Mark 14:12-31

Mark 14:12-31

Mark covers the preparation for the Passover, the celebration of the Passover, and the conversation after the Passover in less than 20 verses. This is a much shorter text than any of the other Gospels. But a beautiful theme develops in this text. The disciples witness the providence and predictive power of the Lord. We're told little about how Jesus arranged this Passover plan. But the disciples were sent and found the man with the water jar, which is unusual because that is woman's work. They followed him to a house where the owner was supportive of Jesus' work. In our lives as disciples we enjoy the Lord arranging events, meetings, encounters, jobs, etc. etc. with startling regularity. So much so, we tend to miss them as God’s providence or we even expect them as routine. We become so familiar with God’s providential care that we may, tragically, even lose wonder or forget thankfulness as our response.

When they come in the upper room the disciples experience Jesus in the most intimate way possible. Volumes could be filled on all the implications of the supper. It was new in that it was celebrating an effective sacrifice for sin. It was new in forming a new and better covenant. It was the fulfillment of the Passover, which had always been a promise. In the Passover, forgiveness was leased from one year to the next, but in the sacrifice of Christ we have forgiveness with a clear title. The disciples enjoyed closeness with Christ, but all the implications of that closeness they could not comprehend.

Despite this closeness they would all fail. Even in their failure the Lord loved them. We are never let off the hook for our responsibility to live holy. Grace and mercy are not passes to misbehave. Those with the closest relationship to Christ still fail. But that Lord loves them and us and desires that we turn back to Him.

"Thank You Lord for loving me and caring for me even when I just don't get it. Amen"

Mark 14:1-11

Mark 14:1-11

This short passage is very full of powerful moments. First the priests are ready to commit judicial murder, but they are willing to wait till after the Passover if that will suit their purpose. But by God's Sovereign will there is no other time when the Lamb of sacrifice is to be slain.

Second, Mary's costly gift indicates a heart fully given to the Lord. There were not many ways for her to express her love for the Lord, but what she could do she did do. This woman that Mark leaves unnamed, driven by her love is then compared to the parsimonious money counting disciples. Her simple, humble devotion is contrasted with these less purely motivated men. We might expect those closest to Jesus would have had the greatest devotion. Not so, these men had an agenda.

The third moment comes from Jesus' statement, “The poor you will always have with you” is a freeing statement. Jesus neither absolves the disciples of their responsibility to care nor does He indicate that the only proper way to use funds is for poverty relief. We are charged with caring for the poor, but nowhere does Scripture indicate that by our efforts alone poverty will be eradicated.

The final moment in this passage is with Judas.  It is in this context that we see Judas begin the process of betrayal. We often seem surprised when church leaders conduct themselves wickedly. We act as if this is a new or unusual behavior. But the consistent pattern of Scripture is that even among those nearest the Lord we find wicked men. How many times have we said, “I can't believe he or she or they did that?” Perhaps there is a better question to ask, “Will I be the one to betray my Lord or His church?”

"Lord, keep my heart for You and You alone.  Amen"

Mark 13:32-37

Mark 13:32-37

In reference to the Lord's coming, we as the church have one job and only one job. That job, contrary to the opinion of many teachers, is not figuring out when. The job of the church and the individual disciple is to be ready. Not only do we not know when Jesus will return, we cannot and are not capable of knowing when He will return.

The Father alone knows when the Son will return; a fact that He did not see fit to reveal to the Son and certainly not to us. The parable the Lord tells is to illustrate the proper attitude and is fairly simple and straightforward. We are to be doing what we are supposed to be doing until the Lord returns. The doorkeeper is especially singled out as the one who must not be caught sleeping while on duty. His job is to keep watch, to be ever ready, not to try to guess when the master will return, just be ready. We see here that the single most important principle of apocalyptic and eschatological literature is ethical and not chronological. Remove from your minds every aspect of prediction of when the Lord will return. Instead spend that mental space and energy on knowing how we shall live until He returns.

"Lord, help me to focus on the ethical and not the chronological preparations for the return of Jesus.  AMEN"

Mark 13:14-31

Mark 13:14-31

Many volumes have been written about the second coming of Christ, a great many of which should have been left unwritten. In this passage Jesus does not give a future map of time to satisfy our idle curiosity. But rather set epic moments against practical questions for the moral life of a disciple and how they ought to live.

During the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman army in AD 70 the Legion’s standards, which happened to be eagles, were seen as the “idols that profane” another way to translate “the abomination of desolation”. This attack was unparalleled in violence and destruction. The hate-filled energy of the Roman Legion, made of Edomites and the Gauls, seemed to be unrestricted. Note in verse 20 that the Lord is compassionate even in the punishment. At this point “the elect” refers not the Jewry but to the church. In His compassion for the church others enjoy collateral mercy. We often hear about collateral damage, but consider the value of the church as an occasion of collateral mercy. Be faithful to the Lord, He is merciful.

In times of deepening crisis false teachers will arise. They have as their objective the deception of the elect, the church. Note that the deception of the demonic is not primarily targeted at those outside of the church. Be faithful to the Lord, He is true.

Between the fall of Jerusalem and the end there will be moments when it would seem like the universe itself was becoming unhinged. The astronomical bodies that seem so solid will feel like they are about to come apart. Not to worry, the Son of Man will come in his glory. During the times when it seems like the universe is coming unglued be faithful to the Lord, He is coming soon.

There is a constant vagary about the Lord's coming. The parable of the fig tree could be the interpretation of almost any moment. The early Church lived in the context and hope that the Lord was returning at any moment, which was no small part of the reason for their effectiveness and evangelism. The Lord's delay may confuse us, but it doesn't confuse the Lord. Be faithful to the Lord He will return, but not when expected.

Apocalyptic teaching is never about setting dates or marking calendars. It is only and always about a call to live holy and it is always about being faithful to the Lord.

"Lord, help me to live holy as I anticipate the return of Christ. AMEN

Mark 13:1-13

Mark 13:1-13

After being rejected by Israel in the proxy of their leaders the Lord leaves the temple. This is a momentous occasion; the God of the universe has withdrawn His presence from the temple for the last time. We can't be sure why the disciples said what they said in verse 1. Maybe it was an attempt to cheer Jesus up. Maybe they wanted to replace the negative thoughts associated with the recent conversations with the beauty and the magnificence of the temple. In verse two we see less than an upbeat comment from Jesus. Sometimes negativism is the right approach! Doom and Gloom may not be popular, but sometimes they are the right things to say.

The disciples mistakenly assume that the destruction of the temple will mean the end of the world. Jesus uses this occasion to warn about four pitfalls that need to be avoided.

• First pitfall, in verse 2, is the danger of relying on outward adjuncts of religion, wonderful as they may be, such as a temple, these can never suffice for the presence of personal faith.
• Second, in verses 5- 6, Jesus warns of the danger of false Messiahs, which may be extended to false teachers.
• The third hazard, in verses 7-8, is the tumult in the world creating a distraction for us.
• Finally, in verses 9-13, is the threat of being tripped up by the unexpected bitterness when we face the persecution for our faith.

Notice that in each case, the trouble comes closer and closer to the life of the believer. And as trouble gets closer to us our response is consistent, and that being that our focus and we remain faithful to Christ. It is only in being faithful to the end that we can have hope of the life eternal which God wants to give us.

"Lord,in the moments of difficulty that are ahead help me stay close to You. AMEN"

Mark 12:35-44

Mark 12:35-44

Jesus ends the conflict that began with the triumphal entry and the cleansing of the temple by asking the teachers about the Messiah being a descendant of David but was prophesied by David as being David’s Lord. They knew about this because they had studied carefully the Scriptures. But the religious elite had something blocking their faith. Their guilt was not a problem of ignorance. They clearly knew the Scriptures. It was something much worse. They rejected the Messiah despite from their knowledge of scripture they should have known him. What had gotten in the way?

Jesus warns that the career of religious professionalism was their problem. The life of the professionally religious can have some perks, money, power, and prestige. The professionally religious gets to wear the uniform of the religious elite, they are paid for what they think and have skills so convincing that they can deceive even themselves so that they can justify stealing from widows. On judgment day the worst place will be for the faithless religious leader.

In contrast, Jesus points out the Widow who has so little but gives open-handedly. It is not what she gave (very little) but what she kept for herself (nothing) that was so impressive. This passage shares the theme of “this is greater than that”. First, commitment to Christ is greater than scholarship. Second, simple faith is greater than religious professionalism. Third, real sacrifice is greater than the amount that is given.

"Lord, help me to keep nothing for myself, but give all to You. AMEN"

Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28-34

What is the greatest commandment? This question and the questioner were unlike the preceding two encountered by Jesus. While the two former questions were offered for the purpose of trapping Jesus this was different. He was coming to and listening to the debates, which may indicate that he was not one of the conspirators. His question does not have a trap set in it. Perhaps we have an honest heart honestly seeking, knocking and asking. When he hears the answer he agrees with Jesus.

Then comes a surprise. Jesus responds to his agreement by passing a judgment. The correct answer meant that he was close to knowing the Kingdom. Suddenly the tables are completely turned. The questioners came to attempt to trap Jesus by seeing if they could get Him in a non-orthodox or rebellious answer. Jesus now asserts that their answers to Him and their acceptance of His word indicate their closeness to or distance from the Kingdom of Heaven. We can never judge Jesus to see if He fits our expectations and us. Rather Jesus, both as the Judge and the standard of judgment, judges everything. Our response to Him is the measure of all judgment.

"Lord, bring Your judgement onto my life.  AMEN