Genesis 35-36

God tells Jacob to goto Bethel because he needed somke refreshing and spiritual renewal! On the way they got rid of idolatry and went because it was a place of good times in God for him.

God spoke to Jacob at Bethel again – renaming him again to Israel and propehecying a nation and a community of nations from him. The community of nations to my mind is the new covenant people made up of every tribe and tongue in Christ, who are Abraham’s spiritual offspring!

Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin – which is why he will be a favourite later on.

Mark 6

Jesus finds no honour in his hometown and amazed at their lack of faith only lays hands on a few sick people and heals them!

The 12 are sent on ahead with authority to heal – we have that same authority Matt28:19-20 and Acts 1:8
The disciples have success so Jesus steps it up with them when there is a hungry crowd of 5,000 “You give them something to eat!”v37 Although they didn’t have faith they still got to be part of the miracle as they handed out the food that multiplied as they went

Job 2

Job has integrity and did not curse God, so Satan wants to step up the testing – again Satan doesn’t have free reign – he is held back by our Sovereign God.

His three friends come to “sympathise” – their discussions for form the basis of most of the rest of Job

Romans 6

Grace is scandalous! So scandalous that if you don’t ask the question “Shall we go on sinning then?” you probably haven’t understood it well enough.

The answer of courtse is “By no means” – perish the thought! Because grace also means we have died to sin – so why should we live in it anymore. There is no need!

Baptism is a burial – we have died with Christ and risen again – so we have new life!

We are no longer slaves to sin – we have been freed!

We have to count ourselves dead to sin – in accountancy terms enter it as a done deal! Dead to sin, but alive to Christ. What great news
Therefore Don’t offer your bodies to sin – that is inappropriate!

Sin shall not be our master because we are not under law we are under grace! Hallelujah
Does that mean we can sin too? Perish the thought! We have been set free!

The benefit we will reap will lead to holiness – what a scandal!