Mark 9:30-37

Mark 9:30-37

Jesus leads the disciples in lonely places so they can travel without the distraction of needy people. If the One who had the greatest heart and love found it proper to pull away from extensive, public ministry for a time of intense ministry with his disciples shouldn't we? We tend to divide our time between work and leisure (aka recreation and entertainment). Perhaps a third category is needed: intimate time with God.

The disciples could not grasp the meaning of Jesus' prediction of His death and resurrection. This was likely a struggle in two areas. The first failure was the idea that the Messiah would undergo the apparent defeat of death rather than the obvious victory of a kingdom. Second, the idea of the literal resurrection may have been difficult for them to grasp. They may have believed in a resurrection in the last day. If they thought of the three days as a metaphor or parable rather than as a literal three days then they may have missed the resurrection as being literal. We need to realize that if we miss the literal resurrection we will miss the nature of the Kingdom.

The disciples missed it as evidenced by their argument over who is better or greater in the Kingdom. The argument may have arisen as a result of the failure of the disciples to cast out the demon. There may have been a justification and accusations about who was at fault for the failure. People are not likely to be divided by success as much as by failure and the attempt to avoid blame. Peter, James and John would have certainly been a part of this argument. We can almost hear one of them say, “If I had been there I would have done….” The double blessing of failure is that we find out how much our ego is involved and to what extent we will fight to justify ourselves. Failure doesn't cause division; it merely exposes it.

The response by Jesus was not a hearty rebuke but a formal teaching indicated by the fact that Jesus sat down, the position for formal teaching time. Jesus said, “If you want to be great in the Kingdom this is how.” And then he took a child to himself. All the child did was go to be with Jesus. Greatness is wanting to be with Jesus. And how are we to be with Jesus? By serving. To find greatness we do not need self-esteem what we need is self-forgetfulness.

"Lord, grant me the wisdom of forgetting myself in active service in Your name. AMEN"

Mark 9:14-29

Mark 9:14-29

This passage is so full of incredible insights it would easily feel like a small book. But for the moment, consider the glory of Christ expressed in this passage. To the naked eye Jesus looked like any other itinerant teacher, no halo, no shining aurora, no glittering skin. The boy for his part looked like a mad, diseased child. But the demon within the boy saw beyond the physical appearance. What the demon saw overwhelmed it with terror. No doubt the demon manifested for malignant intent. Perhaps the demon intended to extract terror from the people. Demons desire to be adored and worshipped. If they can't have that they will settle for fear of the terrors they bring. While the demons crave glory and delight in exacting terror, in contrast, God is honored by our praise, peace, and our repose in Him.

Perhaps the manifestation was to disquiet the people. This vulgar, radical display would be used by the demon to be a wedge between the people and Christ. It is as if the demon is saying, "Going too near to Jesus will cause bad things to happen." It may have been attempting to foster an unholy fear of Jesus. Satan will gladly leave his own unmolested, so long as they don't draw too near into the Lord.

A third possibility is that the manifestation was to promote division and idle speculation. A carnival atmosphere of idle onlookers does no good and potentially great harm. If Satan cannot control the people perhaps he could get them to argue, especially so that parties form. The powers of darkness are quite content with discussions about Christ so long as no one submits to Him.

So, at the glory of the Christ the demon is still in stubborn rebellion and makes one last stand. Jesus in calm authority commands obedience and He is obeyed. Where we see the glory of Christ we cannot help but to be overwhelmed. We are either overwhelmed by love and worship or overwhelmed with rejection and rebellion. Our reaction to Him is a strong indication of what is in our heart-rebellion or submission.

"Lord, help me to see Jesus and in seeing Him worship and adore Him.  AMEN"

Mark 9:1-13

Mark 9:1-13

The Transfiguration was more of a “return-figuration”; Jesus was returning to His pre-Bethlehem glory. But Mark is not going to coin words for this one occasion. It may be that the transfiguration is the fulfillment of the prophecy of verse 1 (the other possibilities are the resurrection or the day of Pentecost). Peter wanted to build dwelling Places. The glory of God during the Exodus era descended onto the tabernacle and this may have been Peter’s inspiration. To be fair to Peter, he was operating in and around that which he had never experienced, he was in a place where he had never been nor could have ever imagined. 

God the Father's two-part comment is the focus of this event. The first is, “My beloved Son,” or we might say, “My boy that I love and delight in.” We need to focus our attention for a moment on the love within the Trinity. Like most aspects of God it boggles our mind, but there is an affectionate love within and between the three persons of the Godhead. Understanding this is foundational for our Christian faith. The second part of God's comment is “listen to Him” or “give constant heed”; not a momentary or occasional attention but unrestricted, never-ending focus.

It is interesting how the apostles fail to take Jesus literally regarding His statements concerning his own resurrection. This can only be attributed to their lack of faith. This was no passing thought, verse 10 indicates by the phrase “they seized” that they kept to themselves but in an ongoing conversation. The three of them kept discussing this statement about the resurrection.

They were also confused because there were hung up on the coming of Elijah. They expected the literal Elijah to precede the Messiah. The Messiah was here and they had not had a literal Elijah. Jesus shifts the focus from who Elijah was to the response of the people. The rejection of the Elijah character, John the Baptist, indicates the rejection of God and His Messiah. The Lord shows us that obedience and submission are more important than splitting the fine hairs of eschatology.

"Lord, help me to give constant attention to Jesus. AMEN"

Mark 8:31-38

Mark 8:31-38

Mark puts the proclamation of Messiahship in context with suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. The person and work of Christ are bound together. This rejection and suffering of Christ means that a faith must able to pass scrutiny of trial. This refers to the trials associated with Jesus’ arrest, especially by the Sanhedrin. Peter's rebuke of the Lord shows how imperfect his understanding of the role and the work of the Messiah was. We, like Peter, welcome a Messiah that gives us what we want. Not the Messiah that gives us the opposite of what we want. The temptation to reject the cross is one that Jesus had faced since the wilderness trials. Any invitation for Jesus to take a path other than the way of the cross ultimately comes from Satan. In this case through Peter. This is the harshest rebuke Jesus ever leveled against anyone.

Beautifully, Mark places the warning of the cost of discipleship with the warning of Jesus' death and resurrection after calling out Peter. The desire to avoid suffering may be the greatest danger to our discipleship. If we try to save our lives, if we look to hoard our lives we cannot help but to lose them. Each day that is past is gone and nothing can get it back. Even a day of exquisite pleasure and selfish delight are lost and cannot be kept. Nothing prevents the march of time toward death. The one who dies to self has already moved beyond the point of having anything to lose and the totality of his life waits for him in Heaven. Christianity is the hardest of all faiths. All other faith systems try to keep life here and perhaps a good life to come. Such an approach is ultimately false. The exchange of which Jesus speaks is a “great deal”. The sands of time are going; they are fleeting and nothing can stop them. Why not trade those fleeting moments for eternal value and reward? Jesus concludes this teaching by linking the Son of Man with the Messiah. He now demands and teaches that the only way to have the lasting life is an open loyalty to His person. Jesus is the great stumbling block for all history because He allows nothing other than absolute loyalty to Him on every occasion, everywhere and at all times.

"Lord, help me to die to myself every day. AMEN"

Mark 8:22-30

Mark 8:22-30

It is important to remember that the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod to use God to gain their agenda was in the context for the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida. We are told that “they brought a blind man” to Jesus. We are not specifically told who is the “they”. Jesus takes the man out of the village and preforms a two-stage healing. Jesus often healed in the company of crowds, but this is the only time He did a two-stage healing. We are never told why and there is no follow-up discussion explaining this to the disciples. What are the lessons to be drawn? Jesus meets us as individuals. Each meeting of Jesus must be individual and unique. What experiences others have may or may not be repeated. The point is not the experience; the point is the Christ. Our encounter with Christ is singular and unique. It must not be seen as the norm that we expect all others to have. We may not be able to see an advantage to His two-stage healing, but it is not our healing. For this man, this was precisely what he needed.

Jesus has recently had to deal with the Pharisees looking for a sign to indicate Jesus would be the kind of Messiah that they could use. Because different people and groups are trying to use Jesus for their own ends Jesus chooses to become less of a public figure. This will make it harder for people to co-op his ministry for their own ends. Rather than a big show, Jesus deals with the person individually and then sends them to their home. Jesus makes the changes at the individual level, the small level and then lets it work out from there to change the world.

Mark's recording of the great confession is very brief. Jesus after hearing Peter's confession adamantly emphasizes that they not tell anyone who He is. The New American Standard Bible uses the words "warned them". The Greek words mean, "to threaten", "to speak in a mean tone". Jesus is threatening His disciples to not let people know that He is the Messiah. When anyone uses or attempts to use God to accomplish his or her own agenda it always causes great, spiritual harm.

"Lord, meet me where I am, give me the ears to hear Your word for me, not Your word for someone else.  AMEN"

Mark 8:14-21

Mark 8:14-21

Jesus' disciples (myself included) are often pretty slow to understand. Taken by itself this passage seems to come out of left field, but with the context we gain insight. Jesus’ warning about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod is in the context of the demand for a sign. The Pharisees were nationalists and had decided what the Messiah would do. They failed to see in Jesus the proof of the political Messiah they wanted. Jesus warns the disciples of the subtle, insidious nature of wanting our own way, which always results in sin. Think of leaven as the favorite sin and when it is harbored, protected, and nurtured, it grows and penetrates to the whole person. The Pharisees and Herod had almost nothing in common (at least this is how it might appear), but underneath they both wanted power and control. They wanted to rule and would gladly use God to accomplish their ends. Behind their external motives there is the desire for selfish satisfaction. Jesus will not be used to accomplish our ends and agenda. No matter how good we try to make the ends sound or how good they may be, the Lord is not our puppet.

When the disciples were distressed about not having bread and perhaps not understanding what Jesus was talking about, He calls on them to remember. Can a person have eyes and not see? If a person has eyes and can't see, something is wrong. Can it be that a person has ears and they don't hear? If that is the case, something is wrong. Jesus links their failure in the present with their lack of memory. Remember! When faced with today's trials the correct first response is not to try to figure out a solution, the correct first response is to remember. To remember God's care, His provision, His power and His actions. That does not imply that we do not work. But it means that when we remember we operate from a position of strength and confidence rather than fear, doubt and worry. Our confidence is not in our ability; rather, it is in God.

"Lord, help me always to remember. AMEN"

Mark 8:1-13

Mark 8:1-13

Jesus tested His disciples in the moment-by-moment walk of the day. The test was an opportunity for them to draw on their faith and grow in it. But their default response is to consider what they themselves could accomplish. Notice they did not say, "Where will be we be able...” They said, "Where will anyone...” Apparently, they included Jesus in the company of those that they believed were unable. They saw the impossibility of the situation. They did not see the One who could solve the problem. Often times we see the problem and then we look for the solution either natural or Supernatural. Instead of looking for the solution either natural or Supernatural we ought to look at the Savior. Seek the person not the provision! We see no material solution and we see no Divine solution and we begin to despair. Let the situation be seen in the shadow of the Lord. The disciples’ failure of a test of their faith is put in context with the Pharisees. For the disciples there is hope in spite of their failure. Not so with the Pharisees. Don’t miss the subtle difference that Jesus gives the disciples a test. It is appropriate for the greater to test the lesser. But the Pharisees test the greater, that is Jesus. It is wrong for the lesser to test the greater. Note that God does not respond to being tested. His display of power may be acts of kindness that demonstrate who He is, but they are never offered as proof to satisfy one who would act as a puppet master. In the course of 16 verses, we see Jesus sigh twice. First was deep emotion from the Lord, but this time sad and disappointed. I wonder, do I ever make Jesus sigh and on what occasions and why?

"Lord, may I always seek You more than any solution or blessing. AMEN"

Mark 7:24-37

Mark 7:24-37

Jesus is not interested in a popular movement. It takes genuine efforts to not become a pop star figure; rather, He engages people at a much deeper level. This woman comes to him and she is everything that culturally could be wrong with a person. She is a woman, a Greek and religiously she has it wrong. The presence of a demon in her daughter requires us to think about how demons arrive in a person's life, we need to answer questions of spiritual authority. This is not the time for that in detail, but we can assume that in some way the demon had received an invitation. In some way the parents or the woman had joined with the powers of darkness. Now they were in a fix. What we give to demons they do not willingly release. But complete hopelessness can be a pretty good motivator. She knows she can make no claims on Jesus and He reminds her of that and in her approach to God in flesh, that's a pretty good thing to remember. Yes, we are adopted; yes, He loves us deeply. However, acknowledging that we have no claims on Him and being grateful are different from the presumptuousness that we often see. Her acknowledgement of not being able to make a claim on Him while having faith both in His capacity and His grace is the answer that so impressed Him.

Jesus next heals a man with both the inability to hear and a speech impediment. There are three key points: First, Jesus takes the man out of the crowd. Jesus again wants to work with the individual not mass people movements. Secondly, Jesus sighs. Why did Jesus sigh? Was it relief? Was it fatigue? Was it a comforting moment for Him? It could be that it was because it felt good for Him to bring relief to suffering people. Third, despite His warning, the people that Jesus healed could not resist telling others about him. Is our silence the result of our not understanding the importance of the healing He has done for us?

We sometimes get fixated on the wrong point of this passage. We focus on the description by Jesus of the woman. We try to parse, to examine, to understand, the implications that Jesus called her a dog. What we need to focus on is the woman herself. She comes with the attitude that, “I bring nothing to this relationship and have nothing to offer, but will accept your grace.” And we need to emulate the attitude of the man Jesus healed that "my life is so shaped and so changed by Jesus I can't stop talking about it."

"Lord, help me live in humble gratitude knowing I bring nothing to you except my thanks and love. AMEN"

Mark 7:1-23

Mark 7:1-23

It seems unlikely that the Pharisees came from Jerusalem just to address the issue of ceremonial washing; but then again, uptight Jews are pretty unpredictable. The conflict is really about the rituals’ place in religious life. What role do the rituals of faith play in our everyday lives? It is entirely possible for our rituals of faith which began as an honest expression of faith can become as important as our faith and finally eclipse our faith altogether. To make the sign of the cross isn't a bad thing. But if the ACT becomes as important as the cross itself and then if in a superstitious way we imagine the ritual has power itself, we have made a grave error. We do not have the man made precept “Corban” in our lives today, but we can easily elevate our human intentions to the level that we think they are primary. The problem is we don't realize we have done so. We grow up with something and we assume that it is true and right and Biblical. It never occurs to us that what we do is only a man-made tradition. That is why keeping check on our heart is so important. The passage is less about traditions and ceremonial washings and dietary laws than it is about a heart check. If the heart is right, we will honor God with our actions and even our rituals. If our heart is not right, all the rituals in the world will not change it. If our heart is right, we cannot help but live out that faith which may sometimes include rituals of that faith. If it is not right then the ritual it is only a façade.

Lord, please help me to never allow rituals to replace a heart committed to You. AMEN"

Mark 6:45-56

Mark 6:45-56

The disciples could not wrap their minds around Jesus’ walking on the water. Their explanation was a ghost, not the Lord doing a miracle. Their heart (and note the singular there) was hardened. Why the singular ‘heart’ and why did they assume it was a ghost? They were an influence on each other; in this case, a bad one. They shared their opinions until it became their opinion. That opinion was a lack of faith having not learned the lesson of the feeding of the multitude. This new world view, this new understanding of what the universe is like, namely God is here and active, had not rooted it out and replaced their old world view of superstition and fear. The default setting of the heart was not yet changed. In the moment that the miracle happened, they saw and believed they had faith, but away from that moment in a moment of crisis they reverted back to their hardwired hard-heartedness.

Mark contrasts the disciples with a people who just a chapter  before asked Jesus to leave (Mark 5:17). These people may not have got it perfectly, but they did get it enough to believe that Jesus was greater than their previous worldview. They didn’t trust Him yet but they saw the miracle and they knew nothing was the same. The disciples didn’t get even that yet.

"Lord, protect me from an unbelieving and hard heart. AMEN"

Mark 6:30-44

Mark 6:30-44

King Herod's fit of conscience was caused by the excitement and reports of the Apostles’ ministry. Mark returns to the life of Christ after the description of John and Herod. Jesus calls for a retreat and a season of rest. Healthy bodies and minds require healthy boundaries. Sometimes the most spiritually Biblical thing that one can do is to take a nap and have a good meal. But the press of people interrupts even the Lord’s plans.

The people are clamoring for something meaningful. They walked around the Sea of Galilee to find where Jesus would land. How much of our media/entertainment/ sports/celebrity culture is a symptom of people looking for something of substance. Often the church is offering only a spiritual version of the media/entertainment/ sports/celebrity culture. In His compassion Jesus responds by teaching. He sees the people running amok, chaos rules their lives. Like sheep with no Shepherd, people with no direction, He is moved to the core of His emotions. He responds by teaching. 

Don't miss this point! Into the chaos of the lives of directionless people, the starting point for Jesus was not healing, music, feeding the masses, or entertainment; but rather, He taught them. This is a lesson the church needs to never forget. No one will deny the value of the social aspects of the ministry of the church and they can reinforce and remind sheep of the main point. But the only cure for the people in chaos is the Lord and He comes via teaching. The act of feeding the 5,000 is a study unto itself and is a metaphor for the feeding of the Body of Christ.

In short, there was an impossible situation and into that impossible situation Jesus introduces possibilities: Divine-human cooperation. In such a situation our contribution is not that grand. It is reflective of where my head and commitment is. What are five loaves among so many? Even in the giving the disciples are doubtful. The Lord does not need a lot or even much or in reality anything from us except willingness. Without our being willing to surrender what little we have God isn't working with us, He is working in spite of us. We have to be willing.

"Lord, help me cooperate with You by being willing to surrender to You. AMEN"

Mark 6:14-29

 Mark 6:14-29

Mark's account of the death of John the Baptist is placed in reference to the growing fame of Christ. Jesus not revealing His identity to the public led to speculations. The wildest speculation came from the guiltiest conscience. The whole Herodian family was dysfunctional in the extreme. This is put on display for the ages in the events of John’s death.  The conscience is a powerful thing.  With the exception of a sociopath who has completely killed his conscience, everyone struggles with what a conscience brings.  While vile and wicked to the core, Herod was bothered by what he had done to John and it provoked what was left of his guilty conscience. Herod also protected John enjoying listening to him and was challenged by him. Herod wants to find a middle ground a way that will not do the greatest evil, but is not genuinely righteous. One who is in deeper darkness easily manipulates a person who is trying to find a middle way. Like the gravitational pull of a planet on a satellite with a degrading orbit is the effect of an evil person on the individual who is not committed to biblical grace, holiness and faith. Herodias was like that to Herod.

When there is such a person in our lives there must be a clean break from the negative influences because the cunning of the powers of darkness will always outmaneuver the person given to compromise; if not now later, if not on this occasion, some future opportunity. The person who still has a conscience, but is living in sin is never completely at peace. They have two options.  One option is they can give themselves over completely to righteousness. This painful experience begins with a coming to terms with their evil and this coming to terms is called repentance. This requires us to renounce and reject completely the world, the flesh and the Devil along with all the delights, such as a dancing girl, that these may offer. The other option is to slowly and passively degrade ourselves, killing our conscience a bit at a time till we either are overtaken by death, or become a spiritual sociopath with no conscience left. There is no third way.  Herod took one more step into deeper darkness when he killed John.

"Lord, help me be passionately committed to You above all else. AMEN"

Mark 6:1-13

Mark 6:1-13

The preventive power of unbelief is amazing.  Jesus is well into His ministry.  He has done amazing things and great works of power or miracles.  But in His own town He is limited in what can be done.  Here is the example of the contrast between unbelief and doubt.  Doubt is more akin to the questions that honestly seek answers.  Unbelief is rejection that seeks an excuse to justify that rejection.   Nazareth had decided to reject Him; the citation of family association was merely a flimsy excuse.   Don’t miss the tragedy!  In the presence of God and all that He might do for them, they rejected Him because their minds were made up.   Jesus could only marvel at their rejection.  What blessings and what an opportunity they rejected. 

In contrast, the people to whom Jesus sends His disciples experienced healing and the liberation from demonic powers.  On this trip, Jesus specifically gave the disciples authority over the demonic powers.  This mission was to be as much about training for the disciples as it was teaching for the people.  The disciples learned to do ministry quick and light.  We must not think that ministry requires a building, a truckload of equipment and a 3-5 year plan.  They went with nothing but a walking stick and their clothes.  If the Lord calls, the needs will be provided along the way.  But we must not presume upon the Lord’s promise for what is not His agenda.

"Lord, help me to make your agenda mine. AMEN"

Mark 5:21-43

Mark 5:21-43

Jesus re-crosses the sea and on the other side has the occasion of a double miracle.  Both of these miracles involve women, who were little more than chattel in that time.  The first woman was, apparently, just an ordinary individual and the second was a young woman, Jairus’ daughter.  Jarius was a man of great standing.  These two people, the unnamed woman and Jarius, share a common theme.

For the woman her actions were very presumptuous.  She presumed the privilege of approaching a great leader who was a man; she presumed that she would be healed.  We have no way of knowing how complete her theology was, but she had one rock- solid conviction: Jesus can heal me.  She believed that the least amount of Jesus is more than enough.  Her cure was instantaneous, complete and dynamic, so much so, she felt it within. 

Jairus also knew that Jesus was his only hope.  The mourners were at the house waiting for the girl to die.  What takes a father from the last, possible, precious moments with his little girl?  Desperation and hope!  His theology would have been more complete than the woman’s, but in crisis theology is less critical than trust.

There is a common characteristic between these two that has great application for us: Jesus’ treatment of fear.  The woman, realizing what great thing has happened, is suddenly afraid to the point of trembling.  The profound power and person she has presumed to touch turns in her direction.  Healing was what she desperately wanted, but would her boldness now cost her?  Jairus was witness to this conversation, but without knowing the healing or the gravity of her situation.  We might assume that the conversation between Jesus and the woman was not impressive to Jairus.  While Jesus is talking to the woman, word comes of the girl’s death.  Jesus turns His attention to Jairus and addressed the fear in his heart.

Jesus’ response to fear is important to us.  To the woman who was on the completed side of the miracle He says, “Go in peace.”  This would have most likely reflected the Hebrew concept of “Shalom”, wholeness, completeness, and peace.  “Your faith has brought through.”  To Jairus who was on the “not yet” side of the miracle Jesus says, “Do not be afraid any longer, only keep on believing.”  Perfect faith will drive out any fear, but Jairus did not have perfect faith.  He had come a great distance by his faith, yet he was still afraid.  Jesus tells him, “Keep on believing.” 

In my heart that is filled with fear there is some faith as well.  In my mind filled with knowledge and some faith fear is mingled in.  Faith will not vanquish fear in a moment; we should not want that.  Should that happen we would need a daily sign or miracle with each new fear.  Rather Jesus calls me to choose to “keep on believing”.  Faith has brought me this far.  At this moment I may choose to “keep on believing” or sink into the despair of fear.  To “keep believing” does not mean I will get what I want.  It does mean I am confident that Jesus has a preferred vision of the future for me.

"Lord, I believe help me where I still have unbelief. AMEN"

Mark 5:1-20

Mark 5:1-20

The encounter with the demonic is a record we need to study more and more frequently. As many in our society are dabbling in the demonic they open the gateway to the powers of demons. As Christians we may soon confront the demonic in our lives and ministry. There is something about the demonic that at a heart or gut level a sensitive believer will recognize. This is hardly a clinical diagnoses, but it is some how identifiable, but none the less real.

Jesus is never out numbered. The collective called Legion was not a match for Jesus and they knew it. The demons were, in fact, terrified with the prospects of what they knew was their defeat. In verse 10, they beg Jesus not to cast them “out of the country” or the realm of time and space and into the realm of their eternal doom. Like many people, demons do not want to face their eternity.

Why would Jesus cast them into hogs? Why would the demons want to go to the hogs? Why would Jesus allow it? This is speculation, but we may guess. For the demons the hogs are a better option than their eternal doom. Also the powers of darkness hate humans and will use any occasion to harm them. These hogs represented $250,000 to $400,000 in value. The demons could hurt the community by an act of economic terrorism. The demonic uses humans like tools then break the tools they have used. Where demons might for a season empower and energize their human host or allies in the end their intent is to ruin them. But why did Jesus allow such an act of economic terrorism? First, this is to demonstrate the value of one soul. In the economy of heaven, the loss of much is worth it to gain the real life in Jesus. Secondly, Jesus is going to send this man out as the first missionary. The suicidal stampede of the pigs will be the talk of the region and will make a fertile seed bed for the gospel’s proclamation.

It is interesting that the people in the area ask Jesus to leave. Asking Jesus to leave is how people-content with misery- respond to the change the Gospel brings. In terms of one man’s impact it is hard to over estimate what this man did. It is important to know that this first missionary worked with very low knowledge, but a very high level of obedience.

"Lord, help me to be a witness to the world about Your grace. AMEN"

Mark 4:21-41

Mark 4:21-41

Jesus presents three parables; the lamp, the seed growing at night, and the mustard seed. He also addresses our responsibility in the learning part of being a disciple. In verses 22-25 and later in verses 33-34 we see that the student part of being a disciple is very serious. In short, we are responsible for what we have been taught. It is possible for the word to go in one ear and out of the other. The disciple who wants to learn, who studies, who seeks God will grow and will be given new insight, understanding and opportunity. The one who has will be given even more! If we handle the discipline of learning in a sloppy way, what we do have will be taken from us. The learning can be in the simplest things. When we hear the story we can walk away at our current level and there we will remain. But if we want we can meet the Lord privately and take it to the next level. The stories and teaching are not meant to be heard and then ignored, like a lamp under a basket; rather, they are to be studied and considered like a lamp on a lampstand.

Jesus gives two illustrations of what transpires in our lives. We can't really understand the how of what is happening in the discipleship transformation. It is like a seed planted and then begins to grow. We need to appreciate that mystery, but we will never fully understand it. That appreciation is such that we focus on the result, the mature grain at the end. We may not be able to explain why our lives are so changed and sometimes the change is subtle enough that in a single moment we may notice very little, but the difference is ultimately massive and undeniable. How great is that change? It is as great as the size of a mustard tree when contrasted to a mustard seed.

How well did the disciples grasp the lesson at that moment? Apparently, they did not grasp it very well. Taking his disciples to the other side of the lake they are caught in the storm. They are needlessly terrified and they came to Jesus (which is always a good plan) and asked for rescue. Jesus rescues them and then calls them “timid” and asked where was their faith. The learning opportunity had arrived. Not all learning is in a book perhaps some of the best is in life. At verse 41, they asked a great question. How they ended up processing that question is the point at which they matured.

Mark 4:1 - 20

Mark 4:1 - 20

This parable ought to be called the parable of the four soil conditions. The first three soils are non-productive. We are tempted to say that they are victims, but if we look closely we see they are not victims, but perpetrators of their own doom.

The first soil is hard. It is hard because of emotional rebellion or selfish resistance to God. We all have the capacity to refuse to hear God's word in some area of our life. That hardness makes it impossible for us to even hear the call of God for our lives and leads to greater hardness or hardness in other areas of life.

The second soil was shallow. On the surface things may have looked good. The life of faith is easy when things are good, but things are not always good. Circumstances may be a testing and refining from God to purify us. They may be a temptation of the enemy to ruin us. From our own perspective we may not be able to tell the difference. The results reveal our character and what is under the surface. How would we fair under persecution and affliction? Note also that the Lord says, "They have no firm root in themselves." In persecution and affliction we cannot rely on others.

This third soil appears to be doing well, at least longer than the rocky soil. Notice the two forces at work in the demise of these plants. There is the “deceitfulness of riches” and the “desire of other things”. It is not riches or things themselves that are the problem, but our attitude toward them. If we believe money and things can solve our problems then we are these weeds. How are riches deceitful? Why are things desirable? The Lord is speaking of both the miser and the spender here. They both believe that “having” will satisfy. If worry about money is a problem, either in having enough to get what you want or hanging on to it, then you are in the weeds.

We see the soils are not passive victims, but active participants in their own ruin just as the good soil is an active participant in its productivity. We see here a partnership between the soil and the seed, between the word and the disciple. Grace is the opposite of earning, but it is not the opposite of grateful service and effort.

"Lord: remove from my heart anything that might make me unproductive for You. AMEN"

Mark 3:20-35

Mark 3:20-35

Jesus returns home from a preaching tour and finds that His ministry has followed Him. People are boundary-less and in any ministry this is part of the work. There has been a shift on the part of many in ministry to make it a profession and less of a calling. Ministers sometimes hide behind staff and doors and secret means of contact. For Jesus, if He wasn't away with the Father then He was available.

The prior testimony of demons may have been the inspiration for the accusation of the scribes. This is not an honest mistake because they were attempting to join with the demonic to undermine Jesus's ministry. Do not think that anything that demons did was a result of worship or adoration. Note also that the scribes came from Jerusalem. This was a 60-mile distance as the crow flies. The accusation was the merger of two forces that oppose Jesus, the demonic and religious elite. If opposition to Jesus to this point was scattered and individual, it has now become the official policy of the religious powers.

Jesus proves the failure of their thinking by showing that a house divided will fall. We don't appreciate this because we do not understand the immensity of the liberation that Jesus brings. When Jesus cured the demon-possessed person it was no minor improvement. It was extreme and radical. The horrible, wretched life of the demon-possessed might change a little for the better as the demon toyed with the person and their loved ones. But what we see when Jesus heals a person is a change so great and complete that they are virtually unrecognizable.

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit ought to bring holy fear to any heart and cause us to practice extreme care and reverence in all matters related to the things of God. In short, to reject the work of the Holy Spirit, in this case by attributing it to Satan, is unforgivable. Such an action hardens the heart and leads to a cycle of rejection of God making repentance impossible.

Verse 31 and following is likely an explanation of verse 21. Jesus’ kin had a plan for His life and His agenda did not match theirs. To follow the will of the Father meant for Jesus, and for us, that the relationships formed in obedience and being a disciple is stronger and closer than even that of family.

"Lord help me that I may always place my loyalty to You above all else. AMEN"

Mark 3:1-19

Mark 3:1-19

Jesus entered the synagogue and it was known that a man with a useless hand attended there. Jesus’ reputation for acts of kindness is such that His opponents are waiting to see if He will heal on the Sabbath. What an incredible reputation for kindness! Note that the opposition doesn't doubt the miracles or the power of Jesus to heal, they want to see if He will conform to their expectations and traditions. Jesus is angered by the hardness of their heart. It is not doubt that angers the Lord; but rather, hardness of hearts that is the problem. In this case, the hardness of heart was expressed in the attitude that the man with the withered hand was nothing to the religious elite but a tool, a pawn, or a test case. When we care more about how much people prove our theology than their condition, we have become like these religious elite. After the healing, they began to conspire to kill Jesus. Why? Not because of a Sabbath regulation, Jesus has already dealt with that issue, nor because of the healing itself. They want to kill Jesus because He represents a threat to their power structure. The common people are no longer minions and tools; but rather, objects of God's love and care.

Demons began to testify that Jesus is the Son of God. They were the wrong kinds of witnesses and it was the wrong time for such a testimony. Later, Jesus would be charged with being in league with Satan and that charge may have stemmed from this testimony of the demonic. It is sad that demons have a better understanding of who Jesus is than many liberal theologians.

We see also the calling of the twelve. First is to be with the Savior and the second is to be sent out by the Savior. In many cases, we today are a little weak in both of these callings. It is at this point that Simon becomes Peter and the two “Sons of Thunder” James and John are identified. These are the ones who want to call fire down on an unrepentant city. James was the first Apostle to be martyred, perhaps because the “Thunder” would not be silent. Jesus has a tendency to use passionate people. Passionate people are not always loud, but you can never doubt their passion.

"Lord, help me to be passionate about You and Your will. AMEN"

Mark 2:18-28

Mark 2:18–28

There are two ways I can choose to live: either by rules or by grace. The outward expression and appearance of these two at times looks similar. They can at times produce nearly identical results. But their origins are totally opposites. For the rule keeper the motivation of a given behavior is to demonstrate how good they are. For a person living in and by grace the motivation for behavior is love for and thanks to God. The behavior may look the same, but that is where the similarities end.

Under the law there was one day of fasting per year for Jews that was required and it lasted from sunup to sundown. Additional fasting occurred but it was a free-will action. The pious Jews practiced twice a week fasting and this was often for show. But even the most stringent, rules keepers recognized that the occasions of great joy trumped fasting. The life of joyous discipleship is able to put fasting in the proper place.

In the parable of the new cloth and the wineskins, the inflexibility of rule-keeping faith is contrasted to the elasticity of grace. Rules can never keep up with every circumstance of life especially as life becomes more and more complex. There is no way to make enough rules to cover every circumstance of life. Why was the law, in general and especially Sabbath keeping, given after all? Frankly, we humans are not very good at self-care. The law of Sabbath keeping was given not to worship a specific day. The Sabbath was given because we would not enjoy God if we were not told to slow down, be still and enjoy God’s company.

The life we are to live is the life of joy because of our relationship with God. It may induce certain behaviors, but those are a byproduct of that life not the object of life. This life of love, grace and joy is flexible and can handle any situation unlike rules and regulations. The objective of what God gives us is to draw us to Him not to keep rules. We must never forget that Jesus is Master of everything that is holy.

"Grant, oh Lord, that I shall life by grace and in that I will find the joy of holy living. AMEN"

Mark 2:13-17

Mark 2:13-17

Jesus is being less and less accepted by the religious elite. But if they closed every synagogue to Him He would still have an audience. As humans we want to set up barriers that allow us to feel in some way superior.

Jesus went to where the people were. At one such crossroads Jesus invited Matthew to follow him. Matthew worked for Herod, which was not wrong, but he was hated all the same. He would not be someone the religious elite would have embraced. We often paint the picture of Jesus' followers with soft colors thinking they may have been a little rough here and there, but basically lovable. It is more likely they were all jerks. They would have been people who were hard to love and difficult people to be with. 

Notice also, Jesus never stopped looking for disciples. If we were to draw a pie chart of how much of our life is committed and dedicated to making disciples, how big would that piece of the pie be? If Scripture is true and we find what we seek, the reason we are not finding and making disciples is that we are not looking for them. Matthew is a case study on the right way to grow the church. Matthew was won, became a disciple and then introduced everyone he knew to Christ. The only persons Jesus can't help are those who don't think they are sick.   In Jesus' day you did not go to the doctor to find out if you were sick, you went to the doctor only when you knew you were sick.  Only those who know they need Him will come to Christ.

"Lord, give me a passion for making disciples.  Never let me wait for the lost to wander into a church building. AMEN.

Mark 2:1-12

Mark 2:1-12

Having returned after the preaching tour word gets out that Jesus is home.  Most likely “home” was living with Peter’s family.  While gone for some time everyone had the memory of the wonders done and His teaching and they wanted more.  Word spread and people came.  The actions of the friends of the paralytic may indicate that this was no impromptu action.  “If and when Jesus shows up again we will do this…” The construction of verse 3 may indicate a larger company of friends, but only four are serving as carriers.  The language indicates they intended to come face to face with Jesus; this is no distant vague nearness.  Verse 5 is a challenging verse.  Jesus responds to “their” faith with forgiveness.  Rugged individualism is confronted with Jesus forgiving one man based on the collective faith.  Certainly the paralytic was also a man of faith, but there is power and importance in being in intimate relationships with faith-filled people.  Jesus responds positively to bold faith.  Forgiveness wasn’t apparently what the sick man and his friends came after, but Jesus jumps to the greater need. 

The presence of the religious busybodies is for the first time seen here in Mark.  In the other Gospels we see them during the ministry of John the Baptist, but this is their first appearance in Mark.  It is worth noting that their first reaction was negative.  Perhaps caught off guard their mental, first reaction was an accusation.  Some people have a default setting in their heart to be negative.

It must have been very strange to have Jesus read your mind.  In answer to the unspoken question, Jesus produces outer evidence to go along with the inner change.  The miracle of healing gave evidence to the authority of the spoken word.  That is the pattern of the New Testament.  We may doubt but the evidence is enough to convince if we are willing.  But if we choose to persist in unbelief (a stubborn refusal to choose faith) that unbelief reflects an issue of our heart, not the evidence. 

"Lord, never let me lose sight of the importance of being in a faith community. AMEN"