Month: January 2013

RE Verse reading–Mark 6:1-6 (day four)
Verse 2 says, “When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue;”  Jesus would always be found in His Father’s house on the Sabbath day.  There was no ‘day off’ from worshipping or teaching on this sacred day.  When the people heard Him teach, they were astonished!  They had never heard anything like this before.  And He demonstrated power…power to heal…power to do miracles…such wisdom…who was this man?  They clearly recognized the power that was Jesus’, but they didn’t necessarily accept the truth of who He was.  They couldn’t get past what their eyes could see to the point of faith to trust Him.  As believers, Jesus lives within us.  Do the people around us recognize the power of Christ in our lives?  Often, we pray and ask God to come in power among us.  As Henry Blackaby says, that is the only way that He comes!  In our faith, may God reveal His power through us to those who would believe!

RE Verse reading–Mark 6:1-6 (day three)
The fact that we read “He was amazed at their lack of faith” tells us that this was something Jesus did not expect.  That doesn’t make the Savior less divine.  It does make him human.  In Jesus we see how a human being at his best operates in the face of unexpected turns.  Jesus was amazed, and that amazement began to shape the way he engaged people.  It informed his refusal to force his thinking upon people when they clearly did not want it: Witness his “Shake the dust off” instruction to his disciples later.  It drove him to look for open doors to the gospel—even when those doors led to places and people outside Jewish ethnic zones.  May we become as amazed and as responsive.

RE Verse reading–Mark 6:1-6 (day two)
“He went…to His hometown, and…they were offended by Him” (6:1,3). We’ve seen what it looks like when people respond to Jesus in faith. Now, we see the opposite response. Same Jesus. Same power. Same wisdom. Same proclamation of the Kingdom of God arriving. Same gospel. Different response. Exposure to the gospel doesn’t guarantee a good response. Without faith, the gospel is just as likely to harden as it is to heal, to offend as it is to open, to rebuff as it is to redeem. Perhaps observing this phenomenon helped the Apostle Paul conclude “he saved us…by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Paul realized that unless the Spirit initiates a work in a heart, the heart will never turn to Jesus in faith. Therein lies our hope for evangelism. If God has already sent His Spirit to work “regeneration” in hearts, then our task is to share faithfully. His task is to renew hearts so that they respond in faith.

RE Verse reading–Mark 6:1-6 (day one)
God is amazing.  No argument.  His grace.  His faithfulness.  His mercy.  We sing about it.  “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.”  But people are amazing too, sometimes, and for all the wrong reasons.  Vs 6 of Mark 6 says, “He (Jesus) was amazed at their unbelief”  The greek word is thaumazo–“to marvel, or wonder”  It means that Jesus had questions re. human behavior that didn’t have answers.  Illogical stuff.  Irrational choices.  We often think of the “questions” we have for God.  Think of the “questions” He will have for us!  “Why didn’t you trust me?”  “Why, when it came between the Spirit’s voice and your own fears/logic did you always choose the latter?”  With all the clues packed into the universe and all the proof of His faithfulness, it just doesn’t make sense.  Not to Jesus.  Our unbelief causes Him to shake His head in wonder.  He is amazed, but for the wrong reason.

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day seven)
“Your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher any more?”  “Dont’ be afraid; just believe.” (vs 35-36)  The argument is simple.  The girl was dead.  I was a waste of time to press further.  Death trumps everything.  Right?  There are moments when to continue believing is both futile and foolish.  Right?  Wrong!  Jesus knew there is never a time when faith is powerless to save.  Especially at the point of death.  Believe! He said to the young father.  Don’t let fear take ahold of your heart.  Trust!  Are you ever discouraged?  Defeated?  Tempted to think that (whatever the present disaster) the situation is hopeless?  If so, I hope you take great courage in the words of Christ.  There is NEVER a time when nothing can be done!  NEVER a time when faith is not the victory.  A God of infinite power and love is near.  Crisis and defeat are moments when faith matters most.

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day six)
“But Jesus kept looking to see who had done it”  (vs 32)  The Bible speaks of real salvation as more rare than we normally think. “The way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  (Matthew 7:14)  Appreciating this, Jesus was not one to ignore real faith when he saw it.  Even in a great crowd with people pressing in on Him; even with the pressure of the anxious Father who wanted Him to hurry, the Lord refused to walk past the opportunity to recognize faith.  I am certain that He still has this priority.  In every crowd, there may be thousands of motives in thousands of hearts.  What Jesus notices, what Jesus values is faith–the person who has accurately and positively connected the person and power and promises of Christ to his/her own situations.  When we believe and act He still notices and says  “Your faith has healed you.”  (vs 34)

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day five)
31 And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” The God of the universe is acutely aware of you and your needs/concerns/struggles/pressures/joys. There is a strong inclination among my friends that I have ADD. While I would never admit it, I am often easily distracted, disrupted, and chase rabbits frequently (they may be right). When I am in crowds, it becomes even more difficult to stay engaged and on task. But, not Jesus. He is among the hectic crowds of people but manages to track every action and activity. Even now, He continues to pursue an intimate and engaging relationship with all of His followers and each one of His followers. All that is required is an honest, sincere approach on our part. He stays faithful and promises to listen and answer. Have you had that kind of interaction with Him lately? Why not share what’s on your heart with Him today?

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day four)
Jesus was in the midst of His public ministry…He was busy about the work of His Father!  Jairus came seeking Him for healing for his daughter.  Those who sought out Jesus were never disappointed.  Even as Jesus went with Jairus, there was an encounter along the way with a woman also seeking Jesus for healing.  She was healed, as was Jairus’ daughter.  What about all the other people who were sick?  Some have asked why Jesus didn’t just heal everyone.  These people sought Jesus for healing.  They recognized the power to heal in Him and came to Him.  What about salvation?  Jesus could save everyone on the earth from the wages of sin, but it is those who seek Him for salvation that find it.  In God’s economy, it is the one who puts self aside and comes to Him that receives salvation and healing from the ravages of sin.  Have you sought Jesus for healing?

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day three)
High school students commonly receive assignments to work out given scenarios that involve two life-threatening events competing for attention: Saving one person’s life seemingly means not saving another person’s life. These exercises are meant to highlight questions of ethics and promote critical thinking. Jesus faced a real situation that bore similarities to the high school scenarios: Saving the life of a widow seemingly meant leaving no time to save the life of a young girl. But Jesus, though living within the realities of time, did not surrender to the common perceptions of time. For him, the question was not, “How can I get as much done as I can in the time allotted?” Rather, it was “How can I do all the work God desires me to do?” So he saved the lives of both people, even when time ran out.