Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Daily Nugget: Mary, Jesus' mother, is indeed a special woman that God has used, just like He wishes to use every one of us that is obedient to His will and way. Luke 1 speaks much of this willing woman servant God used mightily. Here is some of what the Bible says about Mary, the mother of Jesus: God had planned to use Mary long before she was born. She was from the lineage of King David, which was the line where the prophesied Messiah would be born.  She was obedient in relations with men. She remained a virgin before she was married (Luke 1:27, 34). God saw she had a good testimony. She was highly favored in God’s eyes (Luke 1:28, 30). God had unique plans for her. She was going to have a child in a special way that would require her to have a good character and testimony (Luke 1:31). God was going to use her child, Jesus (Luke 1:32, 35). Mary was obedient. She was willing to do whatever the Lord required of her (Luke 1:38, 46). Mary was humble...

Daily Nugget: Although Mark gives fewer details about Jesus’ death than the other Gospel books (Matthew, Luke, and John), Mark 16:6 mentions one reason Jesus is different than any other man. The difference is “… he is risen.” When any other man, woman, or child dies, they all have one thing in common; they remain that way. No matter how good or bad, rich or poor, simple or smart, their body will one day cease functioning. People can love and miss the person and can mourn or cry over their loss, but when the life has gone out of the body, nothing in this life can change its dead condition.\ When Jesus died, something happened that could not happen to anyone else on the Earth. When He died, after three days and three nights, He rose again! Death could not get the victory over God’s Son, proving He was who He claimed to be. This chapter not only tells us that He rose from the dead, but that He did other things before ascending to Heaven. These included: He appeared to Mary Mag...

Daily Nugget: When Jesus was falsely tried, Pilate referred to Him as “King of the Jews. The ruler did not really believe he was the King; he just referred to Jesus most likely to goad further the religious leaders and religious intellectuals (Mark 15:10) that wanted Jesus dead. The title, however, describes who Jesus really is. Here are other titles Christ is called or referred to in the Bible. They give a better picture of who Jesus is: “The Christ, The Messiah, Saviour, Redeemer, Wonderful Counsellor, Faithful Witness, The Word of God, The Truth, The Light of the World, The Way, The Good Shepherd, Mediator, Deliverer, The Great High Priest, The Author and Perfector of our Faith, The Captain of our Salvation, Our Advocate, The Son of God, The Son of Man, God, The Holy One of God, Only Begotten Son, Mighty God, The Image of God, Everlasting Father, Lord, Lord of All, Lord of Glory, Lord of Lords, Blessed and Only Potentate, King of Israel, King of Kings, Ruler of the Kings of th...

Daily Nugget: While Jesus was visiting in the home of Simon, the leper, an unnamed woman did what appeared to be an insignificant thing. She broke open a box of spikenard, a precious ointment, and poured it on the head of Jesus. Was the woman aware of the importance of what she was doing? The Bible does not say she was. However, it does speak of the reaction to it of both the disciples and Jesus. The disciples felt the act was a waste of something important. They said the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor. That might have been a valid complaint if there had not been more going on than the disciples had the spiritual discernment to see. Jesus did not rebuke the woman, but rather the disciples. He said in Mark 14:6, ”… she hath wrought a good work on me.” Whenever you try to do work for the Lord, there will be those who do not understand your motive or intent. You cannot let this keep you from doing whatever the Lord has commanded or shown you to do. Do...

Daily Nugget: After the questions “Is there a God?” and “Can I know for sure if I am going to Heaven?” the third most frequently asked spiritual question is most likely, “When will the end of the Earth occur?” Many feel because of all the talk of war, famines, earthquakes, and natural disasters that the time is getting closer. Even the unsaved and those unconcerned about the things of God feel an urgency that that time is getting nearer. This chapter gives the reader a glimpse and summation of what will come one day. Mark 13 tells the reader that the calamities that occur on the Earth are only the beginning of sorrows —vs. 8. (By the way, notice an interesting similarity in God’s Word: in Matthew 34, where a similar account is described, it is also verse 8 that also says it will be the beginning of sorrows.) There have and always will be earthquakes, famines, and other disasters. Even the excessive occurrences and rumors of war are only the beginning of what will happen. Yes, th...

Daily Nugget: There is nothing we do that Heaven does not know. In Mark 12, verses 41-44, this is illustrated by Jesus’ observance of people giving at a temple. Jesus was standing by the temple treasury. He watched those putting in their money to help meet the needs of the synagogue. From what was said, we can learn what He knew about the givers then and probably knows about those that give today. We see that Jesus knew: Who gave. Jesus saw the rich and the poor give and knew who did not give. How much they physically gave. Jesus knew how much a poor widow gave. He knew she gave two of the smallest Greek copper coins, mites, to help provide for the temple’s upkeep. He also knew that rich people gave far more. How much their gift met to the giver. Jesus knew the rich gave out of their extra. It was not much of a sacrifice to them, then the widow gave. Although her offering was nothing compared to what the wealthy gave, the Saviour knew that she gave all that she had. He knew t...

Daily Nugget: In Mark 11:1-11, the Triumphal Entry account, where Jesus was honored as He entered Jerusalem, is described. Prior to His riding through the streets, Jesus asked two of His disciples to get the colt of a donkey for Him to ride. All that Christ did while on this earth was planned. His riding through the streets, prior to His death was also planned. About 487 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Zechariah foretold of the Messiah’s ride on a young donkey colt: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Zechariah 9:9 These fulfilled prophecies were important because they showed that Jesus was not just a man, as many cults teach. He was the promised and long-awaited Messiah who would die so that others could live eternally. The over 300 prophecies Christ fulfilled include those about: His ancestr...

Daily Nugget: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 Sometimes, after being saved for a while, salvation is taken for granted. The joy of escaping Hell, and eventually the Lake of Fire, may have “worn off.” As we go through another day, we think, “Ho hum, I’m saved, but what’s the big deal.” Reading verse 45, I saw five words that reminded me of how special and blessed salvation is. Those words are “… his life a ransom for many.” To renew your excitement about your salvation (if you are saved), think for a minute what a ransom is. When a crime is committed, and a person is kidnapped, often the kidnappers try to make money. They offer a person the opportunity to rescue the snatched person for a high price. Many times they warn that if their requests are not met, the stolen person will never be seen again and will probably be murdered. The kidnappers do not go to a person that hates the one ...

Daily Nugget: In Mark 9:42-49, Christ taught a surprising truth. He taught it was better to be missing a body part if it was that part (be it hand, foot, or eye) that was the means to bring one temptation that would keep one from being saved. It was a morbid lesson, but it taught if anything got one so far from being saved, it would be better to miss an appendage than face a horrible eternity in Hell. Christ went on to describe Hell. Although other parts of the Bible give a more detailed description of where lost persons will spend eternity, Jesus made three details of that horrible place very clear here. He warned that Hell: Was a real place. Here Jesus spent over seven verses warning folks not to go to Hell Five times Jesus used the word “fire” to describe one of the terrible torments of Hell. Five times He made it very clear that the fire would never be able to be put out; it is unquenchable. Three times Jesus warned of another torment one would face while there — worms. T...

Daily Nugget: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:35-37 The majority of the world has similar goals. Their desires drive them to have all the things and comforts they can obtain in this life. A never-satisfied desire pushes one to work two jobs to buy the newest car with all the bells and whistles. Another “shiny” thing shows its tempting gleam — a new house. Then, both husband and wife have to work to pay for the house’s demanding mortgage. All the other people at work and the kids at school have the newest fashions, so more covetous desires must somehow be fulfilled. On and on one’s life goes, always wanting more and more. The eyes of men are never satisfied. “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never sa...