If someone asked you today where Jesus Christ is, according to the Bible, what would you say? Scripture teaches that Jesus is in heaven, seated at the right hand of God the Father. That is His position now. But where does that leave those who believe in Him? Physically, we remain on earth, living our daily lives. However, there’s a deeper spiritual truth to remember.
The Bible makes it clear that for those who follow Christ, He lives within them, and they are also in Him. This means that wherever Jesus is, believers are united with Him in spirit. Though we walk on earth, our spiritual position is in heaven alongside Christ. Ephesians 2:6 supports this by saying, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
Our identity is not limited to what we see around us. Spiritually, we share in Christ’s heavenly place, and His presence is with us wherever we go.
For nearly seven decades, The Kingsmen Quartet has been a staple in Southern gospel. As the group approaches its 70th anniversary, they find themselves in a season marked by both sorrow and celebration.
The past few weeks have brought significant moments. In a heartfelt message to fans, the group shared, “Some significant prayer needs and praise reports have been transpiring within our music ministry over the last few weeks, and the time has come to provide an update to our many fans and friends.” The Kingsmen delayed sharing their news out of respect for the recent passings of two beloved friends and alumni, Charles Abee and Squire Parsons.
Amid these losses, the group announced the departure of their tenor vocalist, Thomas Nalley. “It is bittersweet that the Kingsmen announce the departure of our friend and tenor vocalist, Thomas Nalley,” the post reads. Nalley, who joined the quartet nearly three years ago, quickly became a fan favorite and the voice behind such impactful songs as “Unstoppable God” and “Praying for the Prodigal.” His final concert with The Kingsmen took place on April 27.
The group expressed deep gratitude for Nalley’s contributions: “We sincerely thank him for his work, dedication, music, and genuine heart for ministry.” Nalley now turns his focus to his thriving business, Highnote Customs, which offers shirts, hats, 3D printing, and woodwork. “We pray with great expectation for the continued success of this multi-talented gentleman and friend,” the group added.
Even as they grieve and transition, The Kingsmen have reasons to rejoice. The group shared uplifting news about their office secretary, Wendi Gregg: “We are overjoyed to report that the recent major cancer surgery of our office secretary Wendi Gregg was a success. Praise God!” This praise report is a bright spot, reminding fans of the power of prayer and the resilience of the Kingsmen community.
Change is nothing new for The Kingsmen, whose lineup has evolved many times since their founding in 1956. As they search for their next tenor vocalist, the group remains anchored in faith: “As we approach our 70th anniversary and this time of transition with both prayer and anticipation, we are once again reminded of how God has never failed us. He has always been faithful.”
The Kingsmen are grateful for the friends and familiar faces who have stepped in to help during this period. “We greatly appreciate several friends and familiar faces who have been and will be filling in for us while we prayerfully seek our next tenor vocalist,” they wrote, assuring fans that “God already has the right man to help us continue our concert ministry forward to the next generation.”
When Sound Street was searching for music for their project Good Seed in 2023, lead vocalist Jaylie Vanderslice recalls that the group was looking for songs with a personal connection—songs that moved listeners on a deeper level. That search led them to “The God You Are,” written by Adina Bowman, Wendy Ferguson, and Rhonda Fry.
“In 2023, when we were searching for new songs to put on our new project at the time, Good Seed, we were searching for songs that I could relate to and I could really connect with,” Vanderslice shared. “And we weren’t having much luck until Adina Bowman sent us a song… from the moment that I heard the intro I fell in love with it and it was ‘The God You Are.’”
Now performed by Southbound, “The God You Are” continues to carry the emotional weight that Vanderslice described. The lyrics are centered on surrendering personal control, affirming God’s attributes, and aligning one’s will with divine purpose. The bridge—highlighted by Vanderslice as her favorite section—reads:
“The God of salvation, of mercy and grace, The God of all power, you’re still God today.”
These lines enforce the song’s central message: the enduring and unchanging nature of God’s power, mercy, and authority. In the broader context of the song, this declaration follows a personal plea for help, beginning with uncertainty and vulnerability:
“I know you can do what no one else can do. And I know that you can see just what I’m going through. So why do I still fight this fight alone When I should know by now that I can’t make it on my own?”
There is a struggle between human instinct for self-reliance and the spiritual call to trust. The words acknowledges God’s omnipotence and insight, but still confesses to wrestling with the need for control. The chorus follows with a deliberate act of surrender:
“So give me faith to step out of the way. Surrender my whole life enough to say I lay it all here at your feet. I trust with all my heart, Believing you to be the God you are.”
This is both a prayer and a declaration, shifting from uncertainty to resolve. It marks a turning point in the song—an active decision to yield to divine authority. It underscores a recurring theme in Southern Gospel music: that of personal transformation through trust in a higher power.
The song closes by repeating its key affirmation: “Believing you to be the God you are.”
Vanderslice’s reflection on singing the bridge—particularly her emotional response. “The God of salvation, like he saved me and he’s saved people who thought that they’re too far gone,” she said. “But you’re never too far gone for God.”
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In his sermon on Mark chapters 9 through 11, Dr. McGee begins by examining the Transfiguration in Mark 9, highlighting Mark’s detailed account and suggesting it reveals Christ’s perfect humanity rather than primarily his deity, which is John’s focus. He connects this event to Peter’s later testimony as an eyewitness of Christ’s power and coming. Dr. McGee explains Jesus taking Peter, James, and John to the mountain, not as favoritism, but perhaps due to their spiritual immaturity. The appearance of Moses and Elijah signifies the law and the prophets testifying to Jesus. Despite this glory, the disciples fail to cast out a demon at the foot of the mountain, illustrating the contrast between heavenly glory and earthly struggles. Dr. McGee emphasizes that the Transfiguration itself doesn’t save; it points towards the necessity of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Continuing in Mark 9, Dr. McGee interprets the disciples’ failure as a reflection of the church’s present-day ineffectiveness in a world he describes as troubled and even “demon possessed”. He criticizes the church for engaging in various activities while neglecting the primary task of bringing people to Jesus. Jesus’ rebuke of a “faithless generation” and his statement “bring him unto me” are central to this point. The disciples’ subsequent inability to cast out the demon is attributed to a lack of prayer. Dr. McGee also touches upon Jesus’ second announcement of his death and resurrection, the disciples’ misunderstanding and argument about greatness, and Jesus’ teaching against a sectarian spirit after John forbids an outsider from casting out demons in Jesus’ name. He notes Jesus’ stern warning against offending little ones and his direct teaching about hell.
Moving into Mark 10, Dr. McGee discusses marriage and divorce, noting the Pharisees’ attempt to entrap Jesus. Jesus shifts the focus from divorce back to God’s original design for marriage as a union of one flesh created at the beginning. He explains that divorce was permitted due to the “hardness of your heart” but was not God’s ideal. Dr. McGee addresses adultery in the context of remarriage and clarifies why Mark’s account of divorce differs slightly from Matthew’s, considering Mark’s Roman audience. He then examines the blessing of the little children, highlighting their importance and suggesting adults should embrace a childlike faith. The encounter with the Rich Young Ruler is analyzed as an example of someone relying on outward obedience to the law while lacking a true relationship with God, hindered by his wealth. Jesus’ teaching on the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom is explained, emphasizing that salvation comes through God, not human effort or riches.
Finally, in Mark 10 and 11, Dr. McGee addresses Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem, including his repeated predictions of his death and resurrection. He interprets James and John’s request for positions of power and Jesus’ response about those places being prepared by God. The core of Jesus’ mission is emphasized: to minister and give his life as a ransom for many. Dr. McGee briefly mentions the healing of blind Bartimaeus. Transitioning to Mark 11, he describes Jesus’ public entry into Jerusalem as a presentation of himself as the Messiah, which ultimately led to rejection. He suggests this entry occurred over three days and was not a triumphal procession in the worldly sense. The cursing of the fig tree is interpreted as a symbol of Israel’s fruitless religious outward appearance. The cleansing of the temple is depicted as Jesus purging a corrupt religious system. This event leads to a discourse on the power of prayer through faith in God, clarifying that this power is for spiritual strength rather than literal miracles, and emphasizing the importance of forgiveness. The sermon concludes with Jesus’ skillful handling of the chief priests and elders who question his authority, using a counter-question about John the Baptist to silence them.
The audio on this video is the property of Thru the Bible. It is offered free of charge. If you wish to make a donation, do not send it to us. Visit http://www.ttb.org for information. The audio is attributed to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible. Intellectual property rights are those of Thru the Bible. Please contact us if you feel our understanding of the terms of use are in error. Copyright information obtained from https://ttb.org/about/copyright-policy
Dr. McGee begins his exposition of Mark chapter 2 by highlighting its connection to chapter 1, emphasizing the connective word “and” that binds the narrative. He notes Jesus’ return to Capernaum after some days, reiterating that Capernaum became the central location for the Lord’s three-year earthly ministry. The reason for Jesus’ prior withdrawal was the disobedience of the healed leper, who spread news of his healing against Jesus’ wishes, leading to overwhelming crowds that hindered Jesus’ spiritual work. Dr. McGee expresses his concern about the modern overemphasis on miracles like healing and tongues, arguing that the primary focus should be on preaching the gospel of salvation through Christ’s death on the cross. Upon his return, it was noised that Jesus was in “the house,” which Dr. McGee identifies as likely Simon Peter’s house mentioned at the end of chapter 1.
The narrative then shifts to the arrival of a paralytic carried by four men, who, unable to enter the crowded house, uncovered the roof and lowered him before Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus declared to the sick man, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee”. Dr. McGee clarifies that while salvation comes through individual faith, it was the faith of these stretcher bearers that brought the paralytic to a place where he could encounter Jesus and hear these words. This act of forgiveness provoked criticism from certain scribes who reasoned in their hearts that only God could forgive sins. Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, challenged their reasoning and then, to demonstrate his authority to forgive sins, commanded the paralytic to arise, take up his bed, and walk, which he immediately did, astonishing the onlookers.
Following this, Dr. McGee recounts Jesus’ calling of Levi (Matthew), a publican, to be a disciple. He notes the subsequent dinner hosted by Levi, attended by many publicans and sinners, which drew criticism from the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus responded to their criticism by stating that healthy people do not need a physician, but the sick do, clarifying that he came to call sinners to repentance, not those who considered themselves righteous. The topic of fasting also arises, as John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting while Jesus’ disciples were not. Jesus used the analogy of the bridegroom’s presence and the metaphors of old and new garments and wine skins to illustrate that his ministry represented something new, a break from the old system, rather than a mere continuation or improvement of it.
Dr. McGee then addresses two Sabbath controversies: the disciples plucking grain in the fields and Jesus healing a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. The Pharisees accused the disciples of breaking the Sabbath by harvesting grain, but Dr. McGee explains that their actions were within the bounds of the law, which permitted plucking grain by hand. Jesus defended his disciples by referencing David’s actions and declaring that “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” and that the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath. In the synagogue, Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, knowing that the religious leaders were watching to accuse him. He challenged them on whether it was lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath, and despite their silence, he healed the man, leading to the religious rulers plotting his destruction. Subsequently, Jesus withdrew with his disciples, and the crowds followed him from various regions. He then chose the twelve apostles, emphasizing his sovereign choice in this matter.
In the latter part of the sermon, Dr. McGee discusses the unpardonable sin, which occurred when the scribes accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. He clarifies that this specific act of rejecting the direct testimony of both the Son and the Holy Spirit cannot be committed today in the same way. Jesus’ interaction with his physical family is also mentioned, where he emphasized that those who do the will of God are his true mother, brother, and sister. Finally, Dr. McGee introduces chapter 4 and the parables, noting that even Mark’s presentation of parables emphasizes action. He touches on the parable of the sower, the candle, the unique parable of the growing seed, and the mustard seed, explaining their significance in understanding the kingdom of God and the reception of the word. The sermon concludes with the miracle of Jesus stilling the storm, highlighting his power over nature and the disciples’ awe and fear in response.
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