Mark 9:2-4
2 Six days later, Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John, and *brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.
Message: The Mount of Transfiguration
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the
source material for this book. This book was composed probably between
AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross.
39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's
servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and
circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Jesus has been in preaching mode of late. After Peter and the disciples declare Jesus as the Christ, Jesus states his goal of suffering, and Peter rebukes that. Jesus tells the disciples that suffering can be part of following Him and their old way of thinking that life is about them and meeting their needs is not the goal. Our goal is to follow Him, no matter the cost.
Jesus pauses for a moment here and takes Peter, James, and John to the high part of the mountain. And He was transfigured before them. His garments became radiant and exceedingly white. Elijah appeared to them along with Moses. Moses had been set apart for the work of God on Mount Sinah. Jesus now experiences something similar.
I think once again Jesus is confirming to his disciples his unique nature. That nature has been on display continually but they continue to struggle to trust Him each step of the way. Here he simply wants to confirm his mission to them, perhaps in an exciting way. Yes, they probably still don't understand. But, he is more than a man. And while Moses and Elijah may have experienced God at key moments. Here Jesus is the one, like God had been to Moses, shining in light. So, this isn't just another mountain have an experience. No, there is something different about Jesus. He has the same radiance and brilliance and glory of God here. As it records, he is transfigured. He is not simply a witness to what has occurred. He is the occurrence.
But, overall, to me, it is unclear what is happening. Many things could be extrapolated from this or assumed to have occurred. But, at this moment, after 3 verses, I'm not sure what more can be assumed. Perhaps Jesus is simply wanting to confirm to his disciples that He has a special purpose and so he is continuing to ask them to trust Him through it all. Elijah and Moses are present to confirm the historical and central message of God to his people.
Summary - After Jesus has spoken of his purpose of suffering many things, be rejected, killed, and rise again and then Peter rebukes him on this; Jesus then says to his disciples what it means to be a true follower of Him. And now he is transfigured before 3 of the disciples and confirms that his nature is different from Moses and Elijah and his mission is different as he is transfigured into the radiant whiteness that was ascribed to God the Father previously at appearances to men.
Promise: One day we will Love as it is.
Prayer:Lord, thank you for being different, for being real, for being all powerful. I am looking forward to being with You for all eternity. It is hard to fathom at this moment, but I'm confident in You. I continue to trust You this day and pray that my faith would continue to grow and I would trust You. Be glorified.
Friday, June 29, 2018
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Mark 9:1 - Witnesses to the Kingdom
Mark 9:1
And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Message: Witnesses to the Kingdom
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface- Mark continues to be a book of action. Thus far, the messages have been "repent and believe" and "Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me." Interspersed is lots of examples of Jesus healing, casting out demons, and teaching his disciples about the power of God. Along the way, the Pharisees and Scribes question his mission as it is contrary to the traditions they know. Jesus is concerned of the heart. He desires to teach and preach.
Prior to verse 1 of chapter 9 Jesus has remarked to his disciples and the multitude that to follow Him transcends their old school and old self way of thinking. And the end of chapter 8 speaks of an entire life and how Jesus will see a person's life.
This is a puzzling verse as it says that some of them will not die before the seeing the kingdom of God come in power. It is believed by many that this verse belongs in chapter 8 and the division of chapters should have come after this verse.
Yet, there is discussion among scholars as to what event here is being spoken about. Mark 8:38 was about Jesus' coming, but it was also about God's power, a common theme in the book. Here, the verse is speaking of the kingdom of God coming in power before the death of the disciples or within 50 years of Jesus' words. Many have thought it was the transfiguration, an event that would however occur in less than 10 days from these words. More likely, is it referred to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70 when the Roman general conquered the City. That event was a prelude of the destruction and end of the world.
Summary - Jesus continues a message following his Return to letting his disciples know that before many of them die the temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed (see the Kingdom of God; an allusion to the end of the world).
Promise: The Kingdom of God will come in power in the 1st century.
Prayer: Lord, I'm not completely sure I understand this text, but I understand that your power is being mentioned and it is that power that I need to trust in and believe in. I can trust in You even as it goes beyond my understanding. My understanding of things is not always necessary. Your purposes continue to be more my good. Help me to depend on You more each day.
And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Message: Witnesses to the Kingdom
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface- Mark continues to be a book of action. Thus far, the messages have been "repent and believe" and "Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me." Interspersed is lots of examples of Jesus healing, casting out demons, and teaching his disciples about the power of God. Along the way, the Pharisees and Scribes question his mission as it is contrary to the traditions they know. Jesus is concerned of the heart. He desires to teach and preach.
Prior to verse 1 of chapter 9 Jesus has remarked to his disciples and the multitude that to follow Him transcends their old school and old self way of thinking. And the end of chapter 8 speaks of an entire life and how Jesus will see a person's life.
This is a puzzling verse as it says that some of them will not die before the seeing the kingdom of God come in power. It is believed by many that this verse belongs in chapter 8 and the division of chapters should have come after this verse.
Yet, there is discussion among scholars as to what event here is being spoken about. Mark 8:38 was about Jesus' coming, but it was also about God's power, a common theme in the book. Here, the verse is speaking of the kingdom of God coming in power before the death of the disciples or within 50 years of Jesus' words. Many have thought it was the transfiguration, an event that would however occur in less than 10 days from these words. More likely, is it referred to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70 when the Roman general conquered the City. That event was a prelude of the destruction and end of the world.
Summary - Jesus continues a message following his Return to letting his disciples know that before many of them die the temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed (see the Kingdom of God; an allusion to the end of the world).
Promise: The Kingdom of God will come in power in the 1st century.
Prayer: Lord, I'm not completely sure I understand this text, but I understand that your power is being mentioned and it is that power that I need to trust in and believe in. I can trust in You even as it goes beyond my understanding. My understanding of things is not always necessary. Your purposes continue to be more my good. Help me to depend on You more each day.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Mark 8:38 - Of Whom the Son of Man will be Ashamed
Mark 8:38
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
Message: Of Whom the Son of Man will be Ashamed
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Jesus is headed to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he questions the disciples as to who He is and they answer He is the Christ, the Jewish Messiah. He tells them what the Son of Man must do, but Peter rebukes Jesus, and then Jesus reminds them his purpose is not man's purpose. He speaks to the multitude and the disciples that to follow Jesus means we deny ourselves and take up our cross.
I've been listening to these messages by John Piper on this passage of scripture - Mark 8:34-38. He did four messages on these 4 verses, each about 10 minutes long. He states that verse 34 is the command and then verses 35-38 give reasons as to why denying yourself and taking up your cross.
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Come after and follow me has the same idea - follow. The cross was an instrument of death in that day. He states that to take up the cross means (1) embracing opposition, (2) bearing shame, (3) suffering, and (4) death. To come after comes with a risk. We must deny our old self. Our old self wants (1) approval, (2) honor, (3) comfort, (4) safety and (5) life. So when we find this attitude rise up we deny it. We have a new self. We are to take up the cross and deny that old self that does not want to take up the cross. Cross-bearing is losing one's life. To lose life is to embrace the old self and it's ways; to save your life is to bear the crosses way of life. One way is a loss, the other way will save my life. The new self loves Jesus more than the things of the old self (approval, honor, comfort, safety and life) and even if it costs him his life (opposition, shame, suffering, death).
And then verse 36 says that no amount of money used to acquire the old self ideals of approval, honor, comfort, safety and life can buy one's soul. You cannot acquire the soul this way. And then verse 37 takes it a step further and says that nothing at all can be exchanged for the his soul. So, it isn't just the old self ideals, but it is nothing.
Verse 38 then concludes Jesus' thought with very clear words. To be ashamed of something is to deny your association with whatever that is. If the world hates Jesus (and it does) then you want to be as far from that as possible. The world desires to please itself (generation). James 4:4 says, "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." It is not that I love opposition or I love shame or I love suffering or I love death. No, but it is that I love approval, honor, comfort, safety and life more than I love Jesus. Jesus is at the center here.
For me, I think this entire discourse by Jesus is because Peter first, as the representative of the disciples, speaks in response to Jesus' question of who do you say that I am and responds to Jesus that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. Then Jesus states his purpose on earth and Peter rebukes him. Peter says, "no Jesus, I will tell you your purpose." This is the danger of man. Even after understanding who Jesus is we still want Jesus to do what we want. And so Jesus then emphatically and with clarity states that to love Jesus means accepting a different purpose for your life. Jesus taught in verse 31 that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. But Peter rebuked this mission. Peter wanted Jesus to maybe continue doing the things that he saw people wanted of him (healing many, casting out demons, exhibiting the power of God, walking around with his people, teaching, preaching); these are all good things but Peter wants it his way. But Jesus says that this isn't simply about knowing who I am so that I (Jesus) will then meet all of your needs, "no" this is loving Jesus more than everything else in life and accepting whatever that comes your way. Jesus says that to follow me means taking up a cross of opposition, shame, suffering, and even death. Anything else is a lost life, it is forfeiting the soul, it is loving the world and the things of the world and so it is not receiving eternal life and having the Son of Man be ashamed of me.
This is a radical and tough statement. Those that see Jesus as the Christ, as the Messiah can still miss it. They can still miss eternal life. We are not a people that simply knows who Jesus is, but rather a people that love Jesus more than anything else in our lives.
Summary - John Piper concludes - Therefore, take up the cross of opposition and shame and suffering and death, and deny the old self that lives off of the approval of others, and human honor and comfort, and safety, and in your new self -- the self that loves Jesus more than life - follow Him.
Promise: Jesus will forgive me when I repent for being ashamed of him. But, if I persistently refuse to be identified with Christ, then I am most clearly not his disciple.
Prayer: Lord, in my life, I notice how much I value the approval of others. I love to be included, to be valued, and in acquiring this I will often sin through gossip or slander of others, just so that I can achieve approval from the audience I have before me at any given time. I want people to be proud of me so that I receive the honor and glory. I want it my way. But, Lord, this is choosing what the world loves, what my self loves - getting it my way - over You. Lord, you have saved me and washed me clean. You have called me to love you more than anything, more than father or mother, more than friends, more than any good. Lord, I have moments where I choose You, but I rather want to have a life that loves you Jesus more than life. I want to follow You. Only you can give me this type of strength. It goes against me to accept opposition, shame, suffering, and even death, but help to realize that loving you and following you is the only way to the Father. You have already bore my shame, my sin. I want to run to You, follow You, love You, honor You, glorify You, even if it means not getting my way.
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
Message: Of Whom the Son of Man will be Ashamed
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Jesus is headed to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he questions the disciples as to who He is and they answer He is the Christ, the Jewish Messiah. He tells them what the Son of Man must do, but Peter rebukes Jesus, and then Jesus reminds them his purpose is not man's purpose. He speaks to the multitude and the disciples that to follow Jesus means we deny ourselves and take up our cross.
I've been listening to these messages by John Piper on this passage of scripture - Mark 8:34-38. He did four messages on these 4 verses, each about 10 minutes long. He states that verse 34 is the command and then verses 35-38 give reasons as to why denying yourself and taking up your cross.
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Come after and follow me has the same idea - follow. The cross was an instrument of death in that day. He states that to take up the cross means (1) embracing opposition, (2) bearing shame, (3) suffering, and (4) death. To come after comes with a risk. We must deny our old self. Our old self wants (1) approval, (2) honor, (3) comfort, (4) safety and (5) life. So when we find this attitude rise up we deny it. We have a new self. We are to take up the cross and deny that old self that does not want to take up the cross. Cross-bearing is losing one's life. To lose life is to embrace the old self and it's ways; to save your life is to bear the crosses way of life. One way is a loss, the other way will save my life. The new self loves Jesus more than the things of the old self (approval, honor, comfort, safety and life) and even if it costs him his life (opposition, shame, suffering, death).
And then verse 36 says that no amount of money used to acquire the old self ideals of approval, honor, comfort, safety and life can buy one's soul. You cannot acquire the soul this way. And then verse 37 takes it a step further and says that nothing at all can be exchanged for the his soul. So, it isn't just the old self ideals, but it is nothing.
Verse 38 then concludes Jesus' thought with very clear words. To be ashamed of something is to deny your association with whatever that is. If the world hates Jesus (and it does) then you want to be as far from that as possible. The world desires to please itself (generation). James 4:4 says, "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." It is not that I love opposition or I love shame or I love suffering or I love death. No, but it is that I love approval, honor, comfort, safety and life more than I love Jesus. Jesus is at the center here.
For me, I think this entire discourse by Jesus is because Peter first, as the representative of the disciples, speaks in response to Jesus' question of who do you say that I am and responds to Jesus that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. Then Jesus states his purpose on earth and Peter rebukes him. Peter says, "no Jesus, I will tell you your purpose." This is the danger of man. Even after understanding who Jesus is we still want Jesus to do what we want. And so Jesus then emphatically and with clarity states that to love Jesus means accepting a different purpose for your life. Jesus taught in verse 31 that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. But Peter rebuked this mission. Peter wanted Jesus to maybe continue doing the things that he saw people wanted of him (healing many, casting out demons, exhibiting the power of God, walking around with his people, teaching, preaching); these are all good things but Peter wants it his way. But Jesus says that this isn't simply about knowing who I am so that I (Jesus) will then meet all of your needs, "no" this is loving Jesus more than everything else in life and accepting whatever that comes your way. Jesus says that to follow me means taking up a cross of opposition, shame, suffering, and even death. Anything else is a lost life, it is forfeiting the soul, it is loving the world and the things of the world and so it is not receiving eternal life and having the Son of Man be ashamed of me.
This is a radical and tough statement. Those that see Jesus as the Christ, as the Messiah can still miss it. They can still miss eternal life. We are not a people that simply knows who Jesus is, but rather a people that love Jesus more than anything else in our lives.
Summary - John Piper concludes - Therefore, take up the cross of opposition and shame and suffering and death, and deny the old self that lives off of the approval of others, and human honor and comfort, and safety, and in your new self -- the self that loves Jesus more than life - follow Him.
Promise: Jesus will forgive me when I repent for being ashamed of him. But, if I persistently refuse to be identified with Christ, then I am most clearly not his disciple.
Prayer: Lord, in my life, I notice how much I value the approval of others. I love to be included, to be valued, and in acquiring this I will often sin through gossip or slander of others, just so that I can achieve approval from the audience I have before me at any given time. I want people to be proud of me so that I receive the honor and glory. I want it my way. But, Lord, this is choosing what the world loves, what my self loves - getting it my way - over You. Lord, you have saved me and washed me clean. You have called me to love you more than anything, more than father or mother, more than friends, more than any good. Lord, I have moments where I choose You, but I rather want to have a life that loves you Jesus more than life. I want to follow You. Only you can give me this type of strength. It goes against me to accept opposition, shame, suffering, and even death, but help to realize that loving you and following you is the only way to the Father. You have already bore my shame, my sin. I want to run to You, follow You, love You, honor You, glorify You, even if it means not getting my way.
Monday, June 25, 2018
Mark 8:36-37 - The Value of the Human Soul
Mark 8:36-37
36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Message: The Value of the Human Soul
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Jesus is headed to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he questions the disciples as to who He is and they answer He is the Christ, the Jewish Messiah. He tells them what the Son of Man must do, but Peter rebukes Jesus, and then Jesus reminds them his purpose is not man's purpose. He speaks to the multitude and the disciples that to follow Jesus means we deny ourselves and take up our cross.
As a follower of Christ, our lives look different from the life and even the perspectives of the world. My will is not the goal, but rather I follow Christ at whatever the cost. When I look at the cross in that day and what it meant to people that died by this instrument, the cross meant people would be opposed, experience shame, suffer and die. Conversely, I do not look for these situations, but if they come my way, while following Christ, I do not resist them. I stay obedient to the Bible and the Word of God. I listen to the Holy Spirit leading me. In living this way I experience eternal life. I cannot simply say a prayer and then continue to life in comfort, ease, acceptance, and safety when Jesus often calls me in a different area.
This is hard because the world I live in trains me to not be near uncomfortable situations. Instead I am trained to be entertained. Jesus said that to lose my life is to save it. This means to lose my will or to lose the things that I want out of life is to save it. My life is not my own. It is Christ's and being conformed to the teaching and example of Christ. God is sovereign and a person's degree of suffering, oppositions, toil, loss of power, unsafe environments is guided by Christ. Some Christians experience a great amount of suffering. No matter what I am to deny myself - die to the notion that I must be first.
He has already offered that a losing life is a saved life. He now says for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul.There is no profit in gaining all the money, all the honor, all the approval, all the comfort, all the safety. There is no profit in this because I forfeit my soul when I gain the whole world. You can't buy a soul out of hell. This points us back to the desire of saving my life (v. 35).
To gain the whole world is to decide that my goals are just that, mine, for my life. My soul is the inner part of my person and encompasses my true identity. He says what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Nothing. There is nothing that can be given in exchange for one's soul. Instead I am to deny myself, take up the cross; I am to lose my life.
Summary - Jesus is continuing to emphasize what it means to follow Him. Peter rebuked Jesus when Jesus stated his purposed because Peter wanted his purpose of Jesus to come true. But, Jesus corrects him and in so doing clearly shows that God's will for our lives is not our own. We must deny what we have come to define as an important life.
Promise: In response to losing my life, I cannot seek to gain the whole world instead and hope that my life will be saved.
Prayer - Lord, I often live my life in a way that protects me from any suffering, any uncomfortable situation. I want to listen to You Lord. I want to choose what you have for me. Too often my life ideal looks no different from others in the world. Lord, as I interact with people in need and continue to live my life without need I am living contrary to where you are leading me. I am at a point where I do not know what needs to be next for me. Lord, what does this look like in my life. Expose in me how I am seeking after the world. Expose in me how I am losing my life.
36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Message: The Value of the Human Soul
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Jesus is headed to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he questions the disciples as to who He is and they answer He is the Christ, the Jewish Messiah. He tells them what the Son of Man must do, but Peter rebukes Jesus, and then Jesus reminds them his purpose is not man's purpose. He speaks to the multitude and the disciples that to follow Jesus means we deny ourselves and take up our cross.
As a follower of Christ, our lives look different from the life and even the perspectives of the world. My will is not the goal, but rather I follow Christ at whatever the cost. When I look at the cross in that day and what it meant to people that died by this instrument, the cross meant people would be opposed, experience shame, suffer and die. Conversely, I do not look for these situations, but if they come my way, while following Christ, I do not resist them. I stay obedient to the Bible and the Word of God. I listen to the Holy Spirit leading me. In living this way I experience eternal life. I cannot simply say a prayer and then continue to life in comfort, ease, acceptance, and safety when Jesus often calls me in a different area.
This is hard because the world I live in trains me to not be near uncomfortable situations. Instead I am trained to be entertained. Jesus said that to lose my life is to save it. This means to lose my will or to lose the things that I want out of life is to save it. My life is not my own. It is Christ's and being conformed to the teaching and example of Christ. God is sovereign and a person's degree of suffering, oppositions, toil, loss of power, unsafe environments is guided by Christ. Some Christians experience a great amount of suffering. No matter what I am to deny myself - die to the notion that I must be first.
He has already offered that a losing life is a saved life. He now says for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul.There is no profit in gaining all the money, all the honor, all the approval, all the comfort, all the safety. There is no profit in this because I forfeit my soul when I gain the whole world. You can't buy a soul out of hell. This points us back to the desire of saving my life (v. 35).
To gain the whole world is to decide that my goals are just that, mine, for my life. My soul is the inner part of my person and encompasses my true identity. He says what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Nothing. There is nothing that can be given in exchange for one's soul. Instead I am to deny myself, take up the cross; I am to lose my life.
Summary - Jesus is continuing to emphasize what it means to follow Him. Peter rebuked Jesus when Jesus stated his purposed because Peter wanted his purpose of Jesus to come true. But, Jesus corrects him and in so doing clearly shows that God's will for our lives is not our own. We must deny what we have come to define as an important life.
Promise: In response to losing my life, I cannot seek to gain the whole world instead and hope that my life will be saved.
Prayer - Lord, I often live my life in a way that protects me from any suffering, any uncomfortable situation. I want to listen to You Lord. I want to choose what you have for me. Too often my life ideal looks no different from others in the world. Lord, as I interact with people in need and continue to live my life without need I am living contrary to where you are leading me. I am at a point where I do not know what needs to be next for me. Lord, what does this look like in my life. Expose in me how I am seeking after the world. Expose in me how I am losing my life.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Mark 8:34-35 - Cruciform Discipleship
Mark 8:34-35
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Message: Cruciform Discipleship
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - After Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ - the Jewish Messiah - Jesus states his mission of suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter rebukes Jesus over this, wanting to correct him. But Jesus sees that Peter misunderstands and exhibits tough love in rebuking Peter, calling him out as Satan because his words are motivated by man's interests instead of God's.
It seems that Jesus has arrived in Caesarea Philippi and he proclaims a direct message to the people, something I haven't seen him do much in this gospel. If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. This three-fold commandment has always seemed a little outrageous or extreme to me, to the point that I do not know at times how I can in fact live this way day in and day out.
This is not a popular message, I feel, in today's times, especially in America where we are commissioned it seems to "Be all you can be." In life, the focus so often is on me. But, Jesus specifically states that a person must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. I still find it interesting that in a way this is Jesus' second message to us. He started out in chapter 1 with, "Repent and believe." And now here is the message, "Deny and Follow." In some ways there is similarity. The desire is to turn from yourself.
Come after me
First, is the desire to come after Jesus or follow Jesus. So there is a redundant message here. If we are to follow Jesus we need to deny one self, take up my cross, and follow. So, twice he says follow. Therefore, we need to clarify what is between the follows.
Deny Oneself
To deny oneself is to relinquish your personal will and surrender that will--always to the Lord. I've been reading about this recently in the book Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. The first Respectable Sin he addresses is ungodliness - or having an attitude daily that is not towards God. Conversely, to have an attitude toward God is to think of God throughout the day and to seek His will in all things. Yes, that is the goal. I will fall short. But, I can still press on. I can still try to live this way.
So how? I'm a step-by-step person I suppose. I watched the movie War Room last night and it spoke to me on the subject of fighting our battles with prayer. In essence, as we navigate difficult people and circumstances in life, I first must think about how I am to treat them - with love, compassion, and if I have a problem with them - the problem should be something I am taking to the Lord. I need to be praying for God to fix that problem. For me, this is about denying myself, or denying my will or as it says in Proverbs 3:5, "Do not lean on my own understanding." That is the antithesis it seems of denying oneself.
Take up his cross
So Jesus makes this command prior to going to the cross. The cross is a horrible instrument of execution. Get ready to be treated like a criminal. It is to experience shame. Tabletalk devotional defines this as "the shame and persecution this world heaps upon believers." So, would that be take up the shame and persecution or rather, don't go along with the worlds definitions of life. Take up those things that are contrary to God. Deny yourself and deny the world's ideals. It just doesn't seem like a coincidence that he would say, "take up your cross" when he is going soon to die on a cross.
To experience self-denial is to loses his life. When I deny my self, it implies to self's. I am denying myself. The old self that wants to live opposition free, shame-free, suffering-free, death-free. The new self says, "I want Jesus more than I want to be free from opposition. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from shame. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from suffering. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from death."
There is nothing wrong with me denying myself or losing myself.
Save leads to Lose
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it - I don't want to lose my life, so don't save it. Save means I will pursue acceptance. I will pursue comfort. I will pursue my own glory. I will pursue safety. This is what it means to save my own life. John 12:25 - Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. So, whoever will save his life in this world, he will lose it forever. Whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. So I will embrace not being accepted, not being comfortable, not coming out on top, not being safe.
This doesn't mean I look for suffering or I look to be uncomfortable or I look to be unsafe. But, when these situations arise in my life, I bear my cross. I seek you to see what you would have me learn in those situations.
So, if the focus on my world is being free from opposition, getting my glory, not ever experiencing suffering, always being comfortable, then I will not experience eternal life. Those are tough words, but truth.
Summary - Jesus has just rebuked Peter asserting that he knows the way that is before him. And here he further clarifies that contrary to what Peter thinks, he has a mission and Peter will need to deny himself and what he desires to experience that mission. Jesus very clearly tells us that to follow Him is to deny oneself and take up our cross.
Promise: Following Jesus is the opposite of the old world thinking or my old self thinking to gratify myself and achieve my way in all things. Life is not about my pleasure. It is about seeking the Lord and then seeing what He provides, realizing that sometimes opposition, unsafe, suffering, and uncomfortable are things I need to experience.
Prayer: Lord, I often am living my life in opposition to your calling on my life. Rather then denying myself, I spend my day pleasing myself. I fill my appetite as I wish. Whenever suffering or heartache comes my way, I very quickly ask it to be removed from my life. Rather than waiting to see how you will rescue me, I want the problem to be gone immediately.There are things in my life that I know I need to do. You are always teaching me and reminding me Holy Spirit to do things. Too often, I ignore you and take the easy road. Too often, I ignore you and take the selfish road. I do not want to live like this anymore. Holy Spirit, as you speak to me, I want to listen and obey, even if it means experiencing shame, opposition, suffering, death. Lord, too quickly I choose a life that is all about being accepted, having comfort, getting my own glory, being safe. Lord change me. Change my thinking. Re-write the thinking in my life. Re-write this in me so that I am pursuing that which is hard. When I do hard things, I save my life. O Lord, I hate how selfish my life has become. As circumstances happen in my life, help me to accept what you are teaching me.
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Message: Cruciform Discipleship
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - After Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ - the Jewish Messiah - Jesus states his mission of suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter rebukes Jesus over this, wanting to correct him. But Jesus sees that Peter misunderstands and exhibits tough love in rebuking Peter, calling him out as Satan because his words are motivated by man's interests instead of God's.
It seems that Jesus has arrived in Caesarea Philippi and he proclaims a direct message to the people, something I haven't seen him do much in this gospel. If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. This three-fold commandment has always seemed a little outrageous or extreme to me, to the point that I do not know at times how I can in fact live this way day in and day out.
This is not a popular message, I feel, in today's times, especially in America where we are commissioned it seems to "Be all you can be." In life, the focus so often is on me. But, Jesus specifically states that a person must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. I still find it interesting that in a way this is Jesus' second message to us. He started out in chapter 1 with, "Repent and believe." And now here is the message, "Deny and Follow." In some ways there is similarity. The desire is to turn from yourself.
Come after me
First, is the desire to come after Jesus or follow Jesus. So there is a redundant message here. If we are to follow Jesus we need to deny one self, take up my cross, and follow. So, twice he says follow. Therefore, we need to clarify what is between the follows.
Deny Oneself
To deny oneself is to relinquish your personal will and surrender that will--always to the Lord. I've been reading about this recently in the book Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. The first Respectable Sin he addresses is ungodliness - or having an attitude daily that is not towards God. Conversely, to have an attitude toward God is to think of God throughout the day and to seek His will in all things. Yes, that is the goal. I will fall short. But, I can still press on. I can still try to live this way.
So how? I'm a step-by-step person I suppose. I watched the movie War Room last night and it spoke to me on the subject of fighting our battles with prayer. In essence, as we navigate difficult people and circumstances in life, I first must think about how I am to treat them - with love, compassion, and if I have a problem with them - the problem should be something I am taking to the Lord. I need to be praying for God to fix that problem. For me, this is about denying myself, or denying my will or as it says in Proverbs 3:5, "Do not lean on my own understanding." That is the antithesis it seems of denying oneself.
Take up his cross
So Jesus makes this command prior to going to the cross. The cross is a horrible instrument of execution. Get ready to be treated like a criminal. It is to experience shame. Tabletalk devotional defines this as "the shame and persecution this world heaps upon believers." So, would that be take up the shame and persecution or rather, don't go along with the worlds definitions of life. Take up those things that are contrary to God. Deny yourself and deny the world's ideals. It just doesn't seem like a coincidence that he would say, "take up your cross" when he is going soon to die on a cross.
To experience self-denial is to loses his life. When I deny my self, it implies to self's. I am denying myself. The old self that wants to live opposition free, shame-free, suffering-free, death-free. The new self says, "I want Jesus more than I want to be free from opposition. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from shame. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from suffering. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from death."
There is nothing wrong with me denying myself or losing myself.
Save leads to Lose
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it - I don't want to lose my life, so don't save it. Save means I will pursue acceptance. I will pursue comfort. I will pursue my own glory. I will pursue safety. This is what it means to save my own life. John 12:25 - Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. So, whoever will save his life in this world, he will lose it forever. Whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. So I will embrace not being accepted, not being comfortable, not coming out on top, not being safe.
This doesn't mean I look for suffering or I look to be uncomfortable or I look to be unsafe. But, when these situations arise in my life, I bear my cross. I seek you to see what you would have me learn in those situations.
So, if the focus on my world is being free from opposition, getting my glory, not ever experiencing suffering, always being comfortable, then I will not experience eternal life. Those are tough words, but truth.
Summary - Jesus has just rebuked Peter asserting that he knows the way that is before him. And here he further clarifies that contrary to what Peter thinks, he has a mission and Peter will need to deny himself and what he desires to experience that mission. Jesus very clearly tells us that to follow Him is to deny oneself and take up our cross.
Promise: Following Jesus is the opposite of the old world thinking or my old self thinking to gratify myself and achieve my way in all things. Life is not about my pleasure. It is about seeking the Lord and then seeing what He provides, realizing that sometimes opposition, unsafe, suffering, and uncomfortable are things I need to experience.
Prayer: Lord, I often am living my life in opposition to your calling on my life. Rather then denying myself, I spend my day pleasing myself. I fill my appetite as I wish. Whenever suffering or heartache comes my way, I very quickly ask it to be removed from my life. Rather than waiting to see how you will rescue me, I want the problem to be gone immediately.There are things in my life that I know I need to do. You are always teaching me and reminding me Holy Spirit to do things. Too often, I ignore you and take the easy road. Too often, I ignore you and take the selfish road. I do not want to live like this anymore. Holy Spirit, as you speak to me, I want to listen and obey, even if it means experiencing shame, opposition, suffering, death. Lord, too quickly I choose a life that is all about being accepted, having comfort, getting my own glory, being safe. Lord change me. Change my thinking. Re-write the thinking in my life. Re-write this in me so that I am pursuing that which is hard. When I do hard things, I save my life. O Lord, I hate how selfish my life has become. As circumstances happen in my life, help me to accept what you are teaching me.
https://www.desiringgod.org/labs/what-does-it-mean-to-take-up-our-cross
Monday, June 11, 2018
Mark 8:32b-33 - Peter Corrects Jesus
Mark 8:32b-33
32b And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Message: Peter Corrects Jesus
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ - the promised Messiah. He ordered the disciples to not tell anyone about it. Jesus provides more information about himself on the journey they are taking, remarking that he has a mission of suffering, rejecting, death, and resurrection. These things must happen in their time. Jesus has a greater purpose. In the meantime, keep listening to his message and seeing that he is different, radically different.After this is said, though, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him.
Peter rebukes Jesus, but Peter, in front of the disciples rebukes Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Thus, to resist Jesus' teaching is to act as a disciple of Satan, and this is true regardless of whether the person making the objection understands what he is saying. Peter was correct that Jesus was the Messiah, but wrong about what that would mean. Some say Jesus' response was harsh, but obviously Jesus thought it was necessary. And today, as people make errors and paint a Jesus that fits their ideals rather than the Jesus that is presented in the Bible, we should be just as harsh.
I tend to not be harsh, only because maybe I don't understand it well and so as I see preachers harsh toward different sects of Christianity, I think it is sometimes too tough. But, maybe they see themselves acting in this same way as Jesus rebuking Peter. For example, we are not just justified by faith, but justified by faith alone. Jesus is of the same nature as the Father, not simply a similar nature. Sometimes we are a little careless with out use of words. I think we are lazy at times and don't make things a big deal. But, we do need to be precise.
Summary - After Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ - the Jewish Messiah - Jesus states his mission of suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter rebukes Jesus over this, wanting to correct him. But Jesus sees that Peter misunderstands and exhibits tough love in rebuking Peter, calling him out as Satan because his words are motivated by man's interests instead of God's.
Promise: We must be careful to be precise in our understanding of doctrine and capture all of the nuances of the Bible. If we don't know, it should not be a problem to state this.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, as you confirm truth to me, I pray that I would accept that truth into my life. There are multiple views that I hear each day, but I want to be guided by Your Spirit so that you are defining my beliefs. Direct me on this path, so that I walk the straight and narrow, but also help me to know when I need to extend grace to people and when I need to be tough in upholding truth. I know you have given me a specific type of personality. May I continue to have wisdom in navigating all that is in this world today.
32b And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Message: Peter Corrects Jesus
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ - the promised Messiah. He ordered the disciples to not tell anyone about it. Jesus provides more information about himself on the journey they are taking, remarking that he has a mission of suffering, rejecting, death, and resurrection. These things must happen in their time. Jesus has a greater purpose. In the meantime, keep listening to his message and seeing that he is different, radically different.After this is said, though, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him.
Peter rebukes Jesus, but Peter, in front of the disciples rebukes Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Thus, to resist Jesus' teaching is to act as a disciple of Satan, and this is true regardless of whether the person making the objection understands what he is saying. Peter was correct that Jesus was the Messiah, but wrong about what that would mean. Some say Jesus' response was harsh, but obviously Jesus thought it was necessary. And today, as people make errors and paint a Jesus that fits their ideals rather than the Jesus that is presented in the Bible, we should be just as harsh.
I tend to not be harsh, only because maybe I don't understand it well and so as I see preachers harsh toward different sects of Christianity, I think it is sometimes too tough. But, maybe they see themselves acting in this same way as Jesus rebuking Peter. For example, we are not just justified by faith, but justified by faith alone. Jesus is of the same nature as the Father, not simply a similar nature. Sometimes we are a little careless with out use of words. I think we are lazy at times and don't make things a big deal. But, we do need to be precise.
Summary - After Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ - the Jewish Messiah - Jesus states his mission of suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter rebukes Jesus over this, wanting to correct him. But Jesus sees that Peter misunderstands and exhibits tough love in rebuking Peter, calling him out as Satan because his words are motivated by man's interests instead of God's.
Promise: We must be careful to be precise in our understanding of doctrine and capture all of the nuances of the Bible. If we don't know, it should not be a problem to state this.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, as you confirm truth to me, I pray that I would accept that truth into my life. There are multiple views that I hear each day, but I want to be guided by Your Spirit so that you are defining my beliefs. Direct me on this path, so that I walk the straight and narrow, but also help me to know when I need to extend grace to people and when I need to be tough in upholding truth. I know you have given me a specific type of personality. May I continue to have wisdom in navigating all that is in this world today.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Mark 8:31-32b- Jesus Reveals His Purpose in Coming
Mark 8:31-32b
31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
Message: Jesus Reveals His Purpose in Coming
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface: On their way to Caesarea Philippi Jesus questions the disciples on who others see that he is and who they believe he is. They get it right and He implores them to tell no one as his desire is to continue to be able to teach them about who He is. They are learning but have more to learn.
On the heals of Jesus telling them to not tell anyone about him and that He is the Christ, he then provides a little more information on this subject. It is not that he is saying he is not the Christ, but rather this is not the time to proclaim this. And He began to teach them. This is nice to read. Mark sometimes doesn't mention much about teaching but I also realized that the questions raised by the Pharisees and scribes has their basis in people desiring to continue to keep the law or a certain code of conduct in order to earn acceptance and Jesus is continuing trying to explain a different message of simply repenting and believing. Repentance is turning from sin, penance is doing a work to pay for your sin. We only need to repent.
Jesus speaks of the Son of Man, speaking of himself, so speaking in 3rd person. It seems here that he does this repeatedly to keep who he is a mystery. He is teaching, but who he is needs to remain a mystery somewhat. What we know for sure is he is different from the religion that has been at the core of thought prior.
The mission of the Son of Man, the eventual mission is to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. So he is to suffer, be rejected, be killed and rise again. His mission is to suffer. Our mission many times is to suffer. We don't like it, but it is the truth. It is our intended path. But suffering comes first.
And he is to be rejected by everyone that is of importance in the religious world of that time. Suffering and rejection are separate. And then he looks forward to death. Jesus predicts his fate here. It is an amazing thing. How is the resurrection valid? Well, Jesus taught it. That's pretty amazing.
Although Peter had earlier acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ. Here, Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Peter doesn't understand the whole picture. And my guess is he responds like I would. I want to enjoy what I have with Jesus. I don't want him to die.
The salvation message of the Father sending the Son, the Son dying for his people, and the Spirit applying the son's work to believers is still taking shape in the life of the disciples.
Summary - Jesus provides more information about himself on the journey they are taking, remarking that he has a mission of suffering, rejecting, death, and resurrection. These things must happen in their time. Jesus has a greater purpose. In the meantime, keep listening to his message and seeing that he is different, radically different.
Promise: I am to read the entire story of the gospel. I'm seeing more and more that suffering and the message of grace is the picture that I need to see.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your mission and reminding me that suffering is not a curse. It is normal for things to not go my way. I thank you that right now the sufferings seem to be minimal in my life. I'm at an age that the kids are leaving and sure maybe their lives are tough and it's hard to watch, I still am thankful for the journey and the way you have taught me throughout that process. Thank you for that example that you are. Help me to keep carrying your message forward.
31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
Message: Jesus Reveals His Purpose in Coming
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface: On their way to Caesarea Philippi Jesus questions the disciples on who others see that he is and who they believe he is. They get it right and He implores them to tell no one as his desire is to continue to be able to teach them about who He is. They are learning but have more to learn.
On the heals of Jesus telling them to not tell anyone about him and that He is the Christ, he then provides a little more information on this subject. It is not that he is saying he is not the Christ, but rather this is not the time to proclaim this. And He began to teach them. This is nice to read. Mark sometimes doesn't mention much about teaching but I also realized that the questions raised by the Pharisees and scribes has their basis in people desiring to continue to keep the law or a certain code of conduct in order to earn acceptance and Jesus is continuing trying to explain a different message of simply repenting and believing. Repentance is turning from sin, penance is doing a work to pay for your sin. We only need to repent.
Jesus speaks of the Son of Man, speaking of himself, so speaking in 3rd person. It seems here that he does this repeatedly to keep who he is a mystery. He is teaching, but who he is needs to remain a mystery somewhat. What we know for sure is he is different from the religion that has been at the core of thought prior.
The mission of the Son of Man, the eventual mission is to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. So he is to suffer, be rejected, be killed and rise again. His mission is to suffer. Our mission many times is to suffer. We don't like it, but it is the truth. It is our intended path. But suffering comes first.
And he is to be rejected by everyone that is of importance in the religious world of that time. Suffering and rejection are separate. And then he looks forward to death. Jesus predicts his fate here. It is an amazing thing. How is the resurrection valid? Well, Jesus taught it. That's pretty amazing.
Although Peter had earlier acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ. Here, Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Peter doesn't understand the whole picture. And my guess is he responds like I would. I want to enjoy what I have with Jesus. I don't want him to die.
The salvation message of the Father sending the Son, the Son dying for his people, and the Spirit applying the son's work to believers is still taking shape in the life of the disciples.
Summary - Jesus provides more information about himself on the journey they are taking, remarking that he has a mission of suffering, rejecting, death, and resurrection. These things must happen in their time. Jesus has a greater purpose. In the meantime, keep listening to his message and seeing that he is different, radically different.
Promise: I am to read the entire story of the gospel. I'm seeing more and more that suffering and the message of grace is the picture that I need to see.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your mission and reminding me that suffering is not a curse. It is normal for things to not go my way. I thank you that right now the sufferings seem to be minimal in my life. I'm at an age that the kids are leaving and sure maybe their lives are tough and it's hard to watch, I still am thankful for the journey and the way you have taught me throughout that process. Thank you for that example that you are. Help me to keep carrying your message forward.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Mark 8:27-30 - Peter's Confession of Faith
Mark 8:27-30
27 Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” 29 And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter *answered and *said to Him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And He warned them to tell no one about Him.
Message: Peter's Confession of Faith
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface: Jesus is now in Bethsaida, a community believed to be north of the Sea of Galilee, perhaps near where the feeding of the 5,000 were. But a community not necessarily filled with a lot of belief but rather question. Jesus heals a blind man, outside the City, in a progressive manner, not all at once. He reminds me that his healing in his time, in his way.
From Bethsaida, Jesus now heads to Caesarea Philippi, a 32-mile round trip, so not a quick jaunt, but a long trip lasting multiple days. Others have said it is a 25-mile trip, climbing elevation. This text is about that journey and one of the things that was discussed on that journey.
Jesus asks 2 simple questions: Who do people say that I am? and Who do you say that I am? The response was that the first century Jews placed Jesus in the same class as the greatest prophets, John the Baptist and Elijah.
And then the contrasting question is mentioned directly to the disciples and the response is was that Jesus was not merely a prophet, but the Christ, the Jewish Messiah. Earlier they had been questioned by Jesus for having a hardened heart, so their is a progression that has occurred in their understanding of Him as the Christ.
Early Rabbis recognized all of these passages as referring to the Messiah.
- Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem: Micah 5:2 (Micah 5:1 in Hebrew Bible)
- Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah: Genesis 49:10
- Messiah would present himself by riding on an ass: Zechariah 9:9
- Messiah would be tortured to death: Psalm 22:1-31
- Messiah would arrive before the destruction of the Second Temple: Daniel 9:24-27
- Messiah’s life would match a particular description, including suffering, silence at his arrest and trial, death and burial in a rich man’s tomb, and resurrection: Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Summary: On their way to Caesarea Philippi Jesus questions the disciples on who others see that he is and who they believe he is. They get it right and He implores them to tell no one as his desire is to continue to be able to teach them about who He is. They are learning but have more to learn.
Promise: Jesus accepts the words from Peter, representing the group of the disciples, that He is the Jewish Messiah, the Christ.
Prayer: Lord, I believe in You. You are the Messiah. I look to You. I rest in who You are. Thank you for revealing yourself so clearly, to me.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Mark 8:22-26 - The Blind Man at Bethsaida
Mark 8:22-26 -
22 And they *came to Bethsaida. And they *brought a blind man to Jesus and *implored Him to touch him. 23 Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” 25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. 26 And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
Message: The Blind Man at Bethsaida
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface: After feeding 4,000, the disciples still talk among themselves when they get in the boat and realize they have no food. Jesus simply wants them to look to Him. He is there provider. He continues to show them his hand of providence in all things, they still struggle with anxiety and worry.
Now they (Jesus and the disciples) are in Bethsaida. Jesus was in the district of Dalmanutha, near Magdallan, just west of the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida is north. There is not much distance between the two places. The sea of Galilee is 8 miles wide. My guess is that it is about 8 miles between the cities, perhaps one could get there in 1 day.
As he arrives, a blind man is brought to Jesus and they implored Him to touch him. The blind man didn't come to Jesus on his own, but was brought to him. He brought him out of the village. It is thought that the healing occurred outside of the City because Jesus was concerned about the town's unbelief and he would refuse to perform miracles before those who continued to not believe or accept His teachings. Jesus is ready to answer questions of anyone that asks, and yet answering people's questions is not his mission. He is on the scene to change hearts and those people's hearts just want to question, not necessarily be changed.
There has been a remark here that this particular healing is unique because of the stages. One, Taking the blind man by the hand. Two, He brought him out of the village. Three, spitting on his eyes. Fourth, laying His hands on him. It isn't immediate, but progressive. In other instances, by now, the person would be completely restored and yet, here, the person is not. As after doing all of this the man's sight was not fixed: “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” He has been spit on by Jesus and Jesus has laid his hands on him. Previously, a woman touching the cloak of Jesus brought about immediate healing. So Jesus does not embody a transformation. So, it isn't that all you have to do is touch him and you are saved, but Jesus has something to do with the healing, in his time.
There is a moment when Jesus decides to heal and sometimes he doesn't decide. Sometimes I wish the Gospel had a story about someone coming to Jesus and him not healing the person. Because it happens in life. Not everyone is healed. Some people implore him but are still not healed. And this is a hard thing at times to reconcile in our lives. And people not getting what they want, often results in no belief. People expect everyone to be viewed equally. But, in this lesson, perhaps is the reminder that Jesus makes the decision.
It states again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. Why did this healing need two touches? It didn't, but it seems Jesus was communicating something more here, perhaps to this man, perhaps to us, perhaps even to the disciples.
Also, the faith of the blind man is never mentioned here.
Summary: Jesus heals a blind man, outside of the City of Bethsaida, a place of unbelief, so he heals outside of those that would question him. He heals with progression, after placing his hand on the blind man two times. In the same way, we need to implore Jesus repeatedly.
Promise: God does not always do what we ask, when we ask; he has reasons. Healing can be a process. It can take time. It may not happen at all or in the manner we think it should.
Prayer: Lord, keep teaching me through these readings. As I read about the lessons you were teaching people at the time, you still can have a lesson for me today. I admit, at times, I do not understand the way you work, the suffering that people experience, the healing of some, but not of others. But, I am still a follower. My following isn't about you doing what I want, for you show me that I can trust You no matter what.
22 And they *came to Bethsaida. And they *brought a blind man to Jesus and *implored Him to touch him. 23 Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” 25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. 26 And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
Message: The Blind Man at Bethsaida
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface: After feeding 4,000, the disciples still talk among themselves when they get in the boat and realize they have no food. Jesus simply wants them to look to Him. He is there provider. He continues to show them his hand of providence in all things, they still struggle with anxiety and worry.
Now they (Jesus and the disciples) are in Bethsaida. Jesus was in the district of Dalmanutha, near Magdallan, just west of the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida is north. There is not much distance between the two places. The sea of Galilee is 8 miles wide. My guess is that it is about 8 miles between the cities, perhaps one could get there in 1 day.
As he arrives, a blind man is brought to Jesus and they implored Him to touch him. The blind man didn't come to Jesus on his own, but was brought to him. He brought him out of the village. It is thought that the healing occurred outside of the City because Jesus was concerned about the town's unbelief and he would refuse to perform miracles before those who continued to not believe or accept His teachings. Jesus is ready to answer questions of anyone that asks, and yet answering people's questions is not his mission. He is on the scene to change hearts and those people's hearts just want to question, not necessarily be changed.
There has been a remark here that this particular healing is unique because of the stages. One, Taking the blind man by the hand. Two, He brought him out of the village. Three, spitting on his eyes. Fourth, laying His hands on him. It isn't immediate, but progressive. In other instances, by now, the person would be completely restored and yet, here, the person is not. As after doing all of this the man's sight was not fixed: “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” He has been spit on by Jesus and Jesus has laid his hands on him. Previously, a woman touching the cloak of Jesus brought about immediate healing. So Jesus does not embody a transformation. So, it isn't that all you have to do is touch him and you are saved, but Jesus has something to do with the healing, in his time.
There is a moment when Jesus decides to heal and sometimes he doesn't decide. Sometimes I wish the Gospel had a story about someone coming to Jesus and him not healing the person. Because it happens in life. Not everyone is healed. Some people implore him but are still not healed. And this is a hard thing at times to reconcile in our lives. And people not getting what they want, often results in no belief. People expect everyone to be viewed equally. But, in this lesson, perhaps is the reminder that Jesus makes the decision.
It states again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. Why did this healing need two touches? It didn't, but it seems Jesus was communicating something more here, perhaps to this man, perhaps to us, perhaps even to the disciples.
Also, the faith of the blind man is never mentioned here.
Summary: Jesus heals a blind man, outside of the City of Bethsaida, a place of unbelief, so he heals outside of those that would question him. He heals with progression, after placing his hand on the blind man two times. In the same way, we need to implore Jesus repeatedly.
Promise: God does not always do what we ask, when we ask; he has reasons. Healing can be a process. It can take time. It may not happen at all or in the manner we think it should.
Prayer: Lord, keep teaching me through these readings. As I read about the lessons you were teaching people at the time, you still can have a lesson for me today. I admit, at times, I do not understand the way you work, the suffering that people experience, the healing of some, but not of others. But, I am still a follower. My following isn't about you doing what I want, for you show me that I can trust You no matter what.
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