Hello, I`m Mark. Enjoy reading my profile. I hope to have the chance to read about you and your course comments, too.
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November 16, 2007
Why did Jesus´ penalty for "sin" need to include physical and emotional pain - why not just spiritual separation from God?
Jesus` sacrifice involved his total being. It involved his thoughts, emotions, body and spirit. These aspects of a person`s life cannot be neatly separated. Instead, they are all connected and part of what make us human. When Jesus becomes a man, he takes on human flesh and some of the limits that come with a body. Only upon death may a person`s spirit, emotions and intellect be freed from the physical body one has in this life-- and the Bible teaches that God gives new bodies in heaven. So Jesus suffers in body and in emotions, because this is part of who he is. He cannot simply offer up his life without injury or pain. Also, Jesus` sacrifice is consistent with the idea of sacrifice from the Jewish tabernacle and Temple. In order for sins to be forgiven, a person must offer a sacrifice-- usually an animal of some kind, and the priest would slay the creature. The animal`s blood was shed and it suffered and died. The animal`s life was given as a substitute for the person`s life so the penalty of sin would not be borne by the person seeking forgiveness by God. In a similar way, Jesus gives his life unto death as a substitute for my life and for your life. Ou sins are counted against Him rather than against us. His shed blood pays the price of mankind`s sin. God grants forgiveness to anyone who asks, because the debt of sin has been paid by Jesus for our sake.

By: Mark Lauer - November 16, 2007 - Public
Category: Timeline & Words - Final Hours of Execution
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November 13, 2007
"Was Jesus trying to incite his death (eg. temple cleansing, accusation of leaders?)

Jesus was on the mission he intended to fulfill. Was he trying to get himself killed" Not in any casual or offhanded sense, no. But, ultimately, he knew his death was part of his life and mission; therefore, in some capacity he knowingly walked into the events that would lead to the cross.

Through teaching and truthful disclosure about loving and knowing God, by working miracles, and by confronting the leadership of the day, he was led to his death and he did not resist it. I don't think he needed to intentionally "incite" his death, for he knew that human nature would simply lead others to put him to death if he just stuck to his message and mission.

He came to accomplish much, and certainly part of that mission was to give his life as a substitutionary payment for mankind's wrongdoing. By doing so, he makes the way for all people to be welcomed into the kingdom of God-- now and in the life hereafter.That might be an odd thought today. Rarely do we see anyone willing to go to jail in place of the criminal-- though we may see parents pay the fines of wrongdoing for their kids! In Jesus, the debt and penalty for any wrongdoing is paid for us by God, our Father. God is free to forgive and we are free to receive forgiveness. It's the ultimate transaction of priceless worth.


By: Mark Lauer - November 13, 2007 - Public
Category: Timeline - Final 1 Week
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November 09, 2007
"Which of these purposes do you believe Jesus accomplished?"
I think Jesus accomplished all these purposes-- that`s why the Bible records them! I find it profound that Jesus can do this so completely. He enters our world because of love for us. This love compels him to save us from our lost lives lived apart from and ignorant of God. He does this by teaching and demonstrating the good news of what life in God`s kingdom is like. He provides himself as the source of this good life for us, and he sacrifices himself for us ''his creation'' to pay our debt of wrongdoing. He thinks of all this from beginning to end. He thinks of what we need ''unity and love with God'', how we need it ''teaching that we can understand, examples the help us'', and he pays the price of our sinful behavior so it doesn`t stand in our way of coming close to God. How kind and gracious is the love of Jesus for us!

By: Mark Lauer - November 09, 2007 - Public
Category: Statements of Purpose
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November 09, 2007
How does Jesus link intimacy to him with obedience to him?" a "New" commandment?
Love proves itself through obedience. If I truly love Jesus, then my life should reflect that love through my embrace of  his teachings, guidance, and convictions. Most simply, I must therefore love others, as well-- just as Jesus has loved me. That is part of obedient love. I cannot love only God. True love of God leads me to love others. Loving others makes clear whether I truly love God and am willing to walk obediently with Jesus.

By: Mark Lauer - November 09, 2007 - Public
Category: Invite Me to be Close to You
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November 09, 2007
If you had a one-on-one meal with Jesus, what would you discuss?

Yikes! I am posting this reply late, but here goes...

I would want to listen for a long time. It is easy for me to think that I would want to ask for his wisdom and help to make decisions, or to ask what I should do with my life in the next few years. However, I think I would take the opportunity to listen first. It`s so easy to get focused on my own life and miss what he may want to say to me. I would ask Jesus to speak to me about anything he wished and then simply listen. From the gospels, I know Jesus` character and his way of talking with others, so I would expect that he would ask me questions that address my needs in life. He would ask questions that force me to examine my motives, emotions, goals, and my understanding of God and God`s Kingdom on earth. I think a discussion with Jesus would be the most engaging discussion I would ever have, and he would likely bring up the things I need to understand and deal with in my own life, as well as whatever encouraging words he wanted to offer or what of his own heart he simply wants to reveal. Jesus says in John`s gospel, I have called you friends. I`m glad to be his friend and share my heart and hear anything he wants to say.

By: Mark Lauer - November 09, 2007 - Public
Category: Invite Me to be Close to You
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