Mark 5:21-43 A Somebody and a Nobody

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 5:21-43 A Somebody and a Nobody

This longer section of Mark’s Gospel is a “sandwich” section. These are a common feature used by Mark. In this case, we see the two passages tied together by the reference to “twelve years,” both of the age of the deceased/resurrected daughter, and regarding the length of the woman’s illness.

What I would like to point out from these stories is the contrast of characters. It tells us something about the ministry of Jesus; the heart of Jesus.

First we have Jairus, a synagogue official. He was a respected, religious leader. And, in his desperation, he was willing to come to Jesus for help. This is important, since those who look up to him might be willing to follow his lead, and to consider believing in Jesus.

“One of the synagogue officials named Jairus *came up, and on seeing Him, *fell at His feet and *implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”” (Mark 5:22–23 NAS95)

On the other hand, we have a nameless woman who also is desperate. She comes to Jesus, though her approach is different. Jairus asks for considerable time and attention. His request implies that Jesus must stop doing what he was doing - don’t go where you were planning to go - and come to my house instead. “Make my daughter a priority.” Now we wouldn’t expect anything less from a worried father. But it is a contrast nonetheless. 

“A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse — after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.” (Mark 5:25–27 NAS95)

The unnamed woman merely wants to approach Jesus as discreetly as possible, and touch him. If she could be healed without speaking to Jesus; without interrupting him - that would be ideal. Perhaps also she does not want to be noticed. Jesus is not going to allow that to happen.

And so, perhaps, in these two examples we can see the seeds of two different sins. One the one hand, we have Jairus who assumes that he is worthy of Jesus attention, even as he falls at Jesus’ feet. He may assume that this will be good for Jesus. And he might be right, though I doubt any of us are very good at deciding what is good for God and God’s purposes. On the other hand, we have a woman who wants the benefit without being noticed, as though God’s salvation might visit us without a real interaction with Him. On which side do you tend to fall? I know where I am on this, and I find it convicting.

But the larger point is this: Jesus is willing to enter into a saving relationship with both “somebody’s” and “nobody’s”. The “somebody” in this story was probably a little frustrated that Jesus’ approach to his house might be delayed by the interruption of this woman. How dare she get in the way? The “nobody” in this story was compelled to do something most uncomfortable: to speak to Jesus; to admit her condition; to face her shame. The amazing point is not so much what we learn about the man or the woman, but what we learn about Jesus. He has time and attention for me and for you. And, both were helped by Him.

“And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”” (Mark 5:34 NAS95)

“Taking the child by the hand, He *said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.”(Mark 5:41–42 NAS95)

Strange Christmas

  “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

(2 Corinthians 9:15 NAS95)

Many of us have our Christmas traditions. We have Christmas artifacts, saved from year to year. We have Christmas patterns, of doing one thing on Christmas Eve, another thing on Christmas Day. We have Christmas practices, like annual caroling and cookie-making. But it’s not that way for everyone.

Especially this year, I’ve been thinking about how different Christmas is for different kinds of people. I’m not sure why. I’ve noticed people working in unsuitable jobs, or working in jobs for which they are completely unsuited - and I notice how difficult this holiday season must be for them. I’ve been aware of several who have no place to go, none with whom to gather, nothing in particular to do. They are surrounded by people caught up in the rush of their Christmas traditions, and yet, theirs is, at least to me, strange.

I overheard a phone conversation of a gentleman while waiting in line at Barnes & Noble. I was waiting to purchase a travel book for my father, who will no longer be traveling, but can do so with his eyes. It’s a Christmas tradition. The man on the phone was talking to perhaps a relative, maybe his daughter. He was telling her about wanting to buy something for someone, perhaps her child, and she was telling him that he didn’t need to. He was evidently in a regular state of not having enough money for such things. I would guess that applies to a whole lot of people. He said he wanted to do it this year. His boss had been good to the crew, which I took to mean that he had received some kind of bonus. I have no idea of this was a boss of long standing, or new this year; if the bonus came in the form of a gift card, or cash. But he had a little bit to spend, and he wanted to give a gift.

I never turned around to look at the man. He sounded as decent as could be, just getting by. And then he said, “And besides, both my ex-wives send me some money every Christmas.” All of a sudden, I was trying to re-frame the picture in my mind. I don’t know which part caught me more by surprise: “both my ex-wives,” or “send me money.” I had guessed in most cases that it was the other way around. Nonetheless, it was shaping up to be a pretty good year for this fella. Strange Christmas.

Maybe you didn’t get a bonus. And maybe your ex-wives send you nothing, or maybe you don’t even have any ex-es. But in Christ, we have a Father in heaven who has  given us His Son, described as the Indescribable Gift - that first Christmas was very strange.

Mark 5:1-13 The One and the Many

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 5:1-13 The One and the Many

Mark 5:1   They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. ² When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, ³ and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; ⁴ because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵ Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. ⁶ Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; ⁷ and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” ⁸ For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹ And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹ Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. ¹² The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” ¹³ Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

The story of “the man among the tombs” is striking. Here is a man, truly deranged and dangerous, possessed and tormented. But he is, after all, only one man, a long way from home. I wonder, how many men are there in the world just like this?Certainly he is just one among many.

Jesus addresses the evil spirit, commanding it to leave the man. He addresses the evil spirit as one, though this spirit later identifies himself this way: “My name is Legion; for we are many.” He says, singularly, “My name,” not “Our name.” He speaks as an individual, but acts as a horde.

The enemy in this case is formidable. The text says, “no one was strong enough to subdue him.” None from the political realm; none from the religious realm. It was left to the “corrections department” to try and keep him out of sight. But their efforts were a failure. And then the man went on his own and lived among the tombs, screaming and cutting himself.

Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, with the mere speaking of His voice, commands the spirit(s) to come out. They beg to be sent to the swine, and Jesus, surprisingly, gives permission. Think of it. Jesus has such authority that He can command not only angels, but also can give permission or refusal to unclean spirits. 

Jesus, alone, in concert with the Father’s purpose, and in dependance upon the Spirit’s power, releases this one, single man from the power of the enemy - an enemy that is both one and many. Jesus, alone, but not acting alone, is able to defeat an army of evil in this remote, death-and-demon-dominated place, in order to save one, just one man - one of out many.

Perhaps you can identify with this man. No, not in every detail, nor in most details. But you feel the power of evil that is persistently overcoming the more decent influences of political/religious/social forces, and you feel yourself being dragged down. You are afraid that you may end up dying this way. You haven’t found a way to subdue it. There is one, Jesus, who has acted on behalf of the many - the many like you - and who wants you to have freedom restored by finding life in Him.

King of Truth

Jesus is the King of truth. It seems as most every other leader, in order to maintain their positions of power, resorts to misleading and excusing and rationalizing and, let’s just say it, lying.

Herod did it. The magi came seeking “the one who has been born king of the Jews.” After investigation by the scribes (since Herod surely didn’t know the Scriptures) it was found that there indeed was prophesied one who would be born as ruler and shepherd of the people (Micah 5:2). Jesus’ birth would fulfill that prophecy, vindicating its truth, even as He brought truth into the world: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me” (John 14:6).

Close to the end of John’s Gospel, we find Jesus, betrayed by Judas, arrested, and then rushed to the Roman governor pilate by the Jewish high priest and his crowd. Pilate finds no matter of Roman concern, but seems curious and puzzled about what Jesus really is all about. He asks Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus knows that Pilate knows nothing about Old Testament promises and prophecies. He is little interested in the redemptive purposes of God. He’s got his little corner of the empire to run - to make things run smooth - for the sake of his reputation. And he is willing to do whatever it takes to do so, even if it means crucifying the truth.

Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world.” It couldn’t possibly be of this world, because it is governed by - truth. It is from heaven, from God, whose Word is truth. Truth will be the rule of the kingdom that is not of this world, but is from above.

When we come to worship Jesus, we must do so in truth: “those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” It is a large commitment on our part, and beyond our own resources.

Why? Because we have this world stamped all over us, including its penchant for deception, whether it be deception of others, or of ourselves. We like to live according to “sweet, little lies” that make us look better, feel better, and help us fit in or be more successful.

To follow Jesus is to be changed by the truth, and then to be committed to the truth. It is to reject the telling of lies, and not to follow those who do. We commit to following Jesus, as servants of His kingdom, and we repeat to ourselves, and to others, the truth, which is not of this world.

Mark 4:35-41 In the Boat

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 4:35-41 In the Boat

Mark 4:35   On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. ³⁷ And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. ³⁸ Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. ⁴⁰ And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” ⁴¹ They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

The boat provides a fitting metaphor for life, and the obvious question would be, “Is Jesus in your boat?” Or maybe the question should be, “Are you in Jesus’ boat?” Whose boat is it anyway?

I’m pretty sure Jesus didn’t buy the boat. Some of the disciples had been fishermen. Maybe it belonged to one of them, now in general disuse due to this disciple thing. Maybe they had the boat on a lease, or you could rent if for a day, but I’m not sure they were doing those kinds of deals back then. It seems like a good argument that the boat belonged to the fishermen. But on the other hand, when someone actually calms the storm and saves the fishermen, and the boat, maybe it all actually belongs to him.

I’m not sure that it matters. In fact, maybe both sides are true. Because the Bible speaks of these reciprocal relationships. Is Christ in you? Yes, definitely, as it says in Col. 1:27:  “to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” And, on the other hand, are you in Christ? Yes, and here there are too many verses to count, but here’s one: Rom. 8:1  “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Further, now that Christ is ascended and has given His Spirit to His followers, we have the presence of Christ in us through the Person of the Spirit: 2 Timothy 1:14 “Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”

So whether Jesus is in your boat, or you are in His, the point is that you are together, and that He is able to calm the storms that you face. As Jesus prayed, John 17:21-23 “that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; ²³ I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” 

Mark 4:30-34 God’s Kingdom

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 4:30-34 God’s Kingdom

We may not understand very well how governments work. There seems to be a lot of things that go on behind the scenes, and a lot of the truth is not told. There may be lies, but it also may be that there are things that government is working on that is simply not ready for public consumption or public view.

That seems to be the case with the kingdom of God as well. God has a lot going on that we know very little about. It’s above our pay grade, our level of wisdom, and the capabilities of our minds. We are given hints about the kingdom of God, but we are not experts.

And so Jesus has been dropping these hints in these parables, and in this passage, the mustard seed, so small and seemingly insignificant, that turns into something rather remarkable in the end.

But let’s be clear about one thing: the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this earth are more un-like each other than they are alike. We will discern very little about God’s kingdom by studying human history and the history of civilizations and kingdoms. They are like child’s play compared to God’s kingdom, and not just in the sense of not-being-grown-up. They are relatively short-lived, with flashes of brilliance (in some cases) surrounded by seas of stupidity and cruelty, unintended consequences, and weak character. God’s kingdom, on the other hand, is eternal. Its decrees are wise and just; its purposes are eternal; and every action is perfectly consistent with the holy character of God. 

And so when Jesus says that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed - a speck that might be mistaken for dust - he is not saying anything negative about the kingdom of God. He is saying something negative about man’s estimation of the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom is actually and truly an expression of His glory. It is the sinful mistake of man that us to regard it as insignificant, able to be overlooked or dispensed with, and judged as worthless.

The illustration might allow one to imagine one sweeping a house or yard, and mistaking a mustard seed along with specks of dust, gathering it up with the refuse and throwing it over the back fence. But no, man will not be rid of God’s kingdom. Quite the opposite, it is God who has the proper measure, contrary to man’s opinion:

Is. 40:15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, 

And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; 

Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a child of the King, and a subject of God’s kingdom. All that we do is involved in kingdom work, and yet in what ways our acts of service and sacrifice contribute to this kingdom, we cannot tell. Our role is not to be kingdom masters, but rather to be obedient servants, realizing that God is able to work these things together for good.

Mark 4:26-29 God is Always Working

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 4:26-29 God is Always Working

Mark 4:26   And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; ²⁷ and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows — how, he himself does not know. ²⁸ “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. ²⁹ “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

In this parable, it appears that you and I show up at the beginning and the end. Truthfully, when we read our Bibles, we always want to place ourselves right in the middle, and in the best light, no less.

At the beginning of the parable, we “cast seed upon the soil.” Pretty noble of us, right? But that’s all we are doing, just chucking seed. If we are like the sowers of seed in the earlier parable, we don’t even have very good aim. Some went on the road, some of the rocks, some among thorns, and only a little made it to the good ground. Seems like God could have found better sowers. But that’s our role, and we actually are never told to “target” the seed, the way the consultants tell churches they must do.

We show up at the end of this parable also. Once the growth has occurred, we “put in the sickle.” We cut the mature grain, and do the other things, I assume, that have to be done to grain (though I’m no farmer). Somehow it needs to bundled or baled and brought into the barn. I assume we are supposed to do that.

So the process is all about us, right? Not by a long shot. We show up at the beginning and the end, but God occupies the middle. In the parable, “production” comes not from us, but from the seed, from the soil, from the dynamic that was placed in them by the Creator. We are told that the sun shines and the rain rains because of the goodness of the Creator. He has much more to do with the harvest than do we. 

And even before the beginning, before we do our seed-chucking, God is there. Where did the soil come from? The farmer didn’t provide it. He may have cleared it and plowed it. But God gave the soil. Where did the seed come from? God gave the seed, though future generations may save some from earlier harvests. Ultimately, we have to admit, it all comes from God.

When it comes down to it, our work is a part, but a very small part. We work a bit, but the major portion is from God. Our work is really a small project on the back of God’s plans and purposes. 

So we need to remember, whatever we do, God was there first; God will be there after; and everything we do is dependent on God always working.

Mark 4:21-25 Burying the Light

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 4:21-25 Burying the Light

Light from God is a gift. This light is clearly identified as Jesus Himself. He is the light of the world. It comes up often in John’s Gospel, and John is going to help us understand what is being communicated in this paragraph: 

Mark 4:21   And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? ²² “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. ²³ “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴ And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. ²⁵ “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

There are two illustrations given in this section. The first has to do with a light or a candle. Its presence in your life is a blessing, and makes a difference. How hard are you going to work to bury it? On the other hand, the second illustration is a measure, either a scoop shovel or a teaspoon. With which would you rather invest in God’s blessing?

To both of these, we are presented with common conclusions that just don’t make sense. Why would someone hide heaven’s light? Why would we be stingy in our own lives with the measure of God’s blessing. But, it happens all the time. We want to straddle the fence. We want a foot in two different boats. I just doesn’t work. The benefits are ruined, replaced by pain.

So this is where John helps. In John 12, there are Jewish leaders who “believe into” Jesus (John’s way of showing personal commitment to Jesus). But, but, but … 

John 12:42–43 “Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”

You see, they felt that they had too much to lose. So they reached out to Jesus, but, but, but … at the same time, they kept holding on to their former attachments and alliances. They wanted the approval that comes from God only through faith in Jesus Christ, but at the same time they also wanted the approval that comes from men. They wanted it both ways. And that’s not faith. That’s playing games with God.

Do I think God likes being toyed with? No, I don’t. And yet, can we see that we sometimes do the very same thing, when we hide our Jesus-profession behind our public persona, or when we short-arm our commitment to God’s will and ways, in service or sacrifice, protecting and preserving self, keeping ourselves safe from what? From the blessing of God?

No one does this, right? No one would bury a candle? No one would cheat themselves from what is best, would they? No, never. And yet it happens every single day.

Mark 4:10-20 Choking on this World

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 4:10-20 Choking on this World

In this first, foundational parable in Mark’s Gospel, about the seed and the soils, there is one condition that sticks out to me. All of them are important, and I am sure that all of them happen all of the time. But it is the seed sown among thorns that seems to describe what happens so often in our prosperous, frantic culture.

Mark 4:18–19  “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” 

There are three conditions, three enemies that afflict us in our culture as we seek to heed God’s Word and to feed on Christ: worries; riches; and desires. 

Worries can be translated as “cares” or “anxieties.” It can also include “ambitions” and “preoccupations.” It is the things that occupy our minds, whether negatively, or, as we might think, positively. If I want to get rich, that might be understood as a “positive” ambition, but it certainly might “choke” out my walk with the Lord.

And there are certainly many things in our society or city to worry about, on the one hand, or get excited about, on the other. These things may or may not be good in themselves. But though good, they may not help the “seed” grow in our lives, that “seed” of discipleship that would lead us, change us, and grow us to become more like Jesus.

Would you rather be rich or poor? Dumb question, right? But there is a “deceitfulness” to riches that is not true of poverty. When rich, we are led to believe that we can be self-sufficient. It may contribute to a notion that we are better, smarter, more skilled than others who are less rich. It is a worldly way of evaluating self and others, and puts us on the wrong track, away from Christ.

And then there is that general word, “desire.” God created us as creatures of desire. We want things. This is not necessarily wrong, except when those desires come unhinged from God’s will. That’s why this word “desire” is often translated “lust.” It is then a love for something that has gone out of bounds, which no longer takes the other person into account, but concentrates on what’s in it for me. And it can be a major choking mechanism in our lives.

Perhaps the seed has been sown in your life. Can it even be found amidst all else that grows around it? Is there some weeding that needs to be done?

Blessings and Curses

We are in the hot lead-up to Christmas and the blessing of these holidays (Thanksgiving included, and the reflections of old year’s end and the hopes of new year’s beginning) are high in our minds. And yet, blessing does not exist in a vacuum. In fact, the blessing of the Christmas story is so rich because the people involved were so aware of the curse - the presence of sin and their personal  experience of its evil effect.

So perhaps, in order to better appreciate the blessing, we ought to more seriously consider the curse. In reading through Deuteronomy this year, I underlined several lines in chapter 28 that vividly capture the consequence of the curse in our lives.

28:34 “so that you are driven mad by the sights that your eyes see.” A lot of those sights these days come via our screens. The news can drive us mad. The predictions by those who don’t have a clue can drive us mad. We listen and watch the wrong things.

28:44 “He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.” We have lost intentionality, and are the captives of earlier choices for which we failed to think and pray, and simply followed what the neighbors are doing. It is impossible to live an authentically Christian life this way.

28:47 “because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things.” The seed sown among thorns gets choked, as do we, by so many concerns, and by so full a schedule, and by so much stuff - and a choked heart and life is bereft of joy and gladness.

28:65 “the Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul.” This seems to be the description of those who have lost their grip on “faith, hope, and love,” or, perhaps better, have been gripped by something else. A “trembling heart” is one that has lost confidence in the promises of God. “Failing eyes” are those who have lost sight of the hope outlined by the promises of God. A “languishing soul” is one that sits, worrying about self, feeling sorry for self, rather than investing self in the lives of others, as God has invested Himself in us.

Now, if these things, by the grace of God, were to be radically reversed, then we would have, not curse, but blessing - a world in  which Christ is King and we are His joyful servants and subjects, delighted to do His will.

Mark 4:1-9 Abundance

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 4:1-9 Abundance

Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and that they may have it abundantly.” So, how’s it going? How is that abundance, that fruitfulness, working out in your life?

We wonder sometimes if we judge fruitfulness the same way God does. Because we often don’t see the results, the influence, of being a follower of Jesus. We want to count attendance in church, or souls saved, or lives changed, and yet the measurables are often lacking. We fear that we are missing the boat, and that God is grieved by our spiritual poverty, as evidenced by the scarcity rather than abundance of fruit.

Or is it possible that God takes notice of abundance and fruit that we often do not notice? Is there something more than the three B’s of church growth: building, baptisms, and bodies in the pews? Here we have to think in non-materialistic terms. We have to discern that which is not seen by human eyes, and which is thus hard to measure.

For instance, the Spirit is called the Comforter. He is the One who is tasked with lifting the downtrodden from the inside out. His work is best noticed in those who are lowest, closest to despair. How good are we at measuring the abundance of God’s comfort, as followers of Jesus are moved from the depths of depression and the edge of desperation? Because there is no shortage of God’s comfort. It is abundant.

And for those who are most comfortable, we may know the least about this flood of comfort that has sustained the meek and lowly of the church for centuries.

Or, think of God’s grace, which inhabits the heart, and makes the recipient gracious. How many people have been turned from bitterness to sweetness by this grace of God; from grudges to forgiveness; from stubbornness to willingness; from pride to humility? Can we even begin to count the ways and the cases? God’s grace is abundant. Scripture says that where sin abounds (and we are very conscious of that), grace super-abounds. 

So in our verse in this famous parable of Jesus, where so much seed is scattered with little lasting result, we find that some seed finds the good ground, and there it abounds, “thirty, sixty, one-hundred fold.” That is abundance. And I think we should be more careful to notice the non-material - the spiritual - ways that this abundance works.

And yes, we can continue to fervently pray for the numerical growth of the church as evidenced by conversions and baptisms, by discipleship and service. But those things may be more the shine on the fruit that exists below the surface.

Mark 3:31-35 Jesus’ Relatives

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 3:31-35 Jesus’ Relatives

We all belong to more than one family. Though these families may overlap, they are, nevertheless, different families.

We all have a biological family. We have a biological father and mother, and we this may also include siblings. But we also belong to the human family, because we are, in a sense, all related. But it’s different, right? We may belong to a church family, where we have certain things in common, and that church family may or may not include members of our biological family.

Jesus makes an amazing and important statement as His “relatives” are standing at the door: 

“Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”” (Mark 3:33–35 NAS95)

Jesus does not say that the reality of his “biological” family is invalid (though remember, Jesus “biological” family is unique, having no earthly father). The command to “honor father and mother” is still in force. But Jesus is placing priority upon another family: those who do the will of God.

There is an interesting collection of verses that speak to “doing the will of God.” Jesus’ stated purpose was “to do the will of Him who sent Me.” His earthly life was fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy, “I come to do Your will, O God.”

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians establishes first our sinfulness and helplessness, saying that we “indulge the desires (will) of the flesh and of the understanding.” But later, in Christ, or, as slaves of Christ, we “do the will of God from the heart.” John, in 1 John 2:17, shows the same contrast: The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

And so, the question for each of us, if we do indeed profess to be followers of Jesus, is this: are we doing our own will, or the will of our Father in heaven? What are we committed to doing when we wake up in the morning, and upon what do we reflect as we go to bed at night? What occupies our thoughts? What claims our attention and passion? Is it our own will and desires, or the will of God?

For those who are followers of Jesus, there is an Old Testament prayer that we ought to pray. We ought to write it down and put in on our dashboard or mirror. It is found in Psalm 143:10: 

Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; 

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 

Mark 3:20-30 Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 3:20-30 Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

Mark 3:28   “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” 

People were saying terrible things against Jesus. Here He was, healing people and casting out evil spirits, and the religious leaders, obviously jealous, were accusing Jesus of being on Satan’s team. Nothing could be further from the truth. But strangely, Jesus did not seem to take offense at this.

Because Jesus was going to do what Jesus would do. He came to live, and to die. He was to be the final Passover Lamb, the Atonement to end all atonements. He was determined to die in our place, our sin on His shoulders, so that, by faith in Him, we could receive His righteousness. And, those same religious leaders who were accusing Him of being in league with Satan were going to help Him to do it. They were going to advocate for His death. So it almost seems as though these leaders’ accusations against Jesus, of being on Satan’s team, was part of the plan, as strange as that sounds.

But the same does not apply for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Why is that? Think back with me to Mark 1. John the Baptist baptizes Jesus, and then the Holy Spirit comes from heaven in the form of a dove, and a heavenly voice says, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well-pleased.” This Spirit is the vehicle by which the heavenly testimony is given; by which the truth from heaven is spoken. He is the One who whispers divine truth to human hearts, and to despise His role and ministry is to shut down the “streams of living water” which is the very life of Jesus Christ from being applied to our lives.

In that same passage in Mark 1, we next find that this same Spirit “casts” Jesus into the wilderness, specifically to do battle with Satan. It’s not a flaming sword type of battle, but a Word of God battle. And Jesus prevails, as He remains faithful to God and His Word against the temptations of the devil. But it seems as though the Spirit had an interest in Jesus’ initial contest with Satan, working together with Him to overcome the Enemy, just as He would have a role in Jesus’ later victory, at the tomb, when Jesus was “declared Son of God with power by His resurrection from the dead through the Spirit of holiness.” And as the Spirit was closely involved with Jesus as He achieved victory over sin and Satan, so the Spirit is closely involved with Jesus’ followers. And thus to despise the ministry of the Spirit, or, to blaspheme the Spirit and His ministry, is to infringe on His needed ministry in our lives, a ministry for which we are desperate.

So what are we to do? Walk by the Spirit. Seek to stay in step with Him, not rushing ahead or lagging behind. Don’t go off a’wandering. Walk with Him, step by step.

Mark 3:13-19 Famous Disciples

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 3:13-19 Famous Disciples

Mark 3:13   And He *went up on the mountain and *summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. ¹⁴ And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, ¹⁵ and to have authority to cast out the demons. ¹⁶ And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), ¹⁷ and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); ¹⁸ and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

Who is the most famous disciple? Most people might say “Peter.” And, since he heads the list of the Twelve, it seems like a reasonable guess. He’s the outspoken one. That gets him into trouble from time to time. He’s in the inner circle, the Three (Peter, James, and John). He has the major fail at the trial of Jesus, but he is restored and specifically commissioned at the end of John’s Gospel. He is first to the empty tomb of Jesus, and the first to stand up and speak at Pentecost. He leads the way (better, is led) to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (Cornelius, Acts 10) and to defend that action in Jerusalem. He’s not the most prolific New Testament writer, but he, through the Holy Spirit, gives us 1 and 2 Peter.

One can be famous for good. One can also be famous for bad. And one might remember the first name in a list. But one also might remember the last name in that list: Judas Iscariot. He is perhaps the second most famous disciple. Maybe he is first. But not for good. He is universally known as the disciples who betrayed the Lord, with a kiss. He’s not mentioned much in the middle, but he is central at the end. And then, before the mission of the church even begins, he is gone. He takes his own life. I don’t know the statistics, but I am quite sure that more mothers throughout history since that day have named their baby boy “Peter” rather than “Judas.”

But I’m not sure that I want my name at the beginning of a list, or at the end. I’m not sure being famous is such a good thing. And that’s a good thing, because most of us are never going to be famous. We live rather ordinary lives, shaped in more ways by the providence of God than we know, living in families, working jobs, being neighbors and friends, making mistakes and trying to do better. We have strengths and weaknesses, but not great strengths, and hopefully, prayerfully, not terrible weaknesses.

And we know that, whether we be famous or not, God knows us and values us just the same. He does “not see as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” And perhaps, as we live our rather ordinary lives, we escape the special tests, trials and troubles that afflict the famous. Sure, we have our own concerns, but we take them to God, and know that He is there to help, famous or not.

Buried in the Backwaters of Bethlehem

Nothing’s happening here. Not much has happened in a long time, and not much is likely to happen in the near future. Aspirations are more geared to survival, getting by, rather than expectations of glory or visions of grandeur.

After all, this is Bethlehem, little Bethlehem, overlooked Bethlehem. We are not Jerusalem. We are down-the-road from Jerusalem. The important people go there. Those left over come here, if they can find us. We don’t have their organization or expertise. We don’t have their experts, nor their gifts. We certainly don’t have their money. And, we’re fine with that.

Oh, there were days when Bethlehem was on the map. There was that time, long ago under the Judges, when Elimelech’s family moved back from cursed Moab to blessed Bethlehem - minus Elimelech or any other male - to try and eke out an existence without help. And God blessed them through Boaz, great-grandfather of King David.

And then, of course, there was the “house of David,” though it hardly David’s house, since he was only the eighth son, the runt, kind of like most of us. But God instructed Samuel to anoint him, and he did, and David became great, unlike us. We can identify with David in his runt-ness; not so much in his great-ness.

Otherwise, our Bethlehem gets mentioned by the Prophet Micah. Now remember, it is not always a good thing to get mentioned in the Bible. Think, “Jezebel.” Remember “Pharoah.” How about “Nabal?” It might be one’s goal not to be mentioned in the Bible. And as for Micah’s mention, what does he say about Bethlehem? “Too little.” If you are too little, maybe you would prefer that some big, bad prophet doesn’t go and call attention to you.

No, we tend to think that Bethlehem’s best days are behind us. It’s good to have history. But we dare not dream about the future.

Oh, wait, what was that? Something about a choir of angels singing to shepherds. Well, shepherds is about all we have around here. Hardly the ladder-climbing crowd. But what? They went to see a baby about whom the angels were singing, something about the appearance of the glory of God and bringing peace to men. This sounds like the kind of Christmas program they might put on in Jerusalem, not here in Bethlehem. 

Mark 3:1-7 Saving on the Sabbath

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 3:1-7 Saving on the Sabbath

Mark 3:1   He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. ² They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³ He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” ⁴ And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵ After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

The  Pharisees have been regular attenders at Jesus’ gatherings over the past few paragraphs: at Levi’s house; the questions about fasting; about plucking grains on the Sabbath; and now, with regard to the man with the withered hand in the synagogue.

I wonder about all that Jesus has in mind. Here he is, at the front with the man, and he asks the question, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” Taking the last part of the question first, we don’t really think, do we, that Jesus was going to save this man’s life, do we? Or that anyone really was intending to kill him? So it seems Jesus must be intimating that doing good is akin to saving life, though it may not go that far; and that doing harm is akin to killing, though it may not go that far. The second part of the question places the issue in the extreme, helping us to think more clearly about less extreme issues. Should I do good? Am I doing harm by not doing good? 

Jesus, at the point of their refusal to answer his question, is angered and grieved. They are not merely disagreeing with Him. They are seeking to keep Him from doing what He came to do - to enter into the lives of people in such a way as to save them. We may not be able to save people ourselves, but we sure can stand in the way of people being saved. And that is a dangerous thing. We should not want Jesus to be angry or grieved with us.

We won’t see the Pharisees again until chapter 7. We’ve seen them quite a bit, clustered in this little section, and we get the idea that they’ve seen just about enough of Jesus. It’s time to take action, to make a plan, and so they go to the more political types, the Herodians, to hatch a strategy. They have decided, by their actions, that it is best to harm, even to kill, even on this Sabbath.

And the man with the no-longer-withered hand goes home and, for the first time in a very long time, ties his shoes. And that’s a good thing.

Mark 2:23-28 Lord over Legalism

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 2:23-28 Lord over Legalism

Mark 2:23   And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ²⁵ And He *said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” ²⁷ Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus and His disciples are on their way somewhere, and as they walk along, they reach out in the field and strip the heads of grain off some of the stalks. They probably rub these heads in their fingers to free the grain from the husks, and then pop them into their mouths and munch for a while. And boy, are they in trouble.

The Jewish committee on Sabbath regulations had decided that this qualified as “work,” and, as everyone except Jesus knew, you weren’t supposed to work on the Sabbath. Jesus seemed to think that this did not apply to Him. He, after all, was the Anointed One, the Christ, the Lord. He was on mission, and nothing was more important than going where He was going, doing what He was doing, saying what He was doing. So, as is His way, Jesus tells a story.

He tells about David on a journey with his men (see the connection?). David is being hounded by Saul and his men (again, see the connection?), and he asks for the Bread of the Presence which was at the worship center, tended by Abiathar. Bread had been replaced, and the “old” bread was eaten by the priests. David, the anointed (as king, not yet enthroned), asks for the bread for himself and his men. Abiathar considers, and gives it. And every Jewish religious type would have to admit that it was the right thing to do, because, after all, it was David.

And so now, since these disciples are in the presence of Jesus, the mission rules, and the rules are interpreted in terms of the mission, not the other way around - the traditional rules do not cut the corners off the mission. This is a freedom that is afforded the Lord, Jesus, which He shares with His disciples. It is not a license to be used for purposes of laxity or self-indulgence, but for being on-mission with Jesus.

But what about the Sabbath? Yes, there is a Sabbath-principle - rest for the people of God, even as God Himself rested from His work in creation. But He didn’t rest until after creation was completed, and we don’t see Jesus rest until after redemption is completed. We ourselves rest in this redemption. We cease from our works of self-salvation. But we, as Jesus’ representatives on earth, are still charged with the mission of redemption - not the accomplishment of it, but rather the publishing of it, called evangelism, in word and deed. Through tireless efforts of love and service, of preaching and sharing, we seek to invite the world to rest in Christ. We look forward, then, to an eternal rest, even as we enjoy our redemption rest in the present. 

In the meantime, feel free to grab some food on Sundays, and maybe share it with someone as you share Jesus with them as well.

Mark 2:18-22 Fasting, or Feasting?

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 2:18-22 Fasting, or Feasting?

I’m not sure how many conscious decisions you make about eating, or not eating. It seems we eat all the time. We eat if we are hungry, and we eat even if we are not. Speaking for myself, I often eat without thinking. Sometimes I eat without even tasting.

But in our passage, eating, or, not eating, seems to be more intentional. Fasting, or feasting, depends on what is going on around you, or, what is going on in your heart.

Mark 2:18   Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Biblical fasting is most often associated with prayer, and is a recognition that things are not as they should be. Their heritage was not right. They were under Roman rule. And, for some, their hearts were not right. They recognized that they were in the predicament they were in because they had disobeyed God. Fasting goes along with pleading for mercy. Fasting is an act of humbling. As your stomach shrinks, so should your pride. Proud fasting indicates that you are not doing it right.

Jesus’ disciples, on the other hand, were feasting. The Pharisees took this as an indication that Jesus’ disciples were not very spiritual. Spirituality and misery are often, wrongly, associated with each other. But Jesus says, “the bridegroom is with them.” Who is the bridegroom? It’s Jesus, of course. When you are in the presence of Jesus, it is the time for rejoicing and celebration, for feasting. It is time for enlarging, expanding. 

So, are followers of Jesus presently in a fasting or feasting mode? Are things as they should be? Do we miss Him? Or, is He present with us? I think the answer is: yes, we miss Him, and yes, He is with us - not face-to-face with us, but with us through His Spirit who indwells us. And so, do we fast, or feast? I think we do both. Things are not as they should be, nor what they will be. But also, things are not as they once were, when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, godless, and without hope in the world.

And so I ask myself, do I need to shrink, or expand? Is it time for mourning, or rejoicing? And again, it’s both, but it does indeed need to be both. Different streams of Christianity seem to emphasize one over the other - some focus so much on sin that they are constantly miserable - some only do “praise and worship” and focus on the bright side. Both are needed; both confession, and celebration. What do you need today? What would be best for your soul, and for the glory of God? Ask the Lord to direct you.

Mark 2:13-17 Unexpected Members

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 2:13-17 Unexpected Members

Overheard at Thanksgiving, someone mentioned talking to a couple of old men on separate occasions. They looked like retired, small-town farmers, still wearing their overalls. And they had money. Who would have known they were millionaires? I guess selling farmland is a good gig if you can get it.

But these men were, come to find out, unexpected members of the millionaires club. Why unexpected? Because they looked just like the guys scraping by on their social security checks.

This passage, Mark 2:13-17, also contains “unexpected members.” It may have something to do with money, since tax collectors had too much of “my” money and yours, especially under the system in far-off lands in the days of the Roman Empire. But they were not unexpected members of a rich club, but rather unexpected members of “the Jesus Circle.” What in the world are they doing here?

Jesus’ command to Levi, the tax collector, was just like his command to the fishermen: “Follow me.” And he did, leaving everything behind. He immediately invited Jesus to his house, along with, we assume, the other disciples. The house was filled with Levi’s friends, also tax collectors. The text says that “there were many of them, and they were following Him.” This is not what we would have expected. It should have been the religious, the Biblically educated, who flocked to and followed after Jesus. But it was the opposite. Jesus’ Circle is filled with unexpected members.

Do you regard yourself as an “unexpected member” of Jesus’ circle? Or, do you silently think, “Well, of course I’m a part of that circle. After all, I’m …”  And how would you finish that sentence? Because you are an American? Because you are a Baptist (or, some other)? Because you were raised in a Christian home? Because you give money or do nice things for people? We should be very careful, because there will be many American Baptists (or some other) raised in Christian homes who give money and do nice things who, unexpectedly, are not and will not be part of Jesus’ Circle.

That any one of us is saved by grace is and must be, from our own point of view, unexpected. We do not deserve it. We cannot earn it. God’s grace does not honor pedigree or play favorites. He delights in the salvation of Zacchaeus, and Levi, and perhaps .. unexpectedly, you. Unexpected members.

Mark 2:1-12 Faith is in the Air

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 2:1-12 Faith is in the Air

Capernaum is one of the neighboring towns, a fishing village. Jesus travels there to teach and minister, and, not surprisingly, he draws a crowd. Meeting in a house, some men, desperate to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus, carry him on a cot. Finding their access to Jesus blocked by the crowds, they go to the roof and remove the roofing materials so that they can lower their friend to Jesus.

Mark 2:3–5 “And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.””

This, of course, is totally inappropriate. I don’t know who the house belonged to, but if it was your house, how would you have felt about it being dismantled? And I cannot think of a kind of building material that, if you start taking it apart above, it fail to rain down all manner of dust, chunks, debris, etc. It had to make a mess of Jesus’ teaching session. Who did these people think they were? It seems rude and impertinent.

But Jesus called it faith. This subject of faith unsettles me. I wish I could define it better. I wish it made better sense to me. It’s not that faith is unreasonable or nonsensical - but it doesn’t fit well in one of my mental boxes. 

We emphasize personal faith. In this instanced the paralyzed man was healed due to the faith of his friends: “And Jesus seeing their faith ..” Now “their” could include all 5 members of the group, but it was the 4 who did the dirty work, getting the man to Jesus. But we say, “you cannot be saved by your parents’ faith,” etc., - it requires personal faith. But Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic because of the faith of the friends, or the faith of the group.

And so the title, “Faith is in the Air.” Faith may not fit in a box, but it seems as though Jesus is delighted to work when “faith is in the air.” I do not want to say that, in the face of unbelief, Jesus’ hands are tied. Some could argue that. But God has so ordered that He is pleased to move in conjunction with faith, and is not so pleased to work in salvation and healing in its absence.

As you can read in this story, “faith” is not all that is the air. There is also stubbornness and resistance. The scribes were “reasoning in their hearts,” judging Jesus and finding fault with His words and His works. Their reasonings were not full of faith, but rather of unbelief. Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” They might allow Jesus to heal his body. Just don’t speak to his soul. But Jesus is Lord of both.

So does my “reasoning” overrule my “faith”? Does my penchant for making sure people follow rules keep me from faith-ful ventures that would be called daring and risky, or rude and impertinent - in order to get close to Jesus, to invite His interference and engagement in my life. 

Do you think, at the end of the day, those men regretted acting in faith? And do you think you may regret it, as your days grow old, that you did not?

Mark 1:32-45 Cleansing Touch

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 1:32-45 Cleansing Touch

We are given a summary of Jesus’ ministry in a concentrated space for a concentrated period of time. He ministers to scores of people, healing and casting out evil spirits. Men, women, children - all kinds of people come flooding to Him from the surrounding areas. The news of it must have spread like wildfire. 

And so it is surprising that only one single encounter is mentioned in detail: that of Jesus and the man with leprosy.

Mark 1:40   And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 

When we were young, one of the things that our mothers taught us was to avoid touching unclean things. You can make your own list of prohibited touches. This probably did not apply to your situation, but if lepers had been in your area, you would surely have been told, don’t touch the lepers.

For the Jewish people of the 1st century, the prohibition of touching things unclean was even more severe. Not only did you risk contamination yourself,  - and that was bad enough - but it also would make you ceremonially unclean, and thus not able to participate in certain religious activities. Jesus, regarded as a rabbi, certainly knew this, but, regardless, he reached out and touched the leper anyway.

So how does this normally work? Let’s say you have really, really clean hands. And then you go to the grocery store and push the shopping cart that has the last person’s nasty bacteria all over it. Surely your cleanliness cleanses the handle of the shopping cart, right? Do you leave it in better condition than it was before? Are you in better condition than you were before? Or let’s say you are perfectly healthy, and your friend comes down with the vomiting flu. So you give him a big kiss on the lips, right? Since your extra clean, absolutely healthy condition will heal theirs? Well, that’s all foolishness. It kind of makes me sick just to think about it.

So do we get the wonder of this, that somehow, Jesus, the Clean One, touches the leper, the unclean one - and somehow, the cleanness of the Clean One overwhelms the contamination of the unclean one? Contrary to all of nature, Jesus’ Person; Jesus’ touch; cleanses the unclean.

And further, what we find in this amazing story - this story alone of all the other stories that could have been told on this day in this place - is that Jesus was willing, and able, to do what no other person would, or could, do - to extend the cleansing touch. And he offers that touch to you and me as well.