The Downtown Church // teaching

We can sell out too easily (Mark 14:43-41)

We often give up a great deal to follow Jesus. We give up relationships, careers... the list goes on. Often, there is a high cost to Christianity. He said as much, in fact (see Luke 9:57). It's shocking, though, how easily we give up when things get tough- we "buy in" at a high price and "sell out" for such a low cost. In this passage we see the reasons for some of this... and, perhaps, a cure. Don't give up so easily.

11-15-2009, We can sell out too easily, (Mark 14.43-51)

Willing Spirit / Weak Flesh (Mark 12:32-42)

We have three parts to us: spirit, soul, and body. Our spirit is "one" with Christ (1 Corinthians 6:17), but our soul is in the process of being transformed (Hebrews 10:14, Romans 12:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). At Gethsemane, Jesus experienced what we often face: a spirit that is willing to do the work of God, but a flesh that sees the obstacle. The solution? Learn to identify the three parts- and learn to live from the spirit, allowing the spirit to express itself through the soul and the body. 

11-08-2009 Mark 14.32-42 Willing Spirit _ Weak Flesh

Big assignment / Little Steps, Mark 14:26-31,66-72

We often feel that we are ready for a big assignment from God. The truth is... we may know the call that God has on us. However, we may not yet be ready. God must often grow us and do something to us before He can do something through us. Big assignments happen by taking small steps.

Click here for the notes: Download Mark 14.26-31 pdf

Click here for the audio: 11-01-09 Mark 14.26-31, Big assignment, little steps

Afikomen, Mark 14:12-25

Often Jesus seems hidden- as if He has disappeared, nowhere to be found. In this passage, we look at a brief piece of the Passover feast, a peace of the bread... which symbolized much about the presence of the Messiah- even if He couldn't be seen.

Click here for the audio (you may need to "right click" and "save as" on your desktop): 10-25-2009 Mark 12.12-25, Afikomen

Click here for the pdf download of Andrew's notes: Download Mark 14.12-25 Afikomen

Theologically accurate; practically experienced... but...

10-18-2009 Theologically accurate, practically experienced, but... (Judas)

Mark 14:10-11 contains a brief snapshot of Judas, one of the most complex characters we see in the New Testament. He was a man that was theologically correct, and had walked in the power of the Holy Spirit. There was tangible, good fruit to his ministry. Yet, he missed it in the end. What can we learn from him...?

Note: for the audio file you may need to "right click" and "save as" on your hard-drive.

Click here to download notes from a previous blog post on this site: Download Mark 14.10-11

Mark 14:1-9 // Overflow

Text: Mark 14:1-9 (Focal passage. See also the parallel accounts in Matthew 22:6-13, Luke 7:36-50: John 12:1-8).

Theme: Worship is an overflow of what God has done for us. Often, we, like Simon the Pharisee/ the Leper, fail to see 1) our condition and redemption. We 2) focus on others- and their conditions needing redemption. We see Jesus as an equal rather than as the Healer and Deliverer that changes all things.

Click here for the audio: 10-11-09 Overflow (Mark 14.1-9)

Click here for the notes: Download Mark 14.1-9- PDF

Watching (Mark 13:33-37) // Intro to month of prayer

Watching is an action whereby we enter into the spiritual realm, fighting to beckon certain things into the Kingdom of God- and fighting to keep other things out. Furthermore, Jesus declares that He has given us the authority to act as such gatekeepers to the King- dom.

Note: the audio for this sermon did not record. This link will provide you with the Download Mark 13.33-37- PDF.

The abomination of desolation (Mark 13:14-31)

Rather than watching for the abomination of desolation in the future, we should watch ourselves- and make cure we don’t let the things creep into our lives that destroy worship now: convenience, relevance, other priorities...

Click here for the notes: Download Mark 12.35-44

Click here for the audio file: Download 09-20-2009 Mark 13.14-31, The abomination of desolation

Insignificantly significant (Mark 12:35-44)

(Andrew teaching) The religious elite of Jesus’ day focused on themselves and their own significance in the eyes of each other. As a result, they devoured the very people they were called to serve. It is only when we abandon our quest for personal honor and gain that we can truly do something monumental.

Download 09-06-2009 Mark 12.35-44 (audio file)

Download Mark 12.35-44 (study notes- you may need to "right-click" and "save as")

The Greatest Commandment, part 2 of 2 (Mark 12:28-34)

(Andrew teaching) The greatest commandment leads us to an outward focus. We see, in God’s Word, that anything God wants to do to us and through us is possible. And, grace that expresses God’s love to us then expresses His love through us.

Here's the audio:

Download Great Command 2

Here are the notes:

Download Mark 12.28-34, part 2 of 2

Download Mark 12.28-34, part 2 of 2- blanks

The Greatest Commandment, part 1 of 2 (Mark 12:28-34)

(Andrew teaching) Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest of all. The question is directed to Him after handling a list of other important issues. Because we are familiar with the passage, we miss the point that Jesus steers the answer in a way His audience would not have expected. 

(Note: this is the sermon that introduced the "read the Bible in 30 days" challenge)

For the message itself:

Download The Greatest Commandment, part 1 of 2 (Mark 12, 28-34)

For the printed notes and printed teaching slides:

Download Mark 12 28-34, part 1 of 2- blanks

Download Mark 12 28-34, part 1 of 2

Download Mark 12 28-34 Slideshow

The Scriptures & the Power of God (Mark 12:18-27)

(Andrew teaching)

In this passage the Saduccees try to trip Jesus up over some basic Old Testament theology... Jesus doesn't really answer their question; He simply declares why they are wrong. He tells them (and us) that we most often get off-track when we 1) don't know the basic text of what God actually wrote down, and 2) don't have a living encounter with the power of that same God. Oddly enough, the two points are linked together.

Download Scripture and the Power of God

What is God's (Mark 12:13-17)

(Andrew teaching). In this passage Jesus is asked- in a tricky way- if people should pay taxes or not. He says to "Give to Caesar things that belong to Caesar and give to God the things that belong to God..." The question is, "What exactly is God's?" And, why are people so amazed at Jesus' answer. The answer... will surprise you.

Download What is God's

I was sent here by God (Mark 11:27-12:12)

(Andrew teaching). The Pharisees were angry at Jesus for clearing the temple of their systems, for giving people direct access to God, and for gathering a following among the "common" people. As such, they asked Him the basis for His authority. Jesus runs them on a rabbit trail, answering directly but evasively all at the same time. And, in doing so, He teaches us- the common people- the basis of our calling as well.

Download 08-02-2009 I was sent here by God (Mark 11,27-12,12)

The confusing passing about the withered fig tree (Mark 11:12-26)

(Andrew teaching). In this passage, Jesus curses a fig tree, then goes to Jerusalem and overturns the tables of the money changers... and then comes back to the fig tree. And He teaches some interesting things. In the struggle of wrestling with this tough text, we see how simply complex our relationship with God can be.

Download Rules or relationship

Stay Awake! (Mark 11:1-11)

(Andrew teaching). It seems odd that the very crowd that welcomes Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, waving branches and shouting "Hosanna!" to Him, turns and shouts "Crucify Him!" just one week later. Well, come to find out, we may be dealing with two groups of people- one group who adores Jesus, and another that gets up at odd hours to do things under cover that go against Him. How do the "bad" guys succeed at this? Well, the only thing it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to simply fall asleep on their watch...

Download 07-19-2009 Stay Awake (Mark 11, 1-11)

Is Jesus enough? (Mark 10:32-46)

(Andrew teaching). In this passage, James & John ask Jesus for the best seats in His Kingdom. Ironically, Jesus seems... seems... to tell them, "No." We learn that, perhaps, they're not asking for too much, but that, oddly enough, they're clamoring for too little. Forget worldly position, title, and prestige. We fight for far too little, too. 

Download 07-12-2009 Is Jesus enough_

One Place (stand alone sermon, not part of series)

(Andrew teaching). In this sermon, Andrew talks about the importance of being in one place as a body- and of being focused on a common mission. Often, we dilute our efforts by not working together. The danger is that we would continue doing that instead of laboring side-by-side. If we work together, we can expect God's blessing and we will see our "territory" expand; if not, the enemy will divide us.

Download One Place, 06-21-2009

Where is the life? (Mark 10:17-31)

(Andrew teaching). The rich young man (aka the "rich young ruler") came to Jesus and asked how to obtain life. His concept was that life was found in obedience to the Law (which the Law says), which he kept flawlessly. He even had God's blessings upon him. But, there was still a missing part... a sense of desperation that could not be filled by simply doing the right things. He asks Jesus for "life." You'll be surprised at where we are told to find it.

Download Where is the life

Receiving the kingdom as a child // The sermon about Lew (Mark 10:13-16)

(Andrew teaching). Jesus tells us that we must receive the Kingdom as a child. We receive it. We don't earn it, achieve it, or negotiate to get it. We receive it. We transform and change as we participate in what we've already received. 

Download Faith like a child

Maximum freedom is found under God's authority (Mark 10:1-12)

(Andrew teaching) Jesus is cornered by the Pharisees as to the nature of how legalistically we should follow God's rules. However, He doesn't answer with a legalistic answer- He shows us that rather than receiving God's Word as a burden to be carried and grudgingly obeyed, we should receive God's guidance as a gift- a gift of a good God who loves us so much that He shows us the best (and sometimes most difficult) way possible to live.

Download Real freedom

Discipleship (Mark 9:42-50)

(Rodney teaching) In this passage Jesus talks about salt, an ingredient which adds flavor and taste- and helps preserve foods to their original intent. Jesus says that we're to be like that... the method is to become more and more like Jesus as we become His disciples, helping each other to do the same.

Download The one about discipleship

The one thing more important than serving (Mark 9:30-41)

(Andrew teaching). In this string of short passages, we find out that there is one thing more important than serving.  You'll be surprised what it is- and how vital it is to get it right.

Download More important than serving

Mark 9:14-29, Getting back on track

(Andrew teaching) Often, we make the Christian life way more complicated than it needs to be. We try anything and everything except the easiest- and often hardest, all at once- thing to do: pray. Jesus' disciples found themselves in a position where they could no longer do the things that were once easy for them. They seemed to have "lost" something. The cure... was to simply go back... and not do a program, a class, or seek some other experience... but, to simply stop and pray.

Download On track

Mark 9:2-13, What do we do if we really see God's glory? (The Transfiguration)

(Rodney teaching). We tend to look at God's glory and built a fortress, shrine, building, or some other artifact where the encounter occurs. The disciples were the same way. In Mark 9, they see Jesus radiating-  and they proceed to make plans to build a Tabernacle again, just as Moses had done. They are rebuked. If you really see God's glory, it leads you back down from the mountain into the trenches to join on God's mission.

Download Transfig

No condemnation // free from guilt & shame (stand-alone sermon, not part of series)

(Andrew teaching) We know that we are called to bear fruit- good fruit, fruit that will last. The Bible tells us as much. Our lives should leave a wake of a harvest. However, often our fruit is not good. It's not that it's sin, per se... it's just, well... it's not God's best. What gives? What causes well-intended people to live with less than stellar results? In this teaching we talk about how freedom from guilt and shame and condemnation may be a key. When we deal with the roots that run deep, the fruit will change.

Download No Condemnation // free from guilt and shame

When God heals everyone except you (Mark 8:22-26)

(Andrew teaching). Often, healing doesn't come immediately- or all at once, completely. Here, we see a man who is surrounding by miraculous works- everyone seems to be getting a breakthrough except for him. We discuss why God sometimes delays the full display of His glory in our lives.

Download Stay near to Jesus

Self-righteousness & sin are both bad alternatives to the Spirit (Mark 8:1-21)

(Andrew teaching) In this passage, Jesus feeds 4,000 people- with just a few loaves of bread. After this, however, the Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign- to prove to them that He can do this. The disciples are then warned by Him to beware of the leaven of Herod (sin), as well as the leaven of the Pharisees (self-righteousness). Both are bad alternatives, Jesus says, to simply accepting that we've been accepted by God.

Download Accepted by God 

Mark 7:31-37, Moving from condemnation to healing

(Andrew teaching). Jesus heals a man who was deaf & mute. We know the end of the story- the man gets healed. However, we need to understand what's going on beneath the surface. In Jesus' day, everyone equated major suffering (like not being able to talk or hear) with major sin. God was, they though, punishing people for what they had done. When Jesus heals this man, He debunks that idea. And, when we realize that the suffering we face isn't because of God's anger at us, but, rather, is a venue for God's mercy to shine, then healing breaks forth!

Download Walk in healing 

Mark 7:24-30, Faith & healing... (the Canaanite woman's faith)

(Andrew teaching) This passage is interesting. A woman approaches Jesus for healing- and it seems that He pushes her away. In fact, He doesn't even answer her, according to one version of the story. Furthermore, the disciples try to run her off. In the end, she receives her miracle. So, where does great faith, the kind of faith that receives miracles and healing, come from? And, how do we have such a faith as this...? Furthermore, what do we do when God seems silent, and the people of God don't seem to understand what we're going through?

Download Healing 

The notes to this teaching are on the blog site here.

Mark 7:14-23, The one about the internals, not the externals

(Rodney preaching). In this passage, Jesus talks about the heart. The Pharisees thought that outside things contaminate us. This, of course, presumes that we are already pure- and everything else is dirty. Jesus flipped this around. We are the ones needing to be cleansed- from the inside out. He does this, starting with our hearts. What makes us truly unique, then, is the love that we share and express- not the strict observance and avoidance of certain things outside of us.

Download Love is the rule 

The one about what makes the people of God unique (Mark 7:1-13)

(Rodney teaching). The Pharisees had an idea of what made them distinctive about what made them unique as God's people- outward rules and regulations and strict adherence to them. Jesus had another idea about what makes us unique...

Download Distincitves of the church 

Mission (Core Values- #4 of 4)

(Andrew teaching) Mission is an overflow of what Jesus had done to each of us. When we understand that we now live under the reign of His grace- and not a list of rules and regulations- we quite naturally, easily, and spontaneously become ambassadors of His goodness.

Download Mission

Transformation (Core Values- #3 of 4)

(Andrew teaching) In this message we discuss the idea of transformation- that we are being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. However, rather than viewing transformation as a series of steps to be achieved, we should look at transformation as a process that God works in us- a process that He says is as good as already done! Sound confusing? It is... listen on, and see that you've already been changed.

Download Transformation 

Truth (Core Values- #1 of 4)

(Andrew teaching) Truth, according to the Bible, is not just something that we believe- it is something that we do. Truth is a way of living. In this teaching, we talk about taking the printed pages of the Bible and living them boldly for the world to see.

Download Truth

Fasting, Lesson 04: Results

(Andrew teaching). It's easy to stop fasting after you've been doing it for a while. You get tired... hungry, and you wonder if it's really working. Or, more accurately, if God is working through you during this time. In this message, we look at the Early Church and the Old Testament prophet Joel. We talk about what God promises to do when we endure. The results are always beyond our imagination!

Download Fasting- results 

Fasting, Lesson 03: Hungry for God

(Andrew teaching) In this lesson we learn that we're not to live by bread alone, but to live by the very words of God. And, we're to thirst not for water- but for the very Spirit of God Himself. As we do, we become full. Full- not on food and drink- but, full on the absolute presence of God in our lives. This, then, empowers us to do what Jesus said was His food and sustenance, doing the will of God. When fasting, then, we need to relish the hunger and the weakness, for our physical limitations show us the spiritual limitations we all have- and illustrate vibrantly, in ways we can understand, just how much we are truly starving for God.

Download Fasting- hunger 

Fasting, Lesson 01: Start ministry like Jesus

In this message we introduce the idea of fasting- why we do it, and what will happen if we do. We see that revelation (God's speaking) and impartation (His empowerment to do what He tells us to do) always accompany times of focused fasting. Here, we introduce the upcoming time of fasting for the church as we begin the new year and the launch of a new site.

Download Fasting1 

The one about Jesus passing by (Mark 6:45-52)

(Andrew Jenkins teaching) Mark tells a story about Jesus walking out on the water in a storm and strangely passing right by the disciples. It seems Jesus wanted to pass right by like God did with Moses and Elijah and show them something amazing...

Download 12-07-2008, The one about Jesus passing by 

The one about 5000 hungry men (Mark 6:30-44)

(Rodney Calfee teaching) Jesus ushered in a new thing. The prophets all said it was coming. John told everybody to make way for it. Then Jesus brought it, and it was purposely far different than what the world had seen before- except that God had tried to get His people to do the same thing once before...

Download 11-30-2008, The one about 5000 hungry men 

The one about the Gospel call (Mark 6:14-29)

(Andrew Jenkins teaching) The call of Jesus doesn't always take us where we want to go- in fact it often does not. That does not change the call...

Download 11-23-2008, The one about the Gospel call 

The one about Jesus sending out the twelve (Mark 6:7-13)

(Andrew Jenkins teaching) The Church has had a tendency to twist Jesus' call to go into something a bit easier for us- calling people to come to us. Instead of being a movement, we set up a monument and call people to come...

Download 11-16-2008, The one about Jesus sending out the twelve 

The one about honor (Mark 6:1-6)

(Andrew teaching) Jesus was unable to accomplish much in his own hometown because of a lack of honor. We must examine our current situation to make sure we are honoring Jesus and others in such a way that Jesus is free to work in and through us...

Download 11-09-2008, The one about honor 

The one about the demoniac (finally) being freed (Mark 5:1-20)

(Andrew Jenkins teaching) We share in the story of the demoniac. His story is our story. We hold on to our addictions, our bad choices, the things we want gone, just in case following Jesus doesn't go like we think it should...

Download 11-02-2008, The one about the demoniac finally being freed 

The one about the miracle (Mark 5:21-43)

(Keith Best preaching) When Jesus crashed in to our world, He brought Heaven with Him, with all of its power, healing, love, glory...now all we have to do is just be unafraid and believe...

Download 10-26-2008, The one about the miracle 

Elvis and Jesus have left the building

(Andrew Jenkins teaching) The Church has been trapped within the walls of her buildings for so long...it is time to leave the building...

Download 10-19-2008, Elvis and Jesus have left the building 

The one about the storm (4:35-41)

(Keith Best preaching) The disciples found themselves in a fairly desparate situation in the midst of a huge storm on the sea. They then faced a choice about how to approach Jesus, just as we do when we face storms...

Download 10-12-2008, The one about the storm 

The one about the lamp (Mark 4:21-25)

(Rodney Calfee preaching) Jesus taught the Disciples to be the Light of the world, to reflect His light, to speak out loud all things He had whispered in their ears...

Download 09-28-2008, The one about the lamp 

The one about blasphemy & the Holy Spirit (August 14, 2008)

(Andrew Jenkins teaching) What a warning by Jesus to those who thought they had it all right- your thinking may be past the point of redemption- you may have gone too far!

Download 09-14-2008, Mark 3 20-30, The one about blasphemy and the Holy Spirit 

The one about your master and your ministry (Mark 3:13-19)

(Andrew Jenkins) We often make our plans and decide what we want to do, even in ministry and then go to Jesus to validate them. What He wants, however, is for us to be intimate with Him and our ministry and direction will flow from there...

Download 09-07-2008, Mark 3 13-19, The one about your master and your ministry