As I sit here in India contemplating what God has done over the last decades, I am mindful and thankful for those who went before me. In my case, there are many who come rapidly to mind. But, three of them have special meaning. One, my father, Truman Smith. Two, my mother-in-law, Nancy Parkinson. And third, a special friend, Al Telford.

What was it about the legacy of Truman, Nancy and Al?

Mark begins the section with a curious observation: The crowd was afraid.

What was the crowd afraid of? At least two things come immediately to mind. First is the
message and person of Jesus Himself. His message is full of conviction, inspiration, and compelling application of Old Testament truth. But, given the antagonism of the Jewish rulers, it is a message filled with risk, from the people's point of view. At any time, he and his followers could be expelled from the community. And, that would spell economic doom as well.

What principles did I see?

1. Accessibility vs relevance

The power of the church is it’s people WHEN they are growing in intimacy with God the Father and Gospel relating to the world in which they live their daily lives.

The power of leadership is measured by it’s ability to influence the people to the empowerment of discipleship and thus transformation.

The change of transformation comes when we have a regular encounter with the Word of God, in the hands of the Spirit of God, in the midst of the people of God

It doesn't matter what we grow if we don't grow a people of divine distinction!
1. Jesus says it quite simply.
You are the salt of the earth
Matthew 5:13
2. Not because we believe something unique, or do something unique on Sundays. BUT because that is how God has recreated (regenerated) us to be
Be perfect as your heavenly father is
perfect!
Matthew 5:48

When we grow a people of divine distinction, we will fulfill our mandate!
1. Simply put by both Jesus and Paul
Your are the light of the world!
Matthew 5:14
Your are God's eternal enigma

ListenIng recently to Genesis 1-4.
Made in the image of God!? What should we expect? Cognition, verbal communication, relational ability, invention, appreciative ability, deductive ability, concern ability, rational expression. Etc, etc

What is the impact of sin on these creation likenesses? How far or deeply, or to what extent can they be affected by the affect of sin and the impact of sinful choices?

The original compass has been displaced, thus: corrupted cognition , verbage, relationships, inventions, appreciations, deductions, concerns, emotions, rationalizing, etc.