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

Mark 12:13-27

Mark 12:13-27

Never was there a more one-sided battle of wits than the one we see in this passage. There are two, carefully set traps that were long used in the arguments of the day. These verbal traps had befuddled and ruined all that had fallen into them until they attempted to use them on Jesus.

The politically motivated Herodians who sought to advance Israel’s cause or, more accurately, their own cause with support of the Romans set the first trap. At their side were their rivals the sect of the Pharisees. However Jesus answered this trap question one side or the other would have Him. He would either be at odds with the Romans or with the people.

First, Jesus calls them out for their duplicitous motives. While they use flattery He simply responds with the truth. They may have hated Caesar, but they accepted benefits from him, as evidenced by their having one of his coins. If Caesar was so wicked why would they use his coins? So what does belong to God and what is legitimately Caesars? Those things that carry their images belong to those whose image they bear. So long as the state does not demand what is God's the state is to be honored.

The second trap is a straw man fallacy. It demands that they cast the situation so ludicrous that it can never be taken seriously. The Sadducees wanted to create the picture of seven brothers fighting for all of eternity over a woman. Jesus explains that these learned men had two problems. They were doubly ignorant, not knowing the Scriptures they claim as their authority and secondly they were ignorant about the nature of God. The Books of Moses, which were the only ones they accepted, are what the Lord uses to teach them. God speaks in the present tense, as the God of the Patriarchs-He is the God of the living because He is the Living God. God is not the God of the dead corpses, but He is the God of those still living because he animates them.

This brings to mind two questions. Whose image is marked on us? Who is it that animates our lives?

"Lord, help me to bear Your image in my life every day.  AMEN"

Mark 12:1-12

Mark 12:1-12

The rejection of Jesus' authority in the preceding passage is expressed in this parable. The vineyard motif is an expression from Isaiah, which he used consistently to illustrate Israel's condition. As soon as Jesus started talking “vineyard” the leaders would have thought of Israel. The tenant farmer is a new twist on the old expression. But the religious elite would have readily identified themselves as those who tended Israel; they would not have missed the point. We need to be conscientious that when we read through Scripture we are aware of what it is saying to us, as clearly as they were aware that Jesus was talking about them.

The tenant farmers rejected the ones sent from the owner just as Israel rejected the prophets. The tenant farmers’ motivations for rejecting the messengers became clear when the owner sends his son. They wanted to possess the vineyard for themselves. The tenant farmers, the religious elite of Jesus' day and today, have a wrong perception to whom the church or Israel or the vineyard belongs. When we fight to possess what is not ours as if it were our own we will gladly reject the real owner.

The guilt of the tenant farmers was most intensely focused in the fact that they had known the son. They didn't kill him in ignorance of who he was. They rejected him and then killed him precisely because they knew he was the son. In the same way the leaders could not claim ignorance about Jesus. The evidence of Jesus’ identity was there before them. Their guilt was not omission but commission; they actively rejected the Son.

The worst thing imaginable to the religious elite was pronounced in their hearing. What the religious elite rejected would become the chief cornerstone of something unexpected, something of which they would have no part: the extension of grace to the Gentiles. For all time there is this principle: God's plan will not be thwarted. When people He calls, be that Israel, a person, a congregation, the church in America or in the west, reject His purposes He will find others through whom His will is accomplished. There is no point in prayers being offered for anyone or group that has rejected the Son, there is no pleading to the Lord for them, except that they repent.

"Lord, begin in my heart repentance and then allow me to be used for Your purpose. AMEN"

Mark 11: 27-33

Mark 11: 27-33

Mark gives little context for this conversation. The religious elite needed no prior discussion to prompt them to pick a fight with Jesus. They were ready to fight when Jesus came into the temple. There is behind a question in verse 28 a pompous arrogance. Jesus was unschooled by any recognized rabbi. He came as a teacher from outside of their system. They rejected anyone and everyone who came from any system other than their own. Without approved credentials they might say, "He can't be right because he speaks of his own authority."

Jesus tells them and also refused to tell them of His authority both in the same moment. His question about John's baptism was connected to John's preparation for His coming. This was Jesus’ way of saying John's baptism was from heaven and so is my authority. Jesus was ready to answer their question about authority, but only if they were honest enough to hear an honest answer. The answer of the religious elite to Jesus’ counter question indicates the condition of their hearts. Rather than explore the implication of John's baptism and Jesus’ authority, they can only think about what is the safe answer to preserve their power. Truth for them has taken a back seat to power. Meeting with God and encountering God is less important than control. Face to face with the moment of repentance they reject the opportunity. This is the unforgivable sin. At the very gates of heaven, they have chosen hell.

Professing that they did not know the answer was not enough. To say, “I don't know,” and to be satisfied is dangerous to the point of being damnable. The only time “I don't know” is the appropriate answer when it is connected to “but I want to learn”. Jesus knows their claimed ignorance is an excuse and a refusal to come out of their darkness. He will not waste His time with such a person. He will not cast His pearls before swine. When confronted with Jesus in the Scriptures what do I do? Do I close my eyes, claim ignorance and stay in ignorance or do I seek to surrender my life to Him?

"Lord, at all costs do not allow me to remain with my eyes closed. AMEN"

Mark 11:12-26

Mark 11:12-26

Every time we look at the cursing of the fig tree we get a little uneasy. It makes Jesus look harsh or petty because it wasn't the season for figs and yet he curses the fig tree. We prefer a mamby, pamby Jesus not a passionate one. The fig tree incident must be taken in the context of the clearing of the temple and Israel's rejection of the Lord. The cursing of the fig is enacted parable. A fruitless tree, fruitless temple worship, and a fruitless nation will all end up being cursed. We might put it this way, "that which is fruitless is always under a curse". The withering of the tree, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of temple worship are all outward indications of an already existing barrenness even if it appears to be healthy and vibrant. Barrenness does not manifest itself immediately. Sometimes the Lord postpones, in His Mercy, He delays judgment. But barrenness always brings judgment; when it comes it is often swift and complete.

The religious elite who profited by the shallow, barren faith were afraid of Jesus. The hostility of the elite and the crowds in Jerusalem were such a threat to His life that Jesus spent the night in Bethany. The religious elites were unbothered by fruitlessness or even a conspiracy to commit murder. But honest preaching bothered them. Often it bothers us too! We must not expect anything less for a fruitless Church. Churches can be fruitless for a number of reasons. Like the religious elite of Jesus day it is often about power and control. We see this is the phenomenon of “clergy killers”. Those who attack church leaders when the fear they are losing control. In churches where you find clergy killers you will find fruitlessness. When a church allows a clergy killer to have its way you will find barren fruitlessness and eventually judgment.

The next morning Jesus links faith, fulfillment of prayer and forgiveness into one teaching. Prayers that come from a fruitless person are ineffective. Not because the issue of doubt acts as a retardant, but because doubt indicates a heart issue. Unbelief questions challenge the nature and the character of God. But how do we know if we have that kind of doubt or unbelief? Our willingness to forgive is the best indicator of our heart and faith. Don’t prayer for God to do great things, or even little things, if there is un-forgiveness in the heart. To question the power and the character of God is the most grievous of moral failures. The person that is completely given over to God has confidence in His holiness and His goodness. And that is expressed in forgiveness of others.

Mark 11:1-11

Mark 11:1-11

There was an atmosphere of revolution in Jerusalem and Judea. The people waited for and wanted an earthly king to free them from the oppression of the Romans. Already terrorist groups were organized and striking out. The priests were passionate about not having a rebellion. They held positions of power and privilege and any rebellion could threaten their good living. The Pharisees for their part would only participate if they were sure that God was inspiring the rebellion and therefore would succeed. That is why they demand a sign from heaven. Everyone had an agenda for and strong opinions about the coming Messiah and His kingdom. In this context Jesus has the triumphal entry.

Jesus' divine insight directed the disciples to a colt at a certain door that is owned by one who will send it for the use of God. The phrase in verse 3 “the Lord has need of it” is provoking. The Lord, God in flesh, has a need. That expression ought to stick us in the heart. The One who created the universe is in need. What gentle condescension humbling Himself to the point He needs us. In the work of ministry the Lord has need of us.

The crowds gather around Jesus as He rides the colt into town. Some gave clothes for a saddle others paved the way with garments and others gave by covering the road with leaves and branches. All did what they could do. This throng was, no doubt, at its core Jesus’ traveling companions. Beyond this core of His supporters were pilgrims that arrived independently and there were those from the local area as well. They cried, “Hosanna.” More than a liturgical word, a catchphrase, or cliché it was a one-word prayer. They were saying, “Save us we beg.” If you wanted to start a rebellion you would have a hard time finding a better campaign slogan than the one they chanted.

Only the book of Mark reports of Jesus' return to Bethany. Israel thought they were ready. They all thought they were ready for the Messiah to come. Jesus disagreed. When Jesus looked around the temple was He on a scouting mission? That would hardly have been needed. Was He looking for Himself to get a first-hand assessment of the situation like the two who went to Sodom? No, that is not the case either. Whatever else we can learn, Jesus has perfect timing. While we always think we are ready we are almost always off in our own timing. But Jesus' timing is perfect. He looked around and left. It was a sort of living lesson. Was that anti-climatic? Perhaps. Was it disappointing? Maybe. Some may have thought that it was a missed opportunity. Whatever we may think, Jesus looked around and left, the time was not right.

"Lord, help me to understand and conform to your timing.  AMEN

Mark 10:35-52

Mark 10:35-52

If you want to be great in God's Kingdom you may already be on the wrong track. Greatness in the kingdom is the byproduct not the objective. Being great is contrary to the path of discipleship, so much so, that the ones who are truly great are unaware that they are great. Any disciple whose objective is to be great and will use service as a means to that end will soon become distracted by his true objective. Nowhere in Scripture do we see Jesus in anyway pursuing greatness; rather, He seeks service. The way of the disciple is not up, but down.

We don’t know if James and John were less pious than the other disciples. They may have just had more initiative. We do know they were men of faith. They fully believed Jesus would have a Kingdom and they wanted to be all in. For all their failures, at least they did have a high confidence in Jesus's kingship.

This passage is filled with irony. To be at the right and left of Christ at the moment victory was finally won was given to two bandits on their crosses. Also, at the last supper it appears that Judas the traitor and John the youngest were the ones who ate next to Jesus. There's also the last irony that the Son of Man (see Daniel 7:13-14) did not come to receive, but rather to give service.

If a disciple should not seek position of power neither should a disciple keep people from the Lord. The healing of blind Bartimaeus is a practical example of the wrong thinking of the disciples about greatness. They actively try to keep an unimportant person away from Jesus. What could Bartimaeus possibly do for Jesus? The disciples were keenly aware that the coming Kingdom would involve struggles. They wanted to make sure those who got access to Jesus had something useful to bring to the cause. While we ought to try to be like Bartimaeus and his faith, there is another lesson here for us also. Do not be like the disciples who used their power to be an impediment to those who would find Christ.

"Lord, help me forgetful of position but very mindful of service. AMEN"

Mark 10:17-34

Mark 10:17-34

Whatever he had it was not enough. The one we call the rich young ruler came to Jesus because he hoped that this teacher from God would fill in the missing pieces of his life. This young man of privileged life had every advantage available on Earth, including a religious upbringing. The piety of his religion was real. He would be a most desirable addition to the disciple band. He was exactly what we most want in our church members, young, wealthy, pious, sincere, and deeply earnest. Running and kneeling are behaviors reserved for servants and slaves; this public display indicates the desperation he felt.

Jesus comes to the point of the “one thing”. We all have that “one thing” with which we struggle. His “one thing” was money, but everyone has “one thing” that is the last, single, great obstacle to being a disciple. He was so close, so honest and so excited. Jesus has a special rush of love for this man. Jesus loves everyone, but in reaction to our zeal for Him He responds with specific affection. Jesus moves to the core issue of this young man's heart. When you love someone you don't ignore the “one thing” that will ruin him or her.

When confronted by the “one thing” it was too much for the young man. This is the only case we see in Scripture where someone left Jesus with the emotion of sadness. Wealth produces a special difficulty in being a disciple; not worse just different. The one who has wealth can deceive himself into thinking he has no need. To come to the Savior we must begin by understanding that we are in great need.

Verse 24 repeats verse 23 and then expands it. Entrance into the kingdom is impossible apart from grace, but the wealthy have a unique difficulty in recognizing their need for grace. Peter begins to blow his own horn. Maybe he disliked or had a prejudice against the wealthy, many of us do. Jesus explains that the trade-off of being a disciple is a really good deal, both here and hereafter. But lest the disciples become impressed with their own sacrifice Jesus uses this moment to point for the sacrifice He will make. He who for our sake became poor may demand that we do the same for His sake.

"Lord, help me see the 'one thing' that might get in the way of my following You, and give me the grace to let it go. AMEN"

Mark 10:1-16

Mark 10:1-16

Everyone had a trick question by which they wanted to trap Jesus. For some it was paying taxes to Caesar. For others it was marriage and the resurrection. Here, for the Pharisees, it is marriage and divorce. And part of the trap of this question appears to be an apparent contradiction in the law. Jesus begins by getting them to show that they knew what the Word said. He then points out that the hardness of heart and not marriage is a problem. Divorce is a concession to the evil of man to prevent man from propagating a greater evil. Divorce is an evil, but it is not the worst evil that can happen. For example, polygamy was an evil permitted to prevent greater evil.

The disciples’ questioning of Jesus indicates that this was more than a passing comment. The call to the highest level of holy living was a challenge to them. The call to holy living is no stranger to us, but it nevertheless is still a challenge. What is not a challenge is for the child to trust in the one they love.

The Kingdom belongs to people like little children. There is a lot about little children that is not likeable. Ask any mom with a child in the “terrible twos” or the “tantrum threes” But they have this, those they love they trust. The child with the one they love is completely confident that the one they love will take care of everything. They have no fear or doubt. That is why the Kingdom is theirs. Without doubt the one who loves God receives the Kingdom because they are willing to ask for it. The lack of Kingdom living reveals the presence of fear and doubt. It is a reflection of a lack of trust which in turn reflects a lack of love.

"Lord help me to love You more deeply and in that trust You for fully. AMEN"

Mark 9:38-50

Mark 9:38-50

Jesus sets the minimum condition for being a disciple, "For he who is not against us is for us." Our desire to be superior causes us to draw lines in such a way that we are in and others are out. John may have seen his attempted prohibition as a sign of loyalty or of orthodoxy. It may have been a self-justification for the disciples. Remember that the failure to drive the demon out of the boy was recent. Don't imagine that the memory of that failure is entirely forgotten. Notice John's use of the plural. That was important, he was a spokesman of a group that wanted to draw a line. Rather than drawing lines perhaps we ought to consider the effect and the results of the ministry we try to put on the other side of the line.

Jesus teaches that even the least and apparent smallest action is important based on what it does in relation to Him. A cup of water is not a big deal until it is given in the name of the Lord. To cause a child a problem may not have seemed like a big deal. But if it damages the relationship that child has with the Lord it is a huge issue. As He says this Jesus may still be holding a little child in His arms.

So emphatic is Jesus that He teaches that if something will cause a holy man to fall it must be removed; nothing is too close or personal as to be exempt. It is interesting and a little known truth that Jesus only spoke of hell to his disciples and the religious leaders. He never spoke of hell to sinners.

Salt and fire were both seen as agents of purification. Everyone will be salted with fire for God’s purposes. So do not waste your time hoping that you can avoid such testing. Dishonest salt merchants sold impure salt. Nothing could make white sand into salt. The result was useless and it had to be thrown out. Impure Christians are the same.

"Lord, allow nothing to come between us, not matter what it cost me.  AMEN"

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"