marked.

In the student ministry, the series we are going through on Sunday mornings is called "marked". It is based on the book of Mark and how we all have different types of marks...birthmarks, bookmarks, etc. Our college group, Unite, is also going through the marked series. So I get a double dose of Mark each week :)

It's been cool though, because we hit different things in each group, and every person who teaches always has a different perspective. On Sunday mornings, I "table hop" (we have table groups where the students are broken down into grade/gender and discuss the lesson with a leader), and it's cool because I get to hear from different leaders each week! I like it, but I also look forward to the consistency of Monday nights when our college pastor speaks. But, he's been in Africa for the past two Mondays, so we've had a guest speaker.

Wesley is the brother-in-law of an old friend, and I've begun babysitting for him and his wife in the past six months or so. He's a SWBTS grad (out in Fort Worth...I have a few friends that are there/went there, so my heart's alway tender towards SWBTS people), and he is a great speaker. I've learned a LOT over the past two Mondays, and I wanted to share some of it with y'all.

The call of Christ to follow Him in making disciples requires our immediate obedience and total surrender. 
As believers, we cannot have a divided heart when it comes to service for God and allegiance to the world. 
There is nothing inherent in us that will make us full-blown disciple-makers. Sanctification is a daily process of surrendering ourselves to Him and allowing His salvation to work in us. God is continually refining us to be more like Christ. Sanctification is the mark of true conversion. 
Part of the sanctification process here on earth is telling others about Jesus. 
"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." - Hebrews 12:11
Obedience becomes more immediate as we mature. 
We overcome our prideful tendencies by showing mercy to others and remembering what Christ has done for us. [I think that last part is huge. Lots of times we tend to "forget" what Chris has done for us. When Christ has done the greatest thing ever---He SAVED us.]
Your salvation has zero to do with you. Salvation is God's work and God's work alone in our lives. 


Hopefully these "notes" can encourage you, and maybe even convict you a little. Check out Mark 1 and 2 to see where the messages came from.