Dr. Bingham’s Lesson for February 19, 2012

Series in Mark

“When God wants it, it happens” – Mark 11:1-10

At the time of the First Great Awakening, 100 years after the establishment of Protestant Christianity in the British Colonies of North America, people had become comfortable with substituting the acceptance of Christian culture for Christian conversion. It is so easy to imitate Christianity.
The Great Awakening began with the preaching of Theodore Frelinghuysen, who began to preach the gospel to his congregation, then spread to the Presbyterian community because of the preaching of Gilbert Tennent. Jonathan Edwards in Massachusetts also began preaching the gospel to his congregation and preached five sermons to his congregation on justification by faith. Because of this, for two years, conversions burst forth in the Dutch Reformed churches of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Then they suddenly died down; this was also the case among the Presbyterians. It was also the case for the Congregationalists of Massachusetts. Jonathan Edwards explained this sudden abatement by saying this: “Because conversions are surprising.” In other words, there isn’t a thing anyone can do to make someone convert to Christ. It requires the Holy Spirit to invade someone’s life and draw him to Christ. As further explanation, Jonathan Edwards used John 3:8 that describes the Spirit as being like the wind.

2 Kings 9:1-37
When God wants something done, it happens.

Mark 11:1-6 is another example of when God wants something, it happens.
Mark 11:7-8 – Think of 2 Kings 9 where Jehu’s men spread their cloaks before him to declare him king.
Mark 11:9-10 – Hosanna means “save us.” It is from Psalm 118. Hosanna became a typical way of hailing the king of Israel.
“Grant us success” (or grant us victory), which is in Psalm 118 was not quoted by the people welcoming Jesus. Although Jesus came as king, this wasn’t the time.
God was doing His will as much in accomplishing the death of Jesus as in bringing about His resurrection.

We must always be ready to submit to God’s will no matter what it is.