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Category Archives: Mark

Mark 15:37-47 “The Descent from the Cross”

06 Jan

The above image is from Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups, written and compiled by Ned Bustard. The image is called “Descent from the Cross by Torchlight“ and was created by Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn.

37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

40 Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. 41 They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there.

42 This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) 44 Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. 45 The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. 46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.

Mark 15:37-47

Dear God, the moments after Jesus’s death are some of the most precious to me because they represent the depths of misunderstanding and lostness for his followers and family, and the wicked delight of those who were threatened by him and killed him. Regarding Caiaphas and those with him, I wonder what the Passover was like for him over the next 24-36 hours. Did he feel convicted over what he had done? Was he afraid of what Jesus’s followers would do (as represented by him asking for guards for the tomb)? Or was it a time of celebration and calculated caution? I don’t know. I do know how Judas felt–guilt to the point of suicide.

What I do know is that the followers and Mary were devastated. Disillusioned, even. This wasn’t what they had dreamed of. This wasn’t what they thought about. Where was the kingdom James and John aspired to help Jesus rule from his right and his left (Mark 10:35-45)? Where was the power? Why was Rome still in charge? What would their standing now be in the church.

With that, I want to look at Rembrandt’s image and see what details he thought about as he pondered this story:

  • Someone is preparing a stretcher on which they can carry his body to the tomb.
  • It looks like they used a sheet to lower Jesus from the cross with someone on the ladder and someone catching him below. The person on the ladder almost looks like a woman with no facial hair and long hair, but I can’t be sure. After reading John’s account, I would think this is Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (John 19:38-42), but I think Rembrandt had another picture of this.
  • The person on the far right of the image has a special hat so I am assuming this is a Pharisee. Perhaps Caiaphas.
  • There is someone down below the man holding Jesus to the right. It looks like he is ready to help should the man holding Jesus lose his balance.
  • There are faint images of others behind the man preparing the stretcher. I assume these are just onlookers.
  • There is the man holding the torch. This is a unique thought. I don’t think anyone ever thought about the need for light. I would actually assume it wasn’t dark yet because they had to get the body down before sundown for the Passover (that’s why the broke the legs of the other two and put a spear into Jesus’s side (John 19:31-34), but because the Sun wasn’t down yet doesn’t mean they didn’t need a little more light.
  • Now here’s the big one I noticed this morning that I’ve never thought of: The man on the other side of the cross from the man with the torch. He’s on the very edge of the image, and he’s holding a hammer. That’s when I looked to see that one of Jesus’s feet is still nailed to the cross and the man with the hammer is banging it out from the other side. Perhaps one of the feet tore off of the spike as they removed him, but they couldn’t get the other one off without banging it out. I had never thought about removing the spikes before, but Rembrandt must have as he pictured this image in his mind.

Here is the commentary Bustard gave for this scene and story:

One single torch illuminates the extinguished Light of the World. Joseph of Arimathea lays out a white shroud as others struggle to remove Christ’s broken body from the Cross, while one figure still reaches out towards the Savior: But he is not alone. What at first seems to be a very lonely scene upon further inspection fills with a crowd of onlookers and mourners. All their hope is lost for the present, but joy will come on Sunday morning. “We are told that Christ was killed for us, that his death has washed out our sins, and that by dying he disabled death itself. That is the formula. That is Christianity. That is what has to be believed.” –C.S. Lewis.

The only thing I would add to Bustard’s description is that their “hope” and expectation was wrong. They wanted the wrong thing. They wanted what you didn’t want. And you knew better than to give them what they wanted.

Father, you know better than to give me what I want too. I was thinking earlier today about some regrets I have–especially as a parent. There is one decision I made that was the best one I knew to make at the time and was done with an earnest heart, but I would love to change it and have gone down another road. But I started wondering what the unintended consequences of that would have been. As much as I don’t like some of my current circumstances, would the alternative have been even worse? There is obviously no way for me to know this, but that’s where I have to not look back or even forward, but keep myself in this moment. This moment is my reality, and this moment is the one that interfaces with you. Not the past. Not the future. So I offer this moment to you. I worship you. I give you my heart and ask that you would redeem the mistakes I’ve made. Heal those harmed by them, including myself. Let your life and fruit live in and grow out of me.

I pray all of this in your holy, Triune name: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 6, 2024 in Mark, Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups

 

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Judas and Barabbas

10 Dec

Matthew

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4 plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

6 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. 7 While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

8 The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9 “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? 11 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12 She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Matthew 26:1-16

27 Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

Matthew 27:1-5

15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. 17 As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

19 Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”

26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Matthew 27:15-26

Mark

14 It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Mark 14:1-11

6 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested. 7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. 8 The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual.

9 “Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked. 10 (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) 11 But at this point the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. 12 Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”

13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

14 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

15 So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Mark 15:6-15

Luke

22 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

Luke 22:1-6

13 Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, 14 and he announced his verdict. “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. 15 Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. 16 So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) 20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22 For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

23 But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25 As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.

Luke 23:13-25

John

12 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate[a] with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

John 12:1-8

2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

John 13:2

38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?”

40 But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

John 18:38-40

Dear God, so I started this because I was thinking about Judas and his disillusionment with Jesus and who he was turning out to be compared with who Judas wanted Jesus to be.

Last year, I was listening to a Catholic “Bible in a Year” podcast, and I remember a new thought coming to me when I was listening to Maccabees for the first time. The text referred to Judas Maccabeus. Now, I know his name was also pronounced Judah, so I might be making a reach here, but after realizing there were so many people in the New Testament names Judas, including another disciple, it made me wonder if Judas hadn’t been named for a revolutionary hero from 160 years before he was born.

Everyone in the New Testament was longing for a victorious Messiah who would triumph over Rome and make Israel great again. Even Zechariah’s prophecy over John the Baptist in Luke 1 shows that they were looking for a savior from Rome, not a savior from their own sins:

67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior
    from the royal line of his servant David,
70 just as he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.
72 He has been merciful to our ancestors
    by remembering his sacred covenant—
73 the covenant he swore with an oath
    to our ancestor Abraham.
74 We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
    for as long as we live.

76 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Luke 1:67-79

I think the other disciples had the same problem. Take this story about James and John:

51 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village.

Luke 9:51-56

Or when they put their mother up to asking for seats of honor in what they perceived to be the Kingdom Jesus would establish as Messiah:

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man[b] will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Matthew 20:17-22

And then the other disciples got jealous and had to be rebuked by Jesus:

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:24-28

My point is, no one could begin to fathom what your plan was. Judas was the weakest, most deceptive, and the one willing to act on his frustration that you weren’t living up to your “promise” as a Messiah, but everyone else figured you were there to take over our world at that time. But your plan was so amazing. So different.

And why do I bring Barabbas into this? Well, because he was the revolutionary the Pharisees stoked the crowd/mob to set free. He was the kind of leader they wanted. It was easy to get behind them. Earlier in the week, some of them saw what they perceived to be the “make Israel great again” Messiah triumphantly enter the down on the donkey to great fanfare, but not one of them knew what was happening or what would happen. They were thinking what everyone else was thinking: “This is it! It’s go time!” And even the Pharisees might have been down with that kind of Messiah had he not always turned his ire on them and not the Romans. But instead he angered them, made a scene at the Temple, and basically dared them to kill him. So by the end of the week, the Pharisees and those they were able to get in the crowd were sick of it. They wanted someone they perceived to be strong. They wanted someone who would fight for them because they were under siege. In the end, Barabbas will be remembered for all time not because of the actual things he did, but because he was the mob’s preference when they had to choose between your true Messiah and a person they thought would fight for them.

So what was it that Jesus did? What was his plan? It was actually remarkably simple: Teach us to love, serve, forgive, pray, and repent, and then show us how to do all of these things. He taught us to not make idols out of things and simply worship you. He showed us how miraculous you can be. He destroyed racism through the acceptance of not only Samaritans, but Gentiles too. He taught us that we should render unto the government what is the government’s. He didn’t show any interest in exerting power, but showing mercy instead. He prayed, served, persuaded and suffered. He exhibited how power. He taught us through his example. And then the most surprising things happened: he ascended to heaven and left us as his/your church to carry on.

Father, I can make idols out of the government. I can make idols out of my job. My wife. My children. I’m sorry for worrying about who will govern me–as if I have the power beyond one American vote in Texas to do anything about it. I’m sorry for worrying about the economy, or even where my next meal or paycheck will come from. What was it the people of Jesus’s time, including the disciples and even John the Baptist, who was disappointed with Jesus (18 The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Luke 7:18-19), were wanting? They wanted power. The wanted peace. They wanted security. They wanted influence. But that is not what you came to give. So I am sorry for wanting those things too. What you have given me is a knowledge of you and an expectation that I worship you–and it’s actually to my benefit when I worship you. You have given me people to love–family, friends, and “neighbors” in my community. Basically, you have given me the two things you expect from me: to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love my neighbor as myself. That’s it. And the more I do those things, including my neighbors and my world within my small sphere of influence, the more I find that the fruits of your Spirit are growing in me. So help me to do that today. Oh, Lord, thank you for making me your child. Thank you for being here with me in this moment. And thank you for not being the kind of Messiah everyone around Jesus wanted.

I pray all of this in the name of your Messiah, Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 10, 2023 in John, Luke, Mark, Matthew

 

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Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32)

20 Oct

30 Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, 32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

Mark 4:30-32

Dear God, verse 30 is interesting. It portrays a little of Jesus’s tone of voice that we don’t often get. I can just kind of picture him puzzling over how to get his point across to this group of people who don’t get it yet. He search for a metaphor. To see the example he finally came up with, it’s almost like he’s saying to himself, “How do I get through to them that the Father’s kingdom doesn’t come in big? It comes in surprisingly small and grows out. And if it grows correctly, it will not only be big, but it will be a blessing to everything.”

Then he comes up with the seed metaphor. “Okay, how about a tree? A tree does so many things. It can provide food. It can provide shade. It can provide a resting place for birds. So if a tree is my end, how can I get across to them that the beginning is always small? Well, a mustard tree seed is really small. Yeah, that should work. A mustard tree seed.”

Then he pitches this concept to them: “It is like a mustard seed planed in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

So going back to the purpose of this series on learning about you through what Jesus says about you (the autobiography of God), what can I learn about you and how you work through this parable? Well, let me reverse it. You could be a god (little “g” intended) who said, “The kingdom of god is a king who commands that everything he declares be enforced on the people. He destroys anyone who disobeys him.” Now there are actually some parables like this such as the Parable of the Wedding Feast. But those still show you as someone who has been inclusive and longing for relationship. The difference for the man who was tossed out and separated from you is that he didn’t respect anything about what you expected of him. There was no reverence, but only selfishness. You are still not to be taken for granted or disrespected, but you are also not going to just push your way into things from the top down. You are going to start with contents that will fit inside a seed. And how does a seed work? The seed takes what it brings to the table and the uses things from it’s environment (water, nutrients in the soil, air, sunlight, etc.) and it multiplies itself and grows. It doesn’t do it in isolation, but it lives and grows where it’s planted.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, as I come to the end of my vacation and use these last couple of days to prepare myself to be planted, I come to you to ask that you grow in me. The truth is, Satan can work in the same way. negative seeds can grow. The weeds you described in the Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat have the same effect. They can strangle and choke out your fruit. So help me to weed my soil today as well. Oh, Holy Spirit, help me to provide you good soil in which to grow.

I pray all of this through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 20, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)

19 Oct

26 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.”

Mark 4:26-29

Dear God, I was watching a Christianity Today interview this afternoon with Beth Moore. Then I watched another one with Philip Yancey. This parable ties in nicely with some of my thoughts while I was watching the interviews. The biggest tie-in is Jesus’s line for the farmer, “…but he does not understand how it happens.” We can be oh so clever and try to figure out how things are working out, but the truth is that we have no idea. Whether it be in our families, our personal lives, our churches, our denominations, our governments, or the world in general. We do not know what you are doing. We do not know how the Kingdom of God works. We do not understand you. We do not understand your ways. I do not understand your ways.

So what are you like? Well, you are mysterious. You work behind the scenes. You are doing things we cannot see. But the a leaf blade pushes through. Head of wheat are formed. Grain ripens. And you give us two jobs in all of this: two plant seeds and then harvest the grain. So what kind of seed planter am I?

This morning, I was starting to feel a little down and overwhelmed about what awaits me when I get back from vacation. There is a lot of hard work to do. I don’t know how all of it is going to work out. I don’t know if I might fail at some of it. I started to get scared and overwhelmed. Then, I just happened upon these interviews. It’s still a mystery to me how they came up, but I was so blessed by them. The Beth Moore one really helped me as she talked about some of the struggles she has recently had and how you were with her through them. When it comes to Philip Yancey, I have been reading his memoir, Where the Light Fell, and his whole life and the work he has done regarding exploring different aspects of your nature were born out of his childhood experiences with your church and his family, including the loss of his father before he was old enough to know him. You were working in both of their lives. You are still working in both of their lives.

So you used these two interviews to encourage me. To buoy me. Your Holy Spirit spoke to me and inspired me for the work that lies ahead. It has also encouraged me to not let the joy and opportunity of these last few days of rest be wasted. To let them be rest. And this is where the parable comes in: even though it looks like nothing is happening in the rest, the blade is growing and preparing to be fruit.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, first, thank you for being my paraclete today. Thank you for being my comforter, advisor, and counselor. Thank you for the healing you have done in the friends I’ve prayed for. Thank you for the healing you are continuing to do. I have some friends right now who are facing a particularly scary situation in the health of the wife. Oh, Lord, be a healer for them. And use this to do something we cannot imagine. But this couple is dear. They are wonderful. Help them, oh, Lord. And continue to be with the others (I can think of five right now in my head) we are praying for as well.

I pray all of this with great joy to be able to call you; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; my God,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 19, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Heart of Man (Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23)

24 Sep

15 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”

10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”

13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Matthew 15:1-20

7 One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,[a] as required by their ancient traditions. 4 Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)

5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15 It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”

17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

20 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

Mark 7:1-23

Dear God, I was talking yesterday with an old friend and his wife (a very Godly couple who loves you so much, and whom I admire!) about the mistakes in our theology and biblical knowledge. In what we think we know about you. Our hearts justify errant thinking because we are often selfish and hypocritical. And sometimes we are just the victims of bad teaching that has been handed down generation to generation. There are just so many things about you that I do not know, and so many more that I think I know that are wrong. The example I used yesterday in our discussion was where Jesus was born. I don’t know when this tradition started to be taught, but I have always been taught he was born in a stable/barn/cave where they kept animals–some sort of a livestock area. I’ve also always been given the impression that Mary had Jesus as they rode into town (with her riding a donkey) and they couldn’t find a hotel room (this mistake is probably the reason it was so easy to come up with the “barn” part of the story. So why am I saying this is incorrect? Because in Luke 2:4-8 (NASB 1995 translation) it says, “4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she“ wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a [d]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” [the footnote before “manger” says, “or feeding trough”] So it occurred to me one day that it doesn’t describe Mary riding a donkey or her coming into town fresh off the long journey and needing a quick hotel room to give birth. No, what it says is, “While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.” So how long had they been there? A week? A month? Three months? Did they get there, do their registration duty, and then decide they needed to stay because she was too far along to travel? The text doesn’t say, but what it does indicate is that they had been there for more than just a night or two. So if they were there for a certain period of time, where were they staying? In a tent in a field? Were there camps that had been set up for people like them? If so, maybe, just maybe, she had the baby in the tent, and then when they needed a makeshift crib, Joseph was able to go get a food trough from a local stable/barn/cave and use it for Jesus.

I really got off on a tangent there, but it goes with these passages from Matthew and Mark about the “heart of man” because everyone involved was a victim of errant teaching. And I don’t necessarily blame the Pharisees who were hassling Jesus. I honestly can’t say that I would have done any differently if I were them. They were taught how to be Pharisees by those that came before them, and they were passing it down. I’m sure I’ve done the same thing in my life. I’m sure I do it every day. There might even be part of what I’m doing right now that is doing the same thing.

As I try to take the lesson from the passage, I think the core of it is the reference Jesus gave from Isaiah 29:13, which both Matthew and Mark (Peter?) recorded:

‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I really do not want my heart to be far from you. That’s what this is about. I don’t want my worship to be a farce. I don’t want to just teach man-made ideas as commands from you. No, I want to be completely yours. I want to be able to hear your still small voice speak to me. I want to learn what you want me to learn, and then pass on what you are teaching me to others so that they might be drawn closer to you. make me your vessel, oh Lord. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me, and then disperse me to your people.

I pray all of this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

Amen

P.S. I couldn’t help but notice that both of these versions end with Jesus describing what Paul describe in Galatians 5 and what I referenced yesterday as the deeds of the heart/desires of sinful nature. And again, Jesus’s lead-off hitter is sexual immorality. Hmm. I probably should look into this more.

 
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Posted by on September 24, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)

10 Sep

26 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.”

Dear God, but what if I want to force the seed to grow? What if I’m not patient enough for your timing and miraculous work? What if I see the ways to grow your kingdom and then just go out and get ‘er done? Of course, I’m being sarcastic, but it feels like the way some people are currently interpreting the Great Commissions – to make disciples of all nations.

As I put this parable in context and think about the next several hundred years of Christianity’s development, it does make me think about how painstakingly slow it was to develop. No one hearing Jesus’s words that day lived to see it. Thankfully Mark (from Peter?) recorded it for us, but Peter didn’t live to see it happen. Paul didn’t. Yes, they saw little “leave blade[s]” push through here and there, but they didn’t get to see the ripened grain. Nor did the next generation. In fact, nearly all of this first generation was martyred.

The reason I started doing this series on the parables is because of the book I heard about by Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Autobiography of God. He wrote a book looking into who you are by looking at the parables Jesus told about you. I don’t know each parable he used, but this feels like one that will give me an insight into who you are and how you work. What it tells me is that your timeline and the way you see humankind in the grand scheme of things is much different than how I see it. I see it from the perspective of one blade of grass in the forest. You have the unique ability to see everything from as high as the 30,000-ft view of the forest and then get down at the blade of grass level with me. It’s amazing, really. Well, of course it’s amazing. You’re amazing because you are God.

With all of this said, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, help me to trust in the process that I will never live to see. Help me to be at peace with serving you and then taking your presence into my little sphere of influence, ignoring the results, but simply keeping my eyes focused on you. That also goes for my relationships with family and seeing how they develop. It goes for my hopes and dreams for my children. My community. My work. I measure time in days, months, and years, but you measure it in decades, centuries, and millennia. So help me, Holy Spirit, to take my eyes off of the idols I’ve created that I think will give me the fruits of your Spirit that only you can give. I consider my life worth nothing to me. Help me to mean those words.

I pray all of this completely submitted to you through the blood of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 10, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20)

07 Sep

13 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.
    They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say,
    you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
    you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
    and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
    so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
    and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
    and let me heal them.’

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Matthew 13:1-23

4 Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. 2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

‘When they see what I do,
    they will learn nothing.
When they hear what I say,
    they will not understand.
Otherwise, they will turn to me
    and be forgiven.’”

13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Mark 4:1-20

Dear God, I think I might have some thorny soil. Why do I say that? Because I woke up several times last night and I was not at peace at all. I have some things on my heart that are burdening it. And I guess I’ll go ahead and say it. My temptation is to be coy and vague, knowing you know what I’m referring to, but what I kept thinking about was Christian Nationalism as it is impacting Christianity in the United States as a whole and my community in particular. It kind of reminds me of the COVID-19 pandemic when it first hit. We heard about it other places, but then all of a sudden people were in our hospital with it. People I knew had it. People I knew died from it. I mean, yes, it’s possible that your Holy Spirit is putting this on my heart so that He can use me in some way, but right now it doesn’t feel like my response is pure and of you. It feels full of fear, despair, and sorrow.

So that brings me to the thorny soil. I think it’s safe to say that my heart doesn’t fit the description of being the seed that fell on the path or among the rocks. I’ve been here with you too long for that to be true. Oh, but I can let some thorns come in. Some weeds. I can let “the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things” come in and rob your ability to grow the fruits of your Spirit in me. Some of the worries I’ve let in include worrying about money at work and if we will continue to have enough revenue to operate the programs we offer our patients. I still have a tendency to read too much news. I want to have a nice vacation with my wife next month. I have family relationships that are strained and make me ache. Yes, my soil is thorny. It needs some weeding.

I also want to go back and look at Matthew 13:12: 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. Am I a listener? Am I seeking you? Do I provide space for your still small voice to talk to me? Do I seek voices I trust who will speak to me with your authority? Do I stop and find you in the secular things in my life? I want to have an abundance of knowledge. If I have a little, I don’t want you to take it away from me.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I earnestly pray that you help me weed my soil. Help me to hear. Help me to seek. I believe. Help my unbelief. Help me to love with your love. When others call for you to rain fire down on Samaria, help me to just rest in your arms and walk with you to Jerusalem. I want your fruits, Holy Spirit. I want your comfort. And I want to be your vessel so that you might enter this world through me and my life. Here I am, Lord. Send me.

I pray all of this completely submitted to you,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 7, 2023 in Mark, Matthew

 

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Parable of the Divided Kingdom (Matthew 12:22-30, Mark 3:20-30)

05 Sep

22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. 27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.”

Matthew 12:22-30

20 One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

22 But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan,[e] the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”

23 Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. 24 “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. 25 Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. 27 Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

28 “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, 29 but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” 30 He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”

Mark 3:20-30

Dear God, I remember when I was a kid being freaked out by the idea of being irredeemable from blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I certainly hope I have never done this. I’m fascinated that there is a line drawn in the sand there. I can blaspheme against Jesus and it’s forgivable, but not the other. Oh, Lord, I simply lay myself before you and beg your mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jesus, have mercy. Holy Spirit, have mercy.

So we get the same parable/analogy from Jesus in two different settings here. I never thought about this before, but apparently he experienced this accusation more than once and was able to use the same concepts to teach and explain each time. It was one of his go-to defenses against accusations of being sent from Satan.

The question for me is, how do I keep from being your enemy? How do I keep from being the part of your kingdom that will sow dissension and make at least the little part that I touch weaker? No, I don’t think little ol’ me can make your kingdom fall, but I can certainly do damage to your kingdom. Do I represent you accurately? Do my actions cause anyone to not trust you?

Father, right now, there is something within our local pastoral collective that concerns me. In fact, there are a few things that concern me. We have normally been a pretty cohesive, supportive, constructive group, but I can see a few things that have sneaked in to divide us. I do not want to be part of that division. At the same time, I do not want to ignore those things and enable them to cause more division. Help me to know what to do. Help me to know what to say. Help me to also know what not to do and what not to say. All for your glory, oh Lord.

I pray this in the name of Jesus, my savior,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 5, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of New Cloth & Old Garment/Old & New Wineskins (Matthew 9:16-17, Mark 2:18-22)

04 Sep

14 One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”

15 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Matthew 9:14-17

18 Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?”

19 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

21 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

22 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”

Mark 2:18-22

Dear God, this has always been one of those vague parables/analogies of Jesus that I really could have used a later section where Jesus explains the parable like he did at other times. This seems like too big of a deal to just let it go with these two quick references.

Jesus had come to bring whole new thing. The old garment, the old wineskins, were not fit to handle his new Gospel. They weren’t fit to contain what we would eventually call Christianity. Did Jesus fast and pray? Yes. Did he tell his disciples that some things only come out through fasting and prayer? Sure. But what the Pharisees were doing and had taught no longer made sense in this new song Jesus was teaching.

A local pastor I respect put out an email to local pastors recently that he was about to lead a study on a book by an author whom I have heard is more along the lines of Christian nationalism. Not wanting to prejudge the book or the author, I downloaded the sample on my Kindle app and read the endorsements that come with the book along with the introduction. I was disappointed because it was definitely about the Christian church exerting power and influence over the government. Interestingly, it drew parallels to Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Germany in the 1930s and his call for the church to resist Hitler’s Nazi regime and ideals, but I saw key differences. Anyway, I don’t want to get into all of that except to say that this type of approach seems to be very “old wine skin” and “old garment.” It doesn’t feel to me like who Jesus is. As I read this book, I tried to imagine Jesus, or even any of the apostles reading the book and thinking it was the right message–even the bombastic, front-lobed Peter. It looked more like Israel of the Old Testament, taking the world by force in your name, rather than the Jesus who led with prayer, service, persuasion, and suffering. When we start striving for power and influence then we will lose sight of you and make that our idol, and we will do whatever it takes to achieve it. We will be more like James and John, asking Jesus if they can sit at your right and left or if they should call down fire on Samaria, rather than Paul considering his own life worth nothing to him or James, the brother of Jesus, saying we should take our suffering and consider it joy.

Father, I realize I am being very judgmental right now. I’m sorry for that. But I am truly trying to process how you want me to respond to this. The pastor who is promoting this study. I still love him very much. I respect him as well. I just want to know how to love him as you would have me love him. I want to also see the error in my own thinking. Am I too weak? Am I not courageously taking up my cross and following you? Speak to me. Holy Spirit, speak to me. Help me to know exactly how to get rid of my old wine skin for your new ones. Help me to pre-shrink my fabric to make it fill in the gaps for the old, torn covenant of the Old Testament. For the beautiful symphony of Christianity that Jesus wrote, help me to be an effective player.

I pray all of this in complete submission to you,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 4, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Lamp (Matthew 5:14-16, Mark 4:21-25)

01 Sep

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:14-16

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Mark 4:21-25

Dear God, what am I a lamp for? Why am I a lamp? What’s the purpose of my lamp? Well, it’s right there at the end of each of these versions of this parable: …so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. It’s interesting that the words are exactly the same for each of the two versions. I wonder if the translators of the NLT paid attention to that when they wrote it down.

So here’s my problem. I live a life that is dedicated to you as much as I can. On a scale of 1-10, I’m probably a 5 or 6, but most are a 2 so it looks like I have this amazing relationship with you. My point is, people respect me. I had a woman in my office yesterday who probably really disagrees with me about some of the social/culture issues we are facing, but she said more than once she wanted to engage with me about it and understand my thoughts because I am someone she really respects. So I have earned integrity with those around me, and that’s great.

Oh yeah, I started that paragraph with “here’s my problem,” but then I didn’t say what the problem is. The problem is that I don’t seem to help people take the respect they have for me and turn it into a desire on their part to disciple with you and know you better. Yes, people can see that I know you and give you glory, but I don’t seem to be effective at helping them to take that next step in their journey with you.

Father, help me to be your light in the world. Help me to live a life that causes others to praise you, worship you, and commune with you. I received a letter a couple of days ago from an anonymous woman names Faye with a local PO box who wanted me to find you through being a Jehovah’s Witness. While that’s not going to happen, and I believe her letter (and being Jehovah’s Witness overall) was ill-conceived, I do admire her willingness to try to point people to the God she worships (not sure if I should do God with a little “g” or not since I do think she is trying to worship you). She is not just living a life dedicated to you, but she is trying to get others to live that same life. As I go through this day, help me to have that same kind of courage. I would be nothing without you. I have no idea what kind of shambles my life would be without you. Thank you. Thank you for breaking me, melting me, molding me, and filling me. Now, Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

I pray all of this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 1, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Matthew

 

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