Soup Run

Last night our excellent Soup Run Team went out in the Kombi distributing a gigantic cauldron of nutritive chicken and vegetable soup to a very poor borough on the outskirts of Patos called 'Cangote do Urubu' (The Vulture's Neck). The team had made and cooked the soup in Ivy Dyer's Mum's Kitchen in the Care Centre in the afternoon and it was gratefully and joyfully received by all who queued up for the feast. They all received Gospel tracts too. We are proud to do all we do for Jesus!

I have finished writing my synopsis of the Book of Matthew with its 28 chapters. This means I have completed 40 Bible books, 957 chapters, and 80.5% of the Bible. Now on to the 16 chapters of Mark! 

Mark 1 (résumé): Jesus is the Son of God

Mark's Gospel is the shortest gospel and from the start points to Jesus being the Son of God. Initially Mark tells about John the Baptist's ministry preparing the way for Jesus preaching repentance. "I baptize you with water but he (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit". Then comes the baptism of Jesus by John in the River Jordan where the Spirit descended on Jesus "like a dove... and a voice from heaven confirmed Jesus' sonship". Then the Spirit sent Jesus for a 40-day spell in the desert where he was tempted by Satan "and angels attended him". John was put in prison but Jesus went to Galilee "proclaiming the good news of God... the kingdom of God is near". He then called 2 fishermen, Simon and Andrew, to follow him and immediately they "left their nets and followed him". Jesus then called James and John who also followed him. Jesus went to teach in Capernaum and people were impressed by his authority. Then a man with an evil spirit cried out and Jesus exorcised him much to the amazement of all. Jesus then went on to heal Simon Peter's mother-in-law as well as other sick people and demon-possessed people. Jesus got up very early to pray before going round the villages of Galilee preaching and driving out demons. Jesus then healed someone with leprosy and the man spread the news everywhere even though Jesus asked him not to.

Matthew 28 (résumé): The Resurrection & Great Commission

 At dawn on Sunday morning after the crucifixion Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the tomb. Then there was an earthquake as an angel came down, rolled back the stone and sat on it. The angel told the women not to be afraid, that Jesus was not there but had risen from the dead as he said he would. So the women raced to tell the disciples and on the way met Jesus! The chief priests paid the guards to say that the disciples had stolen the body. However the 11 disciples went to Galilee, and met and worshipped Jesus, but some doubted. Then Jesus said that "he had all authority in heaven and on earth... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit... and I will be with you always".

Matthew 27 (résumé): Th Death & Burial of Jesus

Judas was filled with remorse when he saw Jesus condemned to death so "he threw the 30 silver coins back into the temple and went and hanged himself". Then Jesus was brought before the governor Pilate who asked him if he was the king of the Jew and he answered yes. Then Pilate organized his customary Feast prisoner release offering the crowd a choice between a notorious prisoner Barabbas and Jesus and the high priests got the crowd to root for Barabbas! So Pilate washed his hands of the case and "he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified". Then the Roman soldiers mocked Jesus as the king of the Jews putting a crown of thorns on his head. They spat on him and hit him before leading him to be crucified, and having crucified him they divided up his clothes by casting lots, and 2 robbers were crucified each side of him. Jesus was mocked by everyone saying, "If you are the son of God come down from the cross!" Then everything became dark from the 6th to 9th hour and at the end of this period "Jesus cried out, My God why have you forsaken me?... and then he gave up his spirit... and the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom... and the earth shook... and many were raised from the dead... and when the centurion guarding Jesus witnessed everything he said Surely he was the Son of God". Then Joseph of Arimathea received the body via Pilate and placed it in his own new tomb and Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were near at hand. The tomb was made secure and sealed by the guard.

Matthew 26 (résumé): Two Days from the Passover

Matthew 26 brings us into the final days of Jesus' life with "the Passover just two days away" as the Lord prepares his disciples for what is to come as the chief priests and elders plotted intensely against Jesus. Then at Bethany Jesus was anointed with very expensive perfume which a woman poured on his head. Jesus refuted the disciples' criticism that it was a waste of money saying "she did it to prepare me for burial". Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and did a deal to hand Jesus over to them for 30 silver coins. Then on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread Jesus and the disciples began preparations for the Passover, and that evening Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me... but woe to the man who betrays the Son of Man... it would have been better for him not to have been born". Judas said, "It can't be me... and Jesus answered yes it is you". Then Jesus broke the bread and said: "Take and eat; this is my body... then he took the cup and said this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins". Then Jesus told the disciples that he would go ahead of them into Galilee after he had risen. Peter pledged allegiance but Jesus predicted he would disown him 3 times before the cock crowed. Then Jesus went with his disciples to Gethsemane where he prayed alone saying "Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me, but your will be done". When he returned to his disciples that were all asleep. Jesus prayed the same prayer 3 times. Then Judas arrived with an armed crowd and he kissed Jesus to point to them which one Jesus was for them to arrest him, and they seized Jesus, and "all the disciples deserted him and fled". Jesus was then taken before Caiaphas the High Priest and asked him if he was the Christ? "Yes it is as you say, Jesus replied". They then accused Jesus of blasphemy "worthy of death... and they spat in his face and struck him with their fists". Peter was nearby and three times his link to Jesus was questioned and he swore to them: "I don't know the man!" Immediately the cock crowed so "he wept bitterly".

Matthew 25 (résumé): More Parables

Matthew 25 starts with the parable of the 10 virgins who awaited a bridegroom at an evening wedding. The 5 foolish virgins took no spare oil for their lamps but the wise ones did. At midnight the bridegroom arrived but the foolish virgins' lamps were running out of oil so they went to buy some more and missed the bridegroom's arrival, the wise went in and the door was shut. "Therefore keep watch", concluded Jesus, "because you do not know the day or the hour". Next came the parable of the talents where a man went on a journey and left 8 talents invested through 3 servants, with one receiving 5 talents, the second receiving 2 talents and the third receiving 1. When he returned the first 2 had doubled their talents, but the one with only 1 talent just buried his talent and earned nothing. He was punished and thrown "into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth", but the other two were rewarded and shared their master's happiness. Moral of the story: don't bury your talent but use it and invest it in the kingdom of God! Finally Jesus envisages himself judging people by how they lived classifying some as sheep and the others as goats. He blessed the sheep because they had fed the hungry, watered the thirsty, welcomed the stranger, clothed the needy, and visited the sick and those in prison. Jesus then said that such action was in keeping with his kingdom and so it was as if they had done it for him! The goats failed however in all the points of service and compassion and so they received eternal punishment, whereas the sheep received eternal life.

Matthew 24 (résumé): Signs of the end of the age

Matthew 24 brings end time teaching from Jesus about the destruction of Jerusalem, his future second coming and the end of the age. This chapter is often called the 'Olivet Discourse' because it contains Jesus' teaching given on the Mount of Olives. Initially Jesus predicts the total destruction of the temple where "not one stone will be left on another". The disciples then asked about "the sign of Jesus' coming and the end of the age?" Jesus says there will appear false prophets who "will deceive many". He also prophesies "wars and rumours of wars" and "famines and earthquakes". Jesus also predicts persecution of believers who will "be persecuted and put to death", and of "many who will turn away from the faith". He says that "because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold... but who stands firm will be saved... and the Gospel will be preached to all nations". Next the text prophesies a period of great suffering in the Great Tribulation linked to "the abomination that causes desolation (see Daniel 9:27, 11:31 & 12:11) in the holy place... and there will be great distress unequalled from the beginning of the world... but for the elect's sake the period will be cut short". Jesus also warns about very convincing false Christs that will appear at this time. But "the son of man will come on the clouds with power and great glory" after the great tribulation. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away". So Jesus says that when the signs of his second coming appear so everyone should be prepared because two men will be together with one taken and the other left behind and the Son of Man will come at an unexpected hour. And "it will be good for the master to find the servant doing the work when he comes", but the complacent will be judged accordingly.