May 24, 2009

Christ the Controversialist

From Series: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 1

by Alistair Begg

The popular image of Christ is that of a gentle and compassionate man, but He also exposed error and denounced sin, boldly confronting the hypocritical religious leaders who were confident in their own righteousness. Alistair Begg teaches us that any attempt to make ourselves acceptable before God is a worthless endeavor.

Mark 2:18-22

A Question About Fasting

¹⁸Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁹And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. ²¹No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. ²²And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”3

Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.

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Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, which is heard on the radio and online around the world.

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 1

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

The first two chapters of Mark reveal Jesus as He interacted with those around Him, including His enemy, the devil. We are reminded that Christ’s arrival onto the stage of human history was a redemptive event that was ordained by God. As Alistair Begg takes us through this section of Scripture, we discover that Jesus deals with a common theme – sin. Whether we are indifferent towards sin or think that our goodness neutralizes our sin, every person must realize that we are lost apart from the forgiveness available in Christ.

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
The Beginning of the Gospel ID: 2665	2665	Mark 1:1-8	DVD CD
A Man with a Message ID: 2667	2667	Mark 1:1-8	CD DVD
Jesus: Baptized, Tempted ID: 2669	2669	Mark 1:9-13	CD DVD
Jesus: His Message and His Mission ID: 2671	2671	Mark 1:14-20	CD DVD
A Day in the Life of Jesus, Part One ID: 2677	2677	Mark 1:21-39	CD DVD
A Day in the Life of Jesus, Part Two ID: 2678	2678	Mark 1:21-39	CD DVD
Restored and Forgiven ID: 2679	2679	Mark 1:40-2:12	CD DVD
Grace and Forgiveness ID: 2680	2680	Mark 2:13-14	CD DVD
Supper with the Savior ID: 2681	2681	Mark 2:15-17	CD DVD
Christ the Controversialist ID: 2684	2684	Mark 2:18-22	CD DVD
Sabbath Controversy ID: 2685	2685	Mark 2:23-3:6	CD DVD
Complete volume:	14101	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

Topics:

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 2

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

As Alistair Begg teaches from Mark 3 through 5, we are introduced to a variety of individuals, including Jesus’ motley crew of disciples, a suffering woman, and a naked, demon-possessed man. Their stories of radical transformation testify to Christ’s power. Mark’s parables and miracles remind us that, although life brings struggles, there is ultimately One who rules and reigns, and He will eventually make all things right.

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
Jesus Picks His Team ID: 2686	2686	Mark 3:7-19	CD DVD
Kingdoms in Conflict ID: 2689	2689	Mark 3:20-30	CD DVD
Jesus' True Family ID: 2690	2690	Mark 3:31-35	CD DVD
How Does God's Kingdom Grow? ID: 2691	2691	Mark 4:1-12	CD DVD
The Seed and the Soils ID: 2692	2692	Mark 4:1-20	CD DVD
Careful Listening ID: 2694	2694	Mark 4:21-25	DVD CD
The Kingdom of God ID: 2696	2696	Mark 4:26-34	CD DVD
Jesus Calms the Storm ID: 2697	2697	Mark 4:35-41	DVD CD
Jesus and Legion ID: 2698	2698	Mark 5:1-20	DVD CD
One Woman's Faith ID: 2701	2701	Mark 5:21-34	DVD CD
Do Not Fear, Only Believe ID: 2702	2702	Mark 5:35-42	DVD CD
Get Up, Little Girl ID: 2703	2703	Mark 5:40-43	DVD CD
Complete volume:	14102	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

Topics:

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 3

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

As Alistair Begg takes us through Mark 6 and 7, we see Jesus demonstrating His divine nature, calling stubborn people to faith and repentance. These accounts illustrate that the depravity of the human heart is the same today as it was when Jesus walked the earth. Some people are simply indifferent toward the Gospel, others are beguiled by their own lust, and still others place their confidence in religious externalism. Despite all of our contemptible ways, we who trust in Christ like a child will be healed, guided, and kept by the great Shepherd of our souls.

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
A Prophet Without Honor ID: 2710	2710	Mark 6:1-6	CD DVD
The Twelve Sent Out ID: 2712	2712	Mark 6:6-13	CD DVD
Be Careful How You Hear ID: 2713	2713	Mark 6:14-29	CD DVD
In Green Pastures ID: 2721	2721	Mark 6:30-44	CD DVD
Jesus Cares ID: 2722	2722	Mark 6:45-56	CD DVD
Scripture and Tradition, Part One ID: 2727	2727	Mark 7:1-8	CD DVD
Scripture and Tradition, Part Two ID: 2728	2728	Mark 7:9-13	CD DVD
The Heart Of The Matter ID: 2729	2729	Mark 7:14-23	CD DVD
Great Faith ID: 2730	2730	Mark 7:24-30	CD DVD
Drama in the Decapolis! ID: 2731	2731	Mark 7:31-37	CD DVD
Complete volume:	14103	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

Topics:

Jesus Christ

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 4

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

In Mark Chapters 8 and 9, Jesus’ followers struggled to understand who He really was and the implications of His mission. Jesus patiently taught His disciples with the same grace that He shows us. Alistair Begg takes us through Jesus’ teachings on matters which are as applicable to us today as they were then: the cost of discipleship, sin, and hell. These discussions lead to the ultimate questions we all must consider: who is Jesus, why did He come, and what does that mean for us?

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
Do You Still Not Understand? ID: 2737	2737	Mark 8:1-16	CD DVD
And Now for the Rest of the Story ID: 2739	2739	Mark 8:22-32	CD DVD
Discipleship: the Conditions ID: 2745	2745	Mark 8:34-9:1	CD DVD
The Transfiguration, Part One ID: 2746	2746	Mark 9:1-8	CD DVD
The Transfiguration, Part Two ID: 2747	2747	Mark 9:9-13	CD DVD
Jesus Heals the Boy ID: 2748	2748	Mark 9:14-29	CD DVD
Lessons for the Twelve ID: 2749	2749	Mark 9:30-37	CD DVD
Us and Them ID: 2750	2750	Mark 9:38-41	CD DVD
Sin Is Serious, Hell Is Real ID: 2752	2752	Mark 9:42-48	CD DVD
Salted with Fire ID: 2753	2753	Mark 9:49-50	CD DVD
Complete volume:	14104	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

Topics:

Jesus Christ

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 5

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

In chapters 10 and 11 of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus revealed His eternal wisdom as He interacted with those around Him. In their normal pattern, the Pharisees sought to undermine the divine authority of Jesus by questioning His understanding of the law. The disciples, who thought they knew the purpose of Jesus’ mission, displayed great pride and ignorance by their actions. Others sought to prove to Jesus that they were righteous by their own merit. Alistair Begg shows us that God’s people should humbly receive the truth like a little child, knowing that without His grace we are helpless.

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
Divorce, Part One ID: 2822	2822	Mark 10:1-9	CD DVD
Divorce, Part Two ID: 2823	2823	Mark 10:10-12	CD DVD
Like a Little Child ID: 2824	2824	Mark 10:13-16	CD DVD
One Thing You Lack ID: 2825	2825	Mark 10:17-22	CD DVD
The Rich Young Ruler ID: 2826	2826	Mark 10:23-31	CD DVD
Not So With You ID: 2827	2827	Mark 10:32-45	CD DVD
A Ransom For Many ID: 2828	2828	Mark 10:45	CD DVD
"I Want to See" ID: 2829	2829	Mark 10:46-52	CD DVD
The Coming Kingdom ID: 2831	2831	Mark 11:1-11	CD DVD
In the Temple ID: 2832	2832	Jeremiah 7:1-11 Mark 11:15-19	CD DVD
Lessons From the Fig Tree, Part One ID: 2833	2833	Mark 11:12-14 Mark 11:20-25	CD DVD
Lessons From the Fig Tree, Part Two ID: 2834	2834	Mark 11:23-25	CD DVD
The Authority of Jesus ID: 2838	2838	Mark 11:27-33	CD DVD
Complete volume:	14105	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

Topics:

Jesus Christ

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 6

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

In Mark 12 and 13, Jesus was repeatedly confronted by those who sought to question and undermine His authority. One by one, He shut down their challenges with surprising answers that revealed His divine nature. Alistair Begg helps us see ourselves in these instances and points us to the One who can open our spiritually blind eyes. Christ, through His unchanging Word and the work of the Holy Spirit, will prepare and sustain His people until He returns in glory.

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
"This is About Us!" ID: 2840	2840	Mark 12:1-12	CD DVD
Render to Caesar... ID: 2841	2841	Mark 12:13-17	CD DVD
The Sadducees Question, Part One ID: 2843	2843	Mark 12:18-27	CD DVD
The Sadducees Question, Part Two ID: 2844	2844	Mark 12:18-27	CD DVD
Not Far From the Kingdom ID: 2845	2845	Mark 12:28-34	CD DVD
David's Son - David's Lord ID: 2848	2848	Mark 12:35-37	CD DVD
Beware and Be Aware! ID: 2850	2850	Mark 12:38-44	CD DVD
Mark 13 - An Introduction ID: 2888	2888	Mark 13:1-37	CD DVD
A Question For Jesus ID: 2892	2892	Mark 13:1	CD DVD
Signs of the End ID: 2893	2893	Mark 13:5-13	CD DVD
Be On Guard! ID: 2898	2898	Mark 13:14-23	CD DVD
The Coming of the Son of Man ID: 2899	2899	Mark 13:24-31	CD DVD
A Wake-Up Call! ID: 2901	2901	Mark 13:32-37	CD DVD
Complete volume:	14106	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

Topics:

Jesus Christ

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 7

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

In Mark 14, we see God’s hand continues to orchestrate His redemption plan, despite attempts to thwart Christ’s mission. The evil actions of men like Judas did not take God by surprise. We cannot always understand why God uses sin and affliction to carry out His will, but it is always for the ultimate good of His people. Alistair Begg shows us that even Jesus, in His humanity, asked His Father to remove the suffering that was planned for Him, but through His obedience, we are reconciled to God.

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
Whole-Hearted Devotion ID: 2903	2903	Mark 14:1-9	CD DVD
Deep-Seated Corruption ID: 2904	2904	Mark 14:10-11	CD DVD
Woe to That Man ID: 2906	2906	Mark 14:17-21	CD DVD
The Danger of Self Reliance ID: 2909	2909	Mark 14:26-31	CD DVD
Jesus in 3-D, Part One ID: 2920	2920	Mark 14:32-42	CD DVD
Jesus in 3-D, Part Two ID: 2921	2921	Mark 14:32-42	CD DVD
They All Left Him ID: 2931	2931	Mark 14:43-52	CD DVD
Jesus Condemned to Death, Part One ID: 2932	2932	Mark 14:53-65	CD DVD
Jesus Condemned to Death, Part Two ID: 2933	2933	Mark 14:53-65	CD DVD
Complete volume:	14107	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

Topics:

Jesus Christ

Other messages in: The Gospel According to Mark, Volume 8

Mark’s Gospel, the first to be written, emphasizes the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. In the pages of Mark’s account, we come to know Him as the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of God, the Risen Christ, and the Returning King. With nearly a third of the narrative dedicated to the passion and the resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark aims to persuade all who read to believe.

The final volume of this series brings us to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Alistair Begg reminds us that we can see a bit of ourselves in each person who played a role in the crucifixion story. We may be shaken in our faith like Peter, indifferent like Pilate, or frightened like the women who discovered the empty tomb. We too must deal with the fact that Jesus died to make atonement for sin, but rose again to reign in Heaven. What we do with this information is a decision with eternal consequences.

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Message	ID	Scripture	Buy
Peter Denies Jesus ID: 2937	2937	Mark 14:66-72	CD DVD
Jesus Delivered to Pilate ID: 2938	2938	Mark 15:1-5	CD DVD
Pilate's Dilemma ID: 2940	2940	Mark 15:6-15	CD DVD
They Crucified Him ID: 2943	2943	Mark 15:16-32	CD DVD
The Death of Jesus ID: 2944	2944	Mark 15:33-41	CD DVD
The Witnesses ID: 2945	2945	Mark 15:39-41	CD DVD
Jesus Was Buried ID: 2946	2946	Mark 15:42-47	CD DVD
He Has Risen! ID: 2947	2947	Mark 16:1-8	CD DVD
An Unusual Ending ID: 2948	2948	Mark 16:8	CD DVD
Complete volume:	14108	CD Series DVD Series MP3 CD Series

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Christ the Controversialist

A Question About Fasting