Why should we worship Jesus?

Below is part seven in the "Vintage Jesus" Series that Pastor Mark Driscoll preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington.

Persevere Until The End

Life is hard. That's sort of a rather obvious statement no doubt. It is an obvious statement but also a very subjective one. Hardships are going to look very different from one family to another and also from one individual to another. What might seem like a difficult situation to one person might seem like a walk in the park to another. At times it seems as though it would be easier to just to give up and even give up on our faith. Given the difficult times many find themselves in, I just wanted to take some time to encourage the probably tens of people who read this blog.

I'd like to go to 2 Timothy chapter 4. At this point in Paul's life he has already been mocked, beaten, stoned, left for dead and now once again finds himself sitting in prison on the brink of death. At this point, I think I would have given up trying to encourage others but he starts out by encouraging Timothy and tells him to fulfill his ministry. While that my be encouraging to many, I think Paul's own example a little further in the chapter really hits home for me.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 reads as follows: 6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Wow, Paul is saying that the time of his death has finally come and given all that he has been through in his ministry he is still able to say those four words, "I have kept the faith". There never was a time in Paul's ministry where he made total shipwreck of his faith. There never was a time where he said, "this is to hard, I'm giving up on God because he allowed these difficult times to follow me throughout my ministry". Paul knew that he was saved by grace through faith and that faith he had was also given to him by God. So that not even he could boast in what he did.

Paul finishes up this section with the promise of a reward in Heaven that is given to those that have kept the faith. Let this be an encouragement to you to keep the faith when times are hard. God is sovereign, he knows all that is going on in your life and he will be walking with you every step of the way.

What Will Jesus Do Upon His Return?

Below is part six in the "Vintage Jesus" Series that Pastor Mark Driscoll preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington.

Where Is Jesus Today?

Part 5 in the "Vintage Jesus" series from Pastor Mark Driscoll. Mark is Lead pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle Washington.

I Would Have Never Guessed

I have been fight it for a long time, but a week ago I caved and finally got on facebook. Not sure why I was fighting it, I guess I just didn't want to get to involved in other peoples lives. Let me just say, I have been blown away.
I know what you're thinking,"Scott, it's facebook, it's been around for years welcome to 2009" I'm not talking about facebook as a social networking tool, I'm talking about the people I've been able to reconnect with.
I graduated from Byron Center High School back in 1996, go Bulldogs! During most of my high school experience I was a Christian, although not a very good one. Some of my classmates knew this and the ones that did know this didn't know that being a Christian meant that I was different. My testimony was not something that I was all to concerned about. Sure if some moral topic came up in conversation I took the position that my faith would require of me, and every once in a while I would pray over my lunch, but not to often. Sadly I can't even remember a time when I would share Christ with my friends. It saddens me to even write that.
Since graduation my life concerning Christ as changed dramatically. My relationship with Christ has become more and more real and deep. I've been more bold about my faith and would even come to consider myself a student of scripture. One day if the Lord calls me into full time ministry, I'm ready and willing to jump in.
So how has facebook blown me away? Well, it has not really been facebook, but the sovereignty and grace of God that has been extended to so many of my classmates of the last 13 years! It's so amazing to read their stories and profiles and see the work that God has done in so many of their lives. This last week has been one of encouragement to me and one of sadness. Encouragement because many of my classmates are now living lives fully for God and sadness because I've had time to reflect on my past high school testimony and realized I was a moron.
Thankfully God has shown me much grace over the last 13 years as well and now I have something greater in common with classmates that have turned into eternal friends!

Temptation Is From Within

The other day I tweeted about temptation but the more I thought about it the more I felt the need to write these thoughts down. Even if only I could refer back to them. So if you're reading and this at all helps to get the gears in your head working, awesome!
What brought to mind this topic was a weekly Bible study I do with a few friends. We just started the book of James, and it's been great. This is not the first time I've read the book of James or have even studied it for that matter, but this time was different. Two verses that I have read numerous times hit me right between the eyes like never before. The two verses 'm talking about are James 1:13-14, they read as follows: 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
I've read that many time and always I would come away with the fact that God cannot be temped or tempt. That was always it! The part that stuck out like never before was the part that reads "he is lured and enticed by his own desires".
Often times we here this from people when talking about their sin "the devil made me do it" or "Satan keeps attacking me with this or that" The point is, is that the root problem of our temptation is not Satan, it's our own sinful hearts.
Our temptation is a result of the true desires that dwell within our hearts. As sinful people we don't desire the things of God. We want to please ourselves by giving ourselves whatever it is that makes us happy in that moment. I think God knew what he was doing when he put the rest of this chapter together. Later in the chapter it talks about using the scriptures as a mirror to your life.
Does your life reflect the things that are taught in the Bible? Is it the things of God that flow from your heart. Do you desire what God desires?
When we desire to do what God desires for us, just like light in darkness, Gods desires will overcome or sinful desires. Then our temptations will be to do what God calls us to.

Did Jesus Rise From Death?

Below is part 4 in the Vintage Jesus series from Pastor Mark Driscoll, lead pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle Washington.