Author: guest

Mark 7:1-23 (Day Five)
“Unclean.” Not an accusation of bad hygiene, the Pharisees used ritual washing as a defining mark of who was a “true Jew” against the backdrop of cultural and religious pluralism. It was their boundary marker of who was “truly devoted.” Every religious community does this. The Muslim will pray 5 times a day. The Mormon will serve a missionary term. At one point in the American south, it was said that a Baptist “doesn’t drink, smoke or go with girls who do!” Jesus’ answer is not to reject boundary markers and make everything acceptable (or sacred for that matter). Rather, Jesus affirms the target to which the law has always pointed. “Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart,” Ps. 119:2. The heart has always been the aim of God’s commands, and it is a changed (and changing!) heart that Jesus says marks out who is “truly devoted” in His community. Is your heart changing?

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 5:22-43 (day two)
“If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed” (28). Are you still reaching out to “touch” Him? You do still see how sick you are, don’t you? Selfishness, falsehood, insecurity…sin, habitual and hidden, still seeps out. Justification is complete in Christ, but sanctification is an ongoing work of Christ, clothed in righteousness. If I would know the healing power of Christ, then I must resolve to reach out to Him, not once but always. Not Sunday but every day. So be it resolved, I will not…”get used” to sin in my life, be satisfied with partial sanctification, compare my growth to others and celebrate that “I am not like them,” and occupy myself with radio, TV, Facebook, movies, working out, and hanging out so that I don’t have to face how fragile, inconsistent, weak, broken, small-minded, unforgiving, prayerless and faithless I really am. No. I will reach for Christ. If I just touch His clothes…

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:1-20 (day two)
“No one was strong enough to subdue him” (Mark 5:4). What’s the difference between a terrorist bomb and a car engine? One unleashes explosive power with destructive effect, while the other harnesses explosive power for a productive effect. Power out of control tears down. Power under control builds up. Freedom without authority is anarchy and breeds destruction. Freedom under authority is peace and brings fruitfulness. The same principle is at work in your life and mine. If we would know the productive potential of our lives, we must also kneel before the Man who commands demons, disaster and disease. There is a reason that both wise men and demon possessed men bow before the one Man, Jesus Christ. He alone is able to harness all the forces, good and evil, that make up our life. Can you even imagine the good that would come from the explosive power of your life harnessed by His command?

RE Verse reading–Mark 2:13-17 (Day Two)
“I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Call to what? Was Jesus calling this room full of tax collectors to give up their careers and follow him? Likely not. It seems that Levi was the only one who received that invitation (14). Was he calling them to the great celebration dinner of the Messiah (I know it seems obscure, but some Jews thought the Messiah would throw a big party when he conquered the oppressive, foreign rulers)? Likely not. At this point in Mark’s story, Jesus’ identity as Messiah is still secret. So what did he call these “sinners” too? “Repent and believe” (1:15) was Jesus’ reoccurring theme. The message was no different that day. What was different was the audience–social deviants and outcasts not religious people “prepared” for the Messiah. “Good news of great joy” really is for “all people” (Luke 2:10)…even those people whom you’d never invite over for Christmas dinner.

RE Verse reading–Mark 1:19-20, 3:13-17, 10:35-45 (Day 2)
Serve the church?! Why?! Isn’t it full of power-hungry self-promoters? Yes. Hasn’t it broken friendships over petty and ultimately meaningless squabbles? At times…yes. Why serve such a thing? Because Jesus served the church (10:45). How did Jesus respond to power-hungry self-promoters (Mark 10:37)? Jesus doesn’t reject them. He instructs them (10:38-39). Jesus doesn’t lash out at them. He paints a larger picture for them (10:40). Jesus doesn’t walk away from them. He calls them closer to himself (10:42). You may not like the church…and you probably have good reasons. But don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can have Jesus and not have the ones for whom He gave Himself as a ransom. Perhaps there is no better cure for your own power-hungry, self-promoting soul than serving other power-hungry self-promoters in the church near you.

RE Verse reading–Mark 1:16-18, 8:27-33, 14:26-31,66-72, 16:5-7 (day two)
When Jesus met Peter, he didn’t make Peter a leader. Peter brought natural gifting that has made many great leaders. Quick wit, passion, risk-taking ability, forcefulness, and courage are marks that cause leaders to rise in the ranks of military, business and academic achievement. Peter had all of these marks…before Jesus. Peter would even go so far as to attempt to lead Jesus himself telling him what he could and could not say, plan or expect (Mark 8:32). When Jesus met Peter, he made Peter a follower (Mark 1:17). It was only the leadership of Jesus that would eclipse the leadership of Peter. Peter found a leader greater than he, and so Peter became a follower. Have you yet found a leader greater than you? If so, perhaps you like Peter… and me…find yourself attempting to lead the Leader and after feeling the sting of His rebuke needing to remember whose wisdom, wit, passion, integrity and courage really is superior.

RE Verse reading–Mark 1:1-11 (Day Two) “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God…You are my beloved Son…” If Jesus is God’s Son, who is God’s wife? It’s a fair question, especially coming from an eight year old. If Jesus is God’s son in the same way that I am my father’s son, then there are strange conclusions that follow about the nature of God. Psalm 2:7-9 shows that to be a “son” is not so much about progeny as it is about authority. It’s not merely sharing a name but sharing the power that goes with that name. When God claims Jesus as His “beloved Son,” he declares more about Jesus’ role as rightful ruler than about Jesus’ nature as divine. When you claim Jesus, you are not merely claiming a Savior. You are claiming a Master who carries the authority of the Supreme Lord, the Creator God. This raises an important question. Are you living under the authority of Jesus, the Son of God?