Category: MARK

Re: Verse reading–Mark 10: 32-45 (day five)

Why would Jesus emphatically teach His disciples to be humble servants? Being a humble servant produces the exact opposite of what we might think. What are the characteristics of a humble servant?

Joy– being a humble servant removes the pressure of trying to please others and leaves the servant free to act and react with joy and gladness whatever the circumstance.

Courage– culture teaches self confidence is the best source of courage. Actually, pride produces fear. (Fear and worry of what others will think, and perceive about us) Servants know that real courage comes from God.

Energy– God’s presence in the servant’s heart leads to great energy and productivity. (It is God who works in you both to will and work for His good pleasure).

Becoming a humble servant causes the believer to be the best version of ourselves (God’s design) we can be.

Re: Verse reading–Mark 10: 32-45 (day four)

They had been picked to be in the top three…James and John had accompanied Jesus to the mount of Transfiguration.  Of course, Peter was there too, but he had, as usual, blurted out the wrong thing.  He was too impetuous to be a true leader…they were the obvious pick.  So they approached the Master.  Jesus said they had no idea what they were asking…besides, it was not His choice…the positions would be filled by the ones for whom it had been prepared.

James and John really didn’t understand…they did not have a grasp of what following Jesus really meant.  Jesus knew.  V. 45 could be a theme verse for the book of Mark:  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Jesus knew what His mission was.  Like the sons of Thunder, we have to understand why Jesus came.  It is not about us and what is in it for us…we are to serve others in Jesus’ name and lead them to Christ.  Is there somewhere you can volunteer?

Re: Verse reading–Mark 10: 32-45 (day three)

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”  Might we abuse this teaching from Jesus?  You know we might.  Jesus teaches us that serving another doesn’t lead to greatness.  Serving another is greatness.  Otherwise, we become servants so that we might get a better job later on.  We would indeed serve people as a means to a self-serving end.  But the life together that the Three-In-One God lives is a life in which the Son defers to the Father, the Father calls attention to the Son, the Holy Spirit illuminates all creation with the truth of the Son, and the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit.  Each person of the Trinity magnifies the other persons of the Trinity.  This is servanthood.  To serve one another is to live the life God lives.

Re: Verse reading–Mark 10: 32-45 (day two) 

And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him…vs. 32b (emphasis added)

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [life a ransom for many.” vs. 45

When you learn something new or shocking you often miss many of the details on your first hearing. Jesus wanted to be sure that his disciples knew what was about to take place. When they would reflect on these moments later they would understand more clearly what Jesus was asking of them. For now, however, they focused on themselves. If this must happen, then I want to be on your right hand. In chapter 8, Jesus rebukes Peter’s challenge of the events that must take place. In chapter 10 he reminds them all of what he came to do. What we are to do while we still have breath. We are to serve. If our focus is on heave, then it must be on the work. We are here to serve others and show Christ’s love, just as he did.

O land of rest, for thee I sigh! When will the moment come
When I shall lay my armor by, And Dwell in peace at home
We’ll work till Jesus comes, we’ll work till Jesus comes,
We’ll work till Jesus comes, And we’ll be gathered home

Re: Verse reading–Mark 10: 32-45 (day one)

“To sit on my right or my left. . . is for those for whom it has been prepared.”– v 40.

In ancient Greek, heteos referred to “a perfect fit” or “exact match”.  In Mark 10, Jesus used it in a verbal form.  He said that the seats of honor in Heaven have been made with specific people in mind.  They are not “one size fits all” chairs.  They are prepared by God (hetoimazo) for people that He desires to honor.

Jesus uses the same word in John 14.  “I go to prepare a place for you“.  Your new home in Heaven will also be a perfect match for your life and heart.  No cookie cutters.  Heaven will be a clear, fair reflection your faith.

“The Lord (when He comes) will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”–1 Corinthians 4:5

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day seven)

“Whenever it (the demon) seizes him, it slams him to the ground.”–v 18

For a moment will you think about the boy in this story?  Demon-possessed.  Vulnerable.  Unable to talk.  Regularly slammed to the ground by forces that he did not control or understand.

Doubly slammed, I think, because He lived in a generation that had lost faith in God.  (See v 19)  People around him were powerless to help him (physically or spiritually) because they had forgotten the fountain of help or how to find it.  For faithless folks, life shrinks  down to human solutions which, in the case of this boy, were obviously useless.

It doesn’t have to be this way!  “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray. . .I will heal their land”. . .and their children and their cities and their families.

Maybe you feel slammed to the ground by violent forces in your life.

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day five) 

Why were the disciples unable to drive out the demon? It was a question that was haunting them. They posed the question in private. Jesus’ response, prayer was missing.

Perhaps the questioning and arguing of the scribes distracted and/or discouraged the disciples. Both can lead to doubt and uncertainty.   Often times the criticism and cynicism around us have the same effects. (Jesus’ frustration could have been aimed at the scribes) Maybe the disciples were self-confident and self-reliant when dealing with the possessed boy. “We got this!” “Been there, done that!” could have been their perspective. We can get complacent and “cocky” in our relationship and in our faith with God. (Jesus frustration could have been aimed at His disciples)

Faith/belief must be constantly cultivated. Jesus modeled and taught that spiritual disciplines such as prayer are means by which our faith and belief are strengthened. Prayer places our focus and dependence on God. Both needed for the disciples and for us.

 

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day four) 

Jesus had given the disciples authority over the demons.  It should have worked…they should have been able to cast out the demon from the boy!  What was the difference?  Why couldn’t they do it?  This was embarrassing.  Jesus said it was their lack of faith.  “These only come out by prayer.”

Before, Jesus was always there or had empowered them and sent them out.  This time He was meeting with Elijah and Moses on the mountain.  The disciples thought they could do it on their own.

Each of us faces one or several times in our life that we realize that our faith must be our own.  We can’t work on the faith of our parents, or our spouse, or our Sunday School teacher, or our friend.  Our faith must be our own.  To face the tough challenges of our spiritual walk, our faith must be based on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  To receive salvation, it must be our repentance…our belief…our faith.  Do you believe?

Re: Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day three)

“How long shall I put up with you?”  When Jesus made a whip of cords and overturned the money-changers tables, when he glared at the Pharisees in the presence of the man with the shriveled hand, when he called out the hypocrites who ignored the plight of the crippled woman, he was angry.  It was no less the case here.  Jesus understood the power of anger—power to intoxicate or to animate.  He channeled anger in the latter direction, leveraging it to move toward revelation, healing, recognition of dignity, and, in this instance, the vanquishing of an unclean spirit and patience with unbelief.  Anger did not rule Jesus; it was his servant.  Part of our work in learning his kind of life is learning how he used anger.