to continue praying with him about it.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | July 23, 2023
Pastor Dale took us through Mark 10:1-12 and we looked at a topic that statistically, has likely touched most if not all of us, the divorce of marriage. We may have experienced it personally, through friends, our parents. The passage is one that without context, without biblical literacy, can lead us to the incorrect conclusion. With that in mind, Pastor Dale took us through the passage unpacking:
The Value of Context
What was happening in context of the book/letter we read
What was happening in other places in scripture
What was happening culturally at the time it was written
We then looked at love and marriage through God's eyes and saw what he intends it to be. The real essence of the passage is that Jesus was insisting that the loose sexual morality and deference to covenants of His day be mended. Those who sought marriage only for pleasure were to be reminded that marriage is also for responsibility. Those who regarded marriage simply as a means of gratifying their physical passions and personal gain were to be reminded it was also a spiritual unity.
Whether you were able to attend in person or not, due to the complex nature of the topic, our experiences, and the passage, you may have questions. If that's you, Pastor Dale welcomed all to reach out to him to set up some time and discuss more. You may reach him by emailing him at dgustafson@calvarylg.com.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | July 30, 2023
Pastor Dale took us through Mark 10:13-31. It's a passage you may be familiar with, about a wealthy man who comes to Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. This man has tried to live a life that will please the Father, that will earn his way to eternal life. He has kept the commandments. And yet he knows something is missing in his pursuit so he asks Jesus what he can do. Jesus tells him to sell everything he has, give it to the poor, and follow Him. The man's face falls and he walks away from Jesus sad.
For this man, the issue wasn't just the money. It was what was behind the money. The man's identity and security were found in his wealth. He was trusting in it and placed value in it. In his heart, the man was trusting his wealth to be his Savior.
Each of us has something in our lives we are trusting to be our Savior. We can love Jesus and still have something our identity is anchored in for our value, that we've made an idol above Jesus. It could be our wealth, our job, our role as spouses or parents.
We invite you to spend time with our Heavenly Father today and seek His voice, His revelation on any idols that may have a grip on your life. A question you can ask:
Heavenly Father, I love you. I want to follow you with all of my heart and life. Will you reveal any idols I've placed above you in my life? What step would you like me to take to give you this place of honor?
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | Aug 6, 2023
Today Pastor Danny took us through Mark 10:32-45. Jesus is foretelling his death for the third and final time. Two of his disciples, the sons of Zebedee, make a request to sit on his right and left in His coming Kingdom. James and John are making a power move. In their minds, sitting at the right and the left next to Jesus on the throne would inherently mean ruling over people. Jesus has tried to make it clear - The power the world seeks is over people. The power the Kingdom seeks is to be for people.
As we see in verses 43-44, "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all."
The way of the Kingdom is not power over people. It is service for the people. The picture of a servant is not easy work, but because we saw Jesus do it for us and because we have the Spirit living inside us, it makes it possible for us to do that work.
Part of what Pastor Dale identified at the night of vision and prayer is that the church, the global group of people, needs to rebuild. Specifically for us, the group that makes up Calvary Church there were 3 things he encouraged us to press into in order to rebuild and renew. As we finish up summer and head into fall, we are all invited to practice the way of Jesus.
Serve - Practicing the very way of the Kingdom in order to shape an alternative culture to the culture we live in that says "you do you." To find current opportunities to serve, we invite you to fill out the connect card and write "I'd like to get involved" at calvarylg.com/welcome.
Hospitality - Entertaining those we don't know, shaping an alternative culture to the culture we live in that says relationships are a means to an end.
Generosity - Giving back to God from what He gave to us, shaping an alternative culture from the culture we live in that says collect as much as you can for yourself.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | Aug 13, 2023
Today our friend Patrick took us through Mark 10:46-52. If we read the passage in isolation, the importance may be seen as the miracle in and of itself, of Jesus healing a blind man. As we've been learning over the summer with the biblical literacy course, when we go beyond the passage we're reading, observing what else we know about the book and the topic at hand, we can get a deeper understanding of God's story. At this point in Mark, we’ve already read quite a few miracles, including a similar miracle where Jesus heals a blind man. Mark wrote about those miracles in the beginning of the gospel to show the reader who Jesus is. Why would Mark put this miracle of healing another blind man here?
When Mark writes this story, part of what he’s saying is do not miss this. The disciples expected the Messiah to look one way, to be this Messiah King, which likely looked like overthrowing the Romans. Instead, through these passages and through this miracle, Mark is emphasizing it’s not about our expectations or what we get out of the experience. It all comes down to the most important reason why Jesus came; to die and rise again as a ransom for you and for me, for the forgiveness of sins.
Bartimaeus recognizes he has something he cannot heal himself. He recognizes Jesus as Messiah. That is what Mark wants us to see. We have a choice just like every person. Who do we believe Jesus is? What do we understand about his identity? How are we going to respond?
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | Aug 20, 2023
Today Pastor Dale took us through a strange passage in Mark 11. It’s strange because it records the very last miracle Jesus does in the Book of Mark and it's not a healing or exorcism which has filled this book since Chapter 1. It's a curse. This final miracle of Jesus doesn’t bring life, it brings death. Jesus kills a fig tree by speaking to it.
Today's text in Mark 11:1-26, gives us a unique glimpse into what Jesus desires for His church, for us as His church. In the text, a specific phrase was used.
"The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.” - Mark 11:12 NIV
This hunger was about more than food. This hunger was about his desire, his longing for his brothers and sisters to do His Father’s will. From Genesis chapter 12, when God called Abraham and said “I’m going to bless you to be a blessing to the Nations.”, this is the longing of Jesus. The question we may naturally ask is, how does this fit into Jesus cursing a fig tree?
In Old Testament literature, the fig tree was a symbol of Israel and more specifically, the Temple in the middle of Israel. It represented the place where the presence of God dwelled, where God was with His people, and they had fellowship with Him. So when the text says Jesus is hungry and goes to look for fruit on a fig tree, it's about more than just this tree. It's about the temple, the purpose and the significance of the temple.
From a distance, the tree looked to have the promise of fruit. It didn't. Jesus curses the tree because though it looks like it has life and growth, fruit and activity, it doesn't. It's dead inside.
Jesus desires His followers to do more than go through the motions of life. Doing so is like a fig tree that seems alive and healthy but doesn't actually bear fruit. He desires for us to be a people who live out our identity as followers of Him. This requires honesty with God and with others. It requires seeking forgiveness from God and forgiving others. This is the way of the Temple of God.
We invite you to sit with our Father and ask him to reveal if there is an area in your life where he'd like you to seek His forgiveness. We invite you to ask Him if there's someone he'd like you to forgive. Jesus has a hunger for you and for your life. Healing is available today. We invite you to step into prayer and receive the freedom and healing God has for you.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | Sept 10, 2023
This morning we experienced the blessing of Kristi Gill teaching about what Jesus said and did in Mark 12:1-12. In the scriptures we see Jesus telling a parable to the Pharisees. Jesus often used parables but didn't always explain them.
As we read Mark 12, we hear Jesus talk about an owner and tenants of land. As Kristi unpacked the verses, we saw this was so much greater than a story about land, it is a story of God's relentless pursuit to restore the entirely of his creation by sending His son.
In 12 verses, we are given the story of God’s relentless, unwavering, never ending pursuit of us. A pursuit, a hope and a future, all made possible through His son Jesus. When we choose a relationship with Jesus, we are grafted into his authority. An authority that is complete and over everything. Over every detail of what is happening in our world, in our town, in our families, in our lives. Jesus has authority overall all of it.
Kristi encouraged us to to mediate on these words from Jesus:
“I have told you these things so that in me, you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world.”
As you meditate on these words, consider what is going on in your life: what is bringing you anxiety or pain or confusion? Where is the road uncertain or the questions unanswered? Knowing Jesus is the owner and authority over everything, what does it look like to lay that at his feet and hear him respond to you with “I am the authority over that, too.”
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | Sept. 17, 2023
This week, Pastor Dale continued our series, teaching on what Jesus said and did in Mark 12:12-17. In the verses, we see the Herodians and Pharisees try and trap Jesus by asking if the people should pay taxes to Ceasar. Jesus responds with an answer that amazes them, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s." Jesus draws a sharp distinction between two kingdoms and two identities and asks the question “Which one are you in the image of?”
In a culture that says "You be You," we are invited into this same question. It is a matter of identity. Your identity is not something you create, it is who you desire and how you express yourself. When you realize you belong to God, the ideology of “you be you" becomes “God be God in Me.” The Bible, God's story, tells us exactly who we are.
You are sought after - Isaiah 62:12
You are precious in His sight - Isaiah 43:4
You are a new creation in Christ - 2 Corinthians 5:17
You are forgiven - Colossians 1:18
You are loved - 1st John 3:1
You are accepted - Romans 15:7
You are a child of God - John 1:12
You are Jesus’ friend - John 15:14
You are free - John 8:36
You are the temple of God - 1 Corinthians 6:19
You are God’s treasured possession - Deuteronomy 7:6
You are complete in Christ - Colossians 2:10
You are called - 2 Timothy 1:9
You are an ambassador of the most high God - 2 Corinthians 5:20
You are God’s masterpiece - Ephesians 2:10
You are more than a conqueror through Jesus who loves you - Romans 8:37
We invite you to spend time this week, meditating on the verses above, praying through them with our Father, and asking Him to show you what it looks like to live life in this identity.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | Sept. 24, 2023
This morning Pastor Dale taught on what Jesus said and did in Mark 12:18-34. In the verses, we see a man ask Jesus, what is most important to God? Jesus answers, beginning with the foundation of who God is. God is love. Since God is love, Jesus instructs that we are to respond to that love by being like God, back to God. To love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our strength.
Heart - this is your affection and will
Soul - emotional identity, the integrated part
Mind - cognition
Strength - body
Jesus then takes the ask a step further and while the man asked for one command, Jesus gives two, with the second greatest command to love your neighbor as yourself. As Pastor Dale unpacked for us, love for God is affection towards God and action towards His will. It is loving God's commands and acting towards others out of that love. God's laws and love work together to hold love together.
It comes down to a posture of heart, soul, mind and strength. It is the intentions of our questions to God and each other. It is the laying down of our rights - for the beautiful, intertwined laws and love of God, over and over, every day.
We invite you to spend time this week and ask our Father to show you what it looks like to take a step towards him this week, to love his laws and others from that posture this week.
What He Said / What He Did pt. 4 | Oct. 1, 2023
Danny closed out our last few months of study in the book of Mark with a look at longing in Mark 12:35-44. In our culture, the concept of longing is becoming lost. With so much available on demand, we've become conditioned to avoid waiting and longing. It's become uncomfortable for us. If we were to place ourselves in the story of Mark, they were a people deeply longing for the Messiah to deliver them and rescue them. They've longed so intensely for the Messiah that it’s shaped everything about them, and it’s been intensifying for centuries.
They carried the expectation that the prophesied king would come as royalty and would conquer the earthly kingdom. This expectation wasn't unreasonable, but it was misguided. So when the man claiming to be the Messiah they'd been longing for, even preparing for, is a homeless man claiming to be God, we can understand the Pharisees confusion and even outrage. But because their longing was misguided, they missed the very thing they had devoted their lives to.
Jesus was revealing the way of the Kingdom of God and inviting them and us to let go of the need to control. To accept the reality and freedom that comes when we put Jesus in control. It is by laying down our desires, our longings, denying ourselves, and giving our longings to Jesus, that we find peace. It is where we find fulfillment. Paul calls it the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, that will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7.
We invite you to spend time this week and ask our Father to show you if there are any misguided longings in your life, if there is something he'd like you to lay down for him, and what next step he'd like you to tangibly take this week.
