…Get off the couch and back to work.

This being the Christmas season where more emphasis is placed on Jesus and His birth I thought I would spend the next several posts returning to the roots of this blog by concentrating solely on the words of Christ with particular emphasis on how he tells us to live. For the most part I will let the words speak for themselves. I know that for those who believe that being a Christian just means taking an altar call and then laying back and letting the Lord’s grace flow over you these will be some difficult posts that you may want to just skip. But I hope you are at least struck by the number of times Jesus talked about how we should live our lives. Christianity is meant to be lived day-by-day. It is not just a one time event.

The first two posts will be from the Gospel of Mark. The next two will be from Luke. I will reserve Matthew and John for a later time.  

Mark 4:16-18

Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

  

Mark 4:18-20

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 

  

Mark 4:24

“With the measure you use, it will be measured to you — and even more.

Mark 7:6-8

Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.

 {personal note: Jesus was speaking of the Jewish establishment but these words are equally true today}

Mark 7:13

Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Mark 8:34

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. {personal note: the cross was the most tortuous means of death in Jesus’ day so I don’t think he meant these words to be enjoyable}   

Mark 8:36-37

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?