Introduction

• I Samuel 18:1

A good friend helps others see the truth.

• Proverbs 27:6, 9
• A true friend is willing to tell you the cold, hard truth.
• A good friend is not someone who always agrees with you.
• Esther 5:9-14 – What should Haman’s friends have said? They should have encouraged him to let this go. Instead, they encouraged him in his foolishness.
• If you have a friend that will tell you the truth, count your blessings! If you don’t have this kind of friend, is it because you are too intimidating?
• Proverbs 15:2 – The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable.

A good friend brings out the best in others.

• Proverbs 13:20; 27:17
• Proverbs 22:24 – Bad friends bring out the worst in you!
  • What if my friend always uses bad words at red lights?
  • What if my friend is always complaining?
  • Will we not tend to start doing the same things?
• Proverbs 16:28; 17:9
• Luke 15:6, 9 – Good friends rejoice together in spiritual things!
• Acts 10:24 – Cornelius called his friends and relatives to hear the gospel. That’s being a good friend!
• I Corinthians 13:6
• How have your friends influenced you? Do you think about spiritual things more? How do you dress and act? What kind of friend are you to them?

A good friend helps when it counts.

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – Friends make us stronger when trouble comes.
• Proverbs 19:4, 6
• Job 2:11-13 – Before they started speaking bad advice, Job’s friends were good friends.
• Proverbs 17:17
• John 11:19, 31-36 – In grief, good friends come to grieve with you.
• Romans 12:15
• Am I this type of friend?
• Are my friends true friends like this?
• II Timothy 4:16
• John 15:13

Mark 1

• Mark 1:1-8 – See Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3. Compare Matthew 11:10-15. John was to come in the spirit and power of Elijah.
• Mark 1:9-11 – See Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 3:21-22. Luke reports there was a bodily form for the Holy Spirit. It is not clear from the grammar if the form was like a dove or the form just descended like a dove. What is remarkable here is that all three persons of God are seen at the same time!
• Mark 1:12-13 – Jesus is tempted in the wilderness.
  • Tradition says the location was somewhere near Jericho.
  • Mark 1:13 – Compare I John 2:15-16; Genesis 3:6; Matthew 4:1-11. Satan is given several names in Revelation 20:2.
  • The temptations Jesus faced:
    • Lust of the flesh – Matthew 4:4. He answered from Deuteronomy 8:1-3.
    • Pride of life – Matthew 4:7. He answered from Deuteronomy 6:10-16. See also Exodus 17:3-7.
    • Lust of the eye – Matthew 4:10. He answered from Deuteronomy 6:10-16.
  • Temptation itself is not a sin (see Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was tempted but never sinned. Temptation only becomes a sin when we give in to it. James 1:12-15.
  • I John 1:7-9; 5:18 – God will cleanse us of our sins if we are baptized and continue to repent and confess our sins.
  • I Corinthians 10:13 – The faithful promise of God concerning temptation. The way of escape is God’s word (see Psalms 119:11). But in order to use God’s word to escape temptation, we must know God’s word!
• Jesus’ travels
  • Mark only records part of Jesus’ travels during his public ministry. We know from the gospel of John that Jesus traveled much more than this. He records that Jesus attended four Passovers in Jerusalem:
    • 30 AD – John 2:13
    • 31 AD – John 5:1
    • 32 AD – John 6:4
    • 33 AD – John 11:55; 13:1
  • Jesus would also have come to Jerusalem for three feasts every year.

Introduction

• Genesis 37:2-4

I can resist the lust of the flesh.

• Genesis 39:1-12 – Joseph was a young man, 17-28 years old, at this time. This was a tremendous temptation, but Joseph prevailed.
• Joseph’s reason for resisting was that he didn’t want to sin against God.
• I Timothy 4:12 – This is what God expected of young Timothy.
• I Timothy 5:2
• God doesn’t give us a pass because we’re young!
• II Peter 2:5-10
• Proverbs 1:10

I can strengthen my faith over the years of my life.

• Genesis 37:28
• Genesis 39:2, 20
• Genesis 41:15 – Joseph glorified God.
• Genesis 41:51-52
• Genesis 50:19-21
• Joseph maintained and strengthened his faith over his long life, despite all the difficulties he faced.
• Genesis 45:4-8

I can face death with peace.

• Genesis 50:22-26
• I Corinthians 15:35-49
• Joseph was a great example of how to live and how to die – trusting in the Lord.

First preaching journey (Acts 13-14), continued

Treated like Gods in Lystra (Acts 14:8-20)

Sustaining souls (Acts 14:21-23)

• Paul turned around and went right back to the places they’d been so terribly treated. He was interested in helping people – not about his own physical safety.

End: Antioch of Syria (Acts 14:24-28)

Meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-35)

Debating circumcision (Acts 15:1-6)

• The apostles led them to understand God’s will. Even Barnabas was involved in the debate.

Proof #1: Peter – Cornelius (Acts 15:7-11)

• See Acts 10:44-48.
• Acts 15:11 – Note the ordering here. He’s telling the Jews that our circumcision doesn’t matter either. We will be saved like them.

Proof #2: Paul and Barnabas – 1st preaching trip (Acts 15:12)

Proof #3: James – prophecy (Acts 15:13-18)

• Acts 15:16-18 – This is a quote from Amos 9:11-12.

Writing a letter (Acts 15:19-35)

Have respect for God’s arrangement.

• Acts 14:23
• Titus 1:4-5
• Acts 6:3
• The local church should follow the elders, not whoever complains the loudest.
• Hebrews 13:17

Esteem them highly.

• Hebrews 13:17
• I Thessalonians 5:12-13
• I Peter 5:1-5

Take responsibility instead of just blaming the elders.

• I Thessalonians 5:14 – Brethren are the ones being urged to action here – not just elders.

Remember that they are humans, not superhumans.

• I Timothy 3:2-7
• Titus 1:5-9
• We must be careful to not be too lenient or too strict with God’s qualifications for elders. After the many mistakes that Peter made, he was an elder!
• I Timothy 5:17-22

Free up the shepherds to shepherd.

• I Timothy 3:8-13 – Qualifications for deacons.
• Acts 6:2-6 – Were these men deacons? It’s not clear. Either way, their job was to free up the apostles to do their work.
• Not just deacons but all members should do their part to serve.