And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff--no bread, no bag, no money in their belts-- but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. Mark 6:7-9
Why two by two? I offer a two answers as possible suggestions, though likely all could have been reasons for sending pairs.
1. Protection, not only from wild animals wandering about in the wilderness, but also from personal injury. Injury inflicted either my natural misfortune such as a twisted ankle or a head injury from a fall, or from falling due to hunger or dehydration. Perhaps even protection from others who may not receive the message of the Gospel with such welcoming arms as they had. Solomon mentions the value of friendship saying, "though one may be overpowered by another, two an withstand him." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
2. Testimony, held in accordance with the Jewish law, "A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." (Deuteronomy 19:15) By two witnesses is a matter established, though in this case the charge is made for Christ and not against Him the matter still remains true that two were trusted by their account and one was not. We see this applied by the pharisees against Jesus, And our Lord defends Himself with the same Law in John 8 starting in verse 12.
And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." Mark 6:10-11
"It was common for Jews to Shake the dust off their feet--as an expression of disdain-- when returning form Gentile regions. Paul and Barnabas also did this when expelled from Antioch (Acts 13:51). This was a visible protest, signifying that they regarded the place as no better than a pagan land." John MacArthur Study Bible
"So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent." Mark 6:12
Application:
"No one ever came to acknowledge Jesus as Lord because they lost an argument." It is not by the power of persuasive words, nor by the experience of sensationalism, neither is it by playing with human emotions by the use of stories and music that causes people come to a true understanding of Jesus Christ, ONLY He can reveal Himself to us. This does not negate the necessity of sharing the good news with others, and it really is good news. All of mankind has done things that have offended this holy God, one so pure and uncorrupted that the only thing acceptable is purity and uncorrupted people, something that can not be achieved. How is this good news? its not. The good news is that Jesus left that perfection, entered into time and space to pay the penalty on our behalf, by trusting Him and what He had done on the Cross makes us pure. He came to pay a dept He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay. This is good news indeed, and when sharing it we must allow room for God to work in the hearts of those who hear, and open the opportunity for others, the seed cannot be planted until the soil is ready, give God room to ready to soil and pray for wisdom when He does.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
70. A Walk With Jesus pt 14
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. Mark 6:1-2
Teaching on the Sabbath day as was the Lords usual custom, and as was the common reaction of the people, they were astonished at His teachings. Although, as we will see, it was not His words that perplexed the people, as His words of authority had so shocked the people prior; rather, that such words came from a man they thought they knew so well.
"Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that He even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Mark 6:2-3
It was not common practice to state that a person was the son of a woman, though obviously so, it was the practice to mention the father that bore the child. In fact, this is the only place where Jesus is mentioned as Mary's son. This could mean that the father was dead, or as is the case for others I'm told, that the boy was titled "mother's son" because the father was unknown. Jesus was considered an illegitimate child (by some Jews), whose father was a mystery, later on the pharisees would even assault/insult Jesus by pointing to His supposed illegitimacy (John 8:[41])
Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their lack of faith. Mark 6:4-6
Final Thoughts:
What will Jesus say about America when He comes in His glory? What are His thoughts towards us now? Are we surrounded by so many imitations of the real deal that we have lost sight of who Jesus really is? And do we foolishly allow our emotions to decide the very character and nature of God, rather then allow His word to speak the volumes of His truth into our consciousness? Does Jesus fit inside out neat little box, pampered and ready to be rubbed like some cosmic genie when our lusts are left unfulfilled? I wonder when I stand in His presence, will He be amazed at my lack of, or my abundance in faith?
It must be noted that the Lord is full of grace and truth. Grace is undeserved acceptance and love, and it is no cheap love that would otherwise bypass the awareness of sin in an act of ignorant benevolence; no, this love faced our sins head on. When iron pierced flesh and made its introduction with the posterior wood, innocent blood was shed because of our sins, this was the love God demonstrated towards us. He is the author and perfecter of our faith, and we can be sure that He who started this work of love inside our hearts will finish it, making it perfect when He comes in His glory. May we be strengthen in the present in spite of our past, empowered by the boldness of His love that reached out to even a sinner as I.
Teaching on the Sabbath day as was the Lords usual custom, and as was the common reaction of the people, they were astonished at His teachings. Although, as we will see, it was not His words that perplexed the people, as His words of authority had so shocked the people prior; rather, that such words came from a man they thought they knew so well.
"Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that He even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Mark 6:2-3
It was not common practice to state that a person was the son of a woman, though obviously so, it was the practice to mention the father that bore the child. In fact, this is the only place where Jesus is mentioned as Mary's son. This could mean that the father was dead, or as is the case for others I'm told, that the boy was titled "mother's son" because the father was unknown. Jesus was considered an illegitimate child (by some Jews), whose father was a mystery, later on the pharisees would even assault/insult Jesus by pointing to His supposed illegitimacy (John 8:[41])
Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their lack of faith. Mark 6:4-6
Final Thoughts:
What will Jesus say about America when He comes in His glory? What are His thoughts towards us now? Are we surrounded by so many imitations of the real deal that we have lost sight of who Jesus really is? And do we foolishly allow our emotions to decide the very character and nature of God, rather then allow His word to speak the volumes of His truth into our consciousness? Does Jesus fit inside out neat little box, pampered and ready to be rubbed like some cosmic genie when our lusts are left unfulfilled? I wonder when I stand in His presence, will He be amazed at my lack of, or my abundance in faith?
It must be noted that the Lord is full of grace and truth. Grace is undeserved acceptance and love, and it is no cheap love that would otherwise bypass the awareness of sin in an act of ignorant benevolence; no, this love faced our sins head on. When iron pierced flesh and made its introduction with the posterior wood, innocent blood was shed because of our sins, this was the love God demonstrated towards us. He is the author and perfecter of our faith, and we can be sure that He who started this work of love inside our hearts will finish it, making it perfect when He comes in His glory. May we be strengthen in the present in spite of our past, empowered by the boldness of His love that reached out to even a sinner as I.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
69. A Walk With Jesus (Solid Rock)
This and the following blog are inspired by our guest speakers at Solid Rock "A Jesus Church" the church i am currently attending. I have attached the link to play the sermon below and greatly suggest that you do.
Two people are presented to us in the following event in the life of Jesus. The first is a man by the name of Jarius,
Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet Mark 5:22
Jarius, as mentioned, was a ruler of the synagogue. Think of Him as being the head administrator for a church. It was His responsibility to choose who was to give the Saturday message, who was to read the scripture, he oversaw it all. He was then therefore a very outstanding man in the community, and community was everything to the Jews. In Israel, during the times of Jesus, don't think of cities as Seattle or Portland, think Banks or Boring, small towns where everyone knows everyone. Jarius would have been known by all for his title and position, and the Jewish leaders already decided that anyone who would follow Jesus would be kicked out of the synagogue; Jarius had everything to lose.
The second was a nameless woman,
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, Mark 5:25
In Leviticus 15:19-28 it gives in depth detail for ceremonial cleanliness regarding a woman on her period, as was our unnamed character. She would be unclean, anything she touches would be unclean, anyone who touches her would be unclean and anyone who touches the things she touches would be unclean! Get the point? Now is the 1st century Jewish mind, God was in the temple, the place where His glory dwelt, and all true worship of God was also in the temple. The synagogue was a place of learning about God and His laws for the community. Now if you were unclean, you were kept out of the synagogue and the temple, that is to say in the Jewish mind, you were not allowed to be near God for that day. This was far from the purpose of the law given to Moses, but through years of legalism a social stigma would be attached to this poor woman. 12 years of no one touching you, 12 years of people crossing on the other side of the street, 12 years of her society rejecting her. The crowd was thick, she would have had to have touched many people to get to Jesus, weaving in and out of the group. Many people would have been furious with her, perhaps even wanting to stone her. She had everything to lose.
These people were desperate, willing to do anything and lose everything to get near to Jesus, to be close to Him.
Can I say the same? Or have i become so comfortable with my income and upper class lifestyle that i have forgotten the true meaning of being a Jesus follower? Am i desperate to know Him more and more, willing to do anything even if it cost me my life? Or am i only fooling myself into believing that my relationship is strong? Have the pleasures of this world choked my life from ever truly growing in the effectiveness that Christ offers those who are worthy of being called His disciples?
I dare you to ask yourself these very questions, if you are surprised with the answer, don't be, He's not. He knows you better than you know yourself and is not dispointed with your searching your heart and finding that you come up short. He is with you, holding you every step of the way, and He is ready to guide you if you are willing to submit and follow, let us fall face down before Him and learn together just how loving and willing Jesus is to save us.
Two people are presented to us in the following event in the life of Jesus. The first is a man by the name of Jarius,
Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet Mark 5:22
Jarius, as mentioned, was a ruler of the synagogue. Think of Him as being the head administrator for a church. It was His responsibility to choose who was to give the Saturday message, who was to read the scripture, he oversaw it all. He was then therefore a very outstanding man in the community, and community was everything to the Jews. In Israel, during the times of Jesus, don't think of cities as Seattle or Portland, think Banks or Boring, small towns where everyone knows everyone. Jarius would have been known by all for his title and position, and the Jewish leaders already decided that anyone who would follow Jesus would be kicked out of the synagogue; Jarius had everything to lose.
The second was a nameless woman,
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, Mark 5:25
In Leviticus 15:19-28 it gives in depth detail for ceremonial cleanliness regarding a woman on her period, as was our unnamed character. She would be unclean, anything she touches would be unclean, anyone who touches her would be unclean and anyone who touches the things she touches would be unclean! Get the point? Now is the 1st century Jewish mind, God was in the temple, the place where His glory dwelt, and all true worship of God was also in the temple. The synagogue was a place of learning about God and His laws for the community. Now if you were unclean, you were kept out of the synagogue and the temple, that is to say in the Jewish mind, you were not allowed to be near God for that day. This was far from the purpose of the law given to Moses, but through years of legalism a social stigma would be attached to this poor woman. 12 years of no one touching you, 12 years of people crossing on the other side of the street, 12 years of her society rejecting her. The crowd was thick, she would have had to have touched many people to get to Jesus, weaving in and out of the group. Many people would have been furious with her, perhaps even wanting to stone her. She had everything to lose.
These people were desperate, willing to do anything and lose everything to get near to Jesus, to be close to Him.
Can I say the same? Or have i become so comfortable with my income and upper class lifestyle that i have forgotten the true meaning of being a Jesus follower? Am i desperate to know Him more and more, willing to do anything even if it cost me my life? Or am i only fooling myself into believing that my relationship is strong? Have the pleasures of this world choked my life from ever truly growing in the effectiveness that Christ offers those who are worthy of being called His disciples?
I dare you to ask yourself these very questions, if you are surprised with the answer, don't be, He's not. He knows you better than you know yourself and is not dispointed with your searching your heart and finding that you come up short. He is with you, holding you every step of the way, and He is ready to guide you if you are willing to submit and follow, let us fall face down before Him and learn together just how loving and willing Jesus is to save us.
68. A Walk With Jesus (Solid Rock)
This and the following blog are inspired by our guest speakers at Solid Rock "A Jesus Church" the church i am currently attending. I have attached the link to play the sermon below and greatly suggest that you do.
And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Mark 5:15
Afraid for good reason, this man who had been so crazed before and a causer of so much terror. For who could sleep peacefully at night with a man cutting himself and howling in a graveyard? They find him sitting, quite, and it is right mind. It is truly a beautiful sight to see those whose lives have been changed by God, one cannot help by remain silent; lost in the wonder of it all.
And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." Mark 5:17-18
Application:
The man was sent back with a mission; to share the gospel. We often get caught up in the complicated and often confusing depth of theological doctrines and creeds. How often do i lose myself in the definition of God and not in His person? Am i more involved in my philosophical understanding of the nature of God or in the person Jesus? Is Jesus even real to me? Or is He just a set of phrases i have grown accustomed to reciting? I have struggled and asked myself these questions. Not because i doubt the Lord or His existence, but because i am weak and my mind is frail. If I do not guard myself against such religious understandings, than my relationship with Christ ends and rituals and traditions begin, at that point I am dead. He is risen, He is a person, and i must have a personal relationship with Him, or else i have nothing. I challenge you to consider the same probing questions and ask yourself, who is Christ to you? not what; but who. Is He a set of beliefs handed down to you from a generation past? or is He real and personal to you?
We all have a story, a place form which we came, a person we were before the changing work of Jesus Christ in our lives. All we are called to do is share that story, the good news of redemption is that we have a relationship with God.
A Jesus Church Part 5!
And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Mark 5:15
Afraid for good reason, this man who had been so crazed before and a causer of so much terror. For who could sleep peacefully at night with a man cutting himself and howling in a graveyard? They find him sitting, quite, and it is right mind. It is truly a beautiful sight to see those whose lives have been changed by God, one cannot help by remain silent; lost in the wonder of it all.
And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." Mark 5:17-18
Application:
The man was sent back with a mission; to share the gospel. We often get caught up in the complicated and often confusing depth of theological doctrines and creeds. How often do i lose myself in the definition of God and not in His person? Am i more involved in my philosophical understanding of the nature of God or in the person Jesus? Is Jesus even real to me? Or is He just a set of phrases i have grown accustomed to reciting? I have struggled and asked myself these questions. Not because i doubt the Lord or His existence, but because i am weak and my mind is frail. If I do not guard myself against such religious understandings, than my relationship with Christ ends and rituals and traditions begin, at that point I am dead. He is risen, He is a person, and i must have a personal relationship with Him, or else i have nothing. I challenge you to consider the same probing questions and ask yourself, who is Christ to you? not what; but who. Is He a set of beliefs handed down to you from a generation past? or is He real and personal to you?
We all have a story, a place form which we came, a person we were before the changing work of Jesus Christ in our lives. All we are called to do is share that story, the good news of redemption is that we have a relationship with God.
A Jesus Church Part 5!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
67. A Walk With Jesus pt 13
"They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones." Mark 5:1-5
Application:
No self-respecting rabbi would dare to defile himself by being in the land of the gentiles, later revealed to us as Decapolis (lit. 10 cities). No Jewish teacher would degrade himself by walking around in tombs, the place of the dead, a very unclean place. Those who are religious are very concerned with what appears to be so on the outside. This is not so with our Lord who is more concerned with the inner man than His deeds, for no deed saves but only faith. And it could be said that Jesus was no man of self-respect, He condescended Himself to the form of man and in humility came to this earth to serve, not to be served. Jesus had a mission, to save that which was lost. He came to save, to redeem, to rescue humanity from the cancer that's within us all. Here we see Jesus dealing with a mad man, a man most of us would run away from. Not Jesus, the more socially outcast they were the closer Jesus got to them. A man out of His mind, cutting Himself, living in a graveyard... and Jesus travels across land and sea to find this man. I wonder if i would dare cross the street to seek out someone so strange and dangerous as he? Would i dare lose face and associate with someone as this? and in such a way that i was moved by compassion and love for the lost soul?
"...Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." Mark 10:44-45
Lord, provide us such a heart, out of our service to you, may it flow naturally that we become slaves to others, casting down all self-righteous forms of personal dignity, lowering ourselves to the level that You Yourself lowered. May we in all integrity, and authenticity imitate You our Lord.
Application:
No self-respecting rabbi would dare to defile himself by being in the land of the gentiles, later revealed to us as Decapolis (lit. 10 cities). No Jewish teacher would degrade himself by walking around in tombs, the place of the dead, a very unclean place. Those who are religious are very concerned with what appears to be so on the outside. This is not so with our Lord who is more concerned with the inner man than His deeds, for no deed saves but only faith. And it could be said that Jesus was no man of self-respect, He condescended Himself to the form of man and in humility came to this earth to serve, not to be served. Jesus had a mission, to save that which was lost. He came to save, to redeem, to rescue humanity from the cancer that's within us all. Here we see Jesus dealing with a mad man, a man most of us would run away from. Not Jesus, the more socially outcast they were the closer Jesus got to them. A man out of His mind, cutting Himself, living in a graveyard... and Jesus travels across land and sea to find this man. I wonder if i would dare cross the street to seek out someone so strange and dangerous as he? Would i dare lose face and associate with someone as this? and in such a way that i was moved by compassion and love for the lost soul?
"...Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." Mark 10:44-45
Lord, provide us such a heart, out of our service to you, may it flow naturally that we become slaves to others, casting down all self-righteous forms of personal dignity, lowering ourselves to the level that You Yourself lowered. May we in all integrity, and authenticity imitate You our Lord.
Friday, March 19, 2010
66. A Walk With Jesus pt 12
Jesus finishes speaking in parables for the time and his disciples decide to travel to the other side of the sea of Galilee when a sudden storm came upon them.
"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. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" Mark 4:37-38
The disciples must have been fighting the storm fearing for their very lives. Terrified and frantically struggling against the beating waves; and Jesus is SLEEPING! Doesn't He know we can't swim? Doesn't He know there is a storm and the boat is breaking under the waves?! "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
"He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" Mark 4:39-41
Application:
The Law of Non-Contradiction States that: It is not possible that something be both true and not true at the same time and in the same context. "Who then is this?" indeed, that even the laws of nature yield to the commanding voice of Jesus. The disciples noticed something very different about this man. He can be full of grace and full of truth (John 1:14), and He can be both God and Man, but Jesus Christ cannot be God and not God at the same time; either He IS or He is not; He cannot be both. Jesus did not leave that up for us to interpret, the apostles gave us no room to decide for ourselves, the Bible is clear; Jesus is God in the flesh. I understand the doubts; so does He. I understand the questions; I've asked them myself. But a choice must be made when one encounters a road with a forked end; either we call Him a liar and a lunatic or we acknowledge Him as God and worship Him. There is no middle ground, He did not come to give us that option.
"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. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" Mark 4:37-38
The disciples must have been fighting the storm fearing for their very lives. Terrified and frantically struggling against the beating waves; and Jesus is SLEEPING! Doesn't He know we can't swim? Doesn't He know there is a storm and the boat is breaking under the waves?! "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
"He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" Mark 4:39-41
Application:
The Law of Non-Contradiction States that: It is not possible that something be both true and not true at the same time and in the same context. "Who then is this?" indeed, that even the laws of nature yield to the commanding voice of Jesus. The disciples noticed something very different about this man. He can be full of grace and full of truth (John 1:14), and He can be both God and Man, but Jesus Christ cannot be God and not God at the same time; either He IS or He is not; He cannot be both. Jesus did not leave that up for us to interpret, the apostles gave us no room to decide for ourselves, the Bible is clear; Jesus is God in the flesh. I understand the doubts; so does He. I understand the questions; I've asked them myself. But a choice must be made when one encounters a road with a forked end; either we call Him a liar and a lunatic or we acknowledge Him as God and worship Him. There is no middle ground, He did not come to give us that option.
65. A Walk With Jesus pt 11
"He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?" Mark 4:21
The most notable factor of the good soil was that it produced fruit, some thirty, some sixty, some one hundred times yielded. The fruits of the Spirit are, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control (Gal 5:22-23). The light we show is the light shown to us by Christ, He came to shine light into our darkness. All to sad is the person who hides what light he has and conceals the goodness of Christ from others. Take hold of your candle and let God work His grace through your life.
"For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." Mark 4:22-23
The truths of God's kingdom and His love for humanity, the doctrines of His grace towards all mankind and his long-suffering with all our endeavors, all the knowledge of the gospel, it is to be shared with others.
"Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Mark 4:24-25
Americans have a saying, "If you don't use it, you lose it." You can thank Jesus for saying it first. Consider what you hear, give thought to it, understand and perceive it, then act accordingly in wisdom with the knowledge you have been given. What good is charity if it is not charitable? Or wisdom if it is not used wisely to counsel others? Can mere head knowledge produce any good in anyone? If we are untrustworthy in our abilities and keep such gifts from God for ourselves and use them not for their intended purpose (i.e. His glory) than we waste what opportunity we had to be of great use. Noting well, that poorly used gifts ought to be considered worse than unused ones.
I consider it even more saddening to imagine that what little one may have would be taken away out of irresponsibility. To be given such a strong message of hope, yet never truly trusting in the message yourself. To have knowledge of the Christ but no relationship with Him on any level, personal or impersonal. Though i must admit, that i am not sure what good an impersonal relationship with Jesus would do anyone. So i guess this only leaves us with probing questions. What are we doing with the good things God has given us? Are we expanding His kingdom? Are we digging deeper into an understanding of Him that is growing and maturing? IS richness of character and love being added to our lives, or do we see that even what we do have is being taken away?
We must inquire the Lord on these matters, we must seek His face.
The most notable factor of the good soil was that it produced fruit, some thirty, some sixty, some one hundred times yielded. The fruits of the Spirit are, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control (Gal 5:22-23). The light we show is the light shown to us by Christ, He came to shine light into our darkness. All to sad is the person who hides what light he has and conceals the goodness of Christ from others. Take hold of your candle and let God work His grace through your life.
"For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." Mark 4:22-23
The truths of God's kingdom and His love for humanity, the doctrines of His grace towards all mankind and his long-suffering with all our endeavors, all the knowledge of the gospel, it is to be shared with others.
"Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Mark 4:24-25
Americans have a saying, "If you don't use it, you lose it." You can thank Jesus for saying it first. Consider what you hear, give thought to it, understand and perceive it, then act accordingly in wisdom with the knowledge you have been given. What good is charity if it is not charitable? Or wisdom if it is not used wisely to counsel others? Can mere head knowledge produce any good in anyone? If we are untrustworthy in our abilities and keep such gifts from God for ourselves and use them not for their intended purpose (i.e. His glory) than we waste what opportunity we had to be of great use. Noting well, that poorly used gifts ought to be considered worse than unused ones.
I consider it even more saddening to imagine that what little one may have would be taken away out of irresponsibility. To be given such a strong message of hope, yet never truly trusting in the message yourself. To have knowledge of the Christ but no relationship with Him on any level, personal or impersonal. Though i must admit, that i am not sure what good an impersonal relationship with Jesus would do anyone. So i guess this only leaves us with probing questions. What are we doing with the good things God has given us? Are we expanding His kingdom? Are we digging deeper into an understanding of Him that is growing and maturing? IS richness of character and love being added to our lives, or do we see that even what we do have is being taken away?
We must inquire the Lord on these matters, we must seek His face.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
64. A Walk With Jesus pt 10b
The Second Seed
"Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." Mark 4:16-17
Life brings about many trials of its own, but when the trial comes, will we stand the test? Perhaps the stony ground reflects the nature of the mans heart, he hears the gospel message, he understands his sins are forgiven and he has peace with God, but it is all emotional and superficial at best, there are no roots and eventually when the emotions are gone and the high settles than the follower walks away. Often this analogy is applied to non believers, but i see the same truth come forth even in the life of true believers, even in myself. To receive God's word with joy only to return to my sinful state, i thank God that He is patient with me and gives me many more chances than i deserve.
The Third Seed
"Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful" Mark 4:18-19
The love of riches, the love of family, the love of self, any love for the things in this world will always compete for our love for Jesus. Our dear affections poured out on the things we desire in this life leave us less than fully committed to the Lord. We begin to want more of our will and less of Gods, we want to satisfy the cravings of our flesh instead of our Lord, when this happens we begin to live for self and self produces no fruit. It is only by abiding in and being one with the Lord that we are ever fruitful, all good deeds and charitable love comes from the Father, apart from Him we are fruitless. I wonder out loud, where do our passions lie?
The Fourth Seed
"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:20
The good soil represents the one whose hearing produces acceptance, whose acceptance produces obedience, and whose obedience produces fruit, more than that which was planted; fruit to be shared with all. Doers of the word and not hearers only, obedient to our Lord and master, motivated by love, because He first loved us. We are obedient to demonstrate our love for the father, it is an outward act of the internal gratitude and emotions that captivate our thoughts and stir our minds to react in humble obedience to the only One worthy of our devotion. God be praised, in our life, God be Praised!
"Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." Mark 4:16-17
Life brings about many trials of its own, but when the trial comes, will we stand the test? Perhaps the stony ground reflects the nature of the mans heart, he hears the gospel message, he understands his sins are forgiven and he has peace with God, but it is all emotional and superficial at best, there are no roots and eventually when the emotions are gone and the high settles than the follower walks away. Often this analogy is applied to non believers, but i see the same truth come forth even in the life of true believers, even in myself. To receive God's word with joy only to return to my sinful state, i thank God that He is patient with me and gives me many more chances than i deserve.
The Third Seed
"Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful" Mark 4:18-19
The love of riches, the love of family, the love of self, any love for the things in this world will always compete for our love for Jesus. Our dear affections poured out on the things we desire in this life leave us less than fully committed to the Lord. We begin to want more of our will and less of Gods, we want to satisfy the cravings of our flesh instead of our Lord, when this happens we begin to live for self and self produces no fruit. It is only by abiding in and being one with the Lord that we are ever fruitful, all good deeds and charitable love comes from the Father, apart from Him we are fruitless. I wonder out loud, where do our passions lie?
The Fourth Seed
"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:20
The good soil represents the one whose hearing produces acceptance, whose acceptance produces obedience, and whose obedience produces fruit, more than that which was planted; fruit to be shared with all. Doers of the word and not hearers only, obedient to our Lord and master, motivated by love, because He first loved us. We are obedient to demonstrate our love for the father, it is an outward act of the internal gratitude and emotions that captivate our thoughts and stir our minds to react in humble obedience to the only One worthy of our devotion. God be praised, in our life, God be Praised!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
63. A Walk With Jesus pt 10
The Parable of the Sower
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake (v1). He taught them many things by parables (v2). This was an all too common practice of Jesus, to teach in mysteries and share parables that would confuse or cause disinterest in the superficial followers. A parable is an allegorical story designed to reveal truths about God, morality, or Heaven. In this case, it reveals how the word of God is planted among the people. Scattered everywhere as to be received by all possible people, the word of God is not biased nor is its purpose for the church setting, it is for all places at all times. But not everyone will receive the word openly, even for those who do, it may not ever produce fruit. As we see in the seed that fell on the path...
The first seed
"Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them." Mark 4:15
Take note, that the Devil wastes no time and has an unquenchable hunger for all truth spoken into the hearts of man. If we all understood truth fully we would all reject the devil and his schemes. But as it is he remains quick to swoop in like the fowl of the air and consume whatever good knowledge of God we may acquire.
Application:
Christianity by definition is not a religion; it is a relationship with God. Religion is full of things you must do to climb your way up the spiritual latter as it were and earn favor with God. Christianity says, God has found favor with us because of our faith, and through that we are reconciled to Him. I, however, find myself in a inner battle struggling with my own tendency to be 'religious'. To do the right things trying to earn God's favor, or more commonly to simply get them done with. I find this disturbing and most commonly arising in my time reading God's word. I find myself reading the pages and closing the book, only to get it out of the way, and i learn nothing. Whatever truth i may have otherwise profited much, i have now fed to the fowls. The word of God became dead letters in an empty book when i skimmed the pages to satisfy so false a sense of a good deed; my gain was nothing. However, when seeking God to know Him better and to be more deeply involved with Him, i found the word alive and full of truth. This is the lesson for me to walk away with, God's word is a sword, it should be well prepared and handled properly.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake (v1). He taught them many things by parables (v2). This was an all too common practice of Jesus, to teach in mysteries and share parables that would confuse or cause disinterest in the superficial followers. A parable is an allegorical story designed to reveal truths about God, morality, or Heaven. In this case, it reveals how the word of God is planted among the people. Scattered everywhere as to be received by all possible people, the word of God is not biased nor is its purpose for the church setting, it is for all places at all times. But not everyone will receive the word openly, even for those who do, it may not ever produce fruit. As we see in the seed that fell on the path...
The first seed
"Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them." Mark 4:15
Take note, that the Devil wastes no time and has an unquenchable hunger for all truth spoken into the hearts of man. If we all understood truth fully we would all reject the devil and his schemes. But as it is he remains quick to swoop in like the fowl of the air and consume whatever good knowledge of God we may acquire.
Application:
Christianity by definition is not a religion; it is a relationship with God. Religion is full of things you must do to climb your way up the spiritual latter as it were and earn favor with God. Christianity says, God has found favor with us because of our faith, and through that we are reconciled to Him. I, however, find myself in a inner battle struggling with my own tendency to be 'religious'. To do the right things trying to earn God's favor, or more commonly to simply get them done with. I find this disturbing and most commonly arising in my time reading God's word. I find myself reading the pages and closing the book, only to get it out of the way, and i learn nothing. Whatever truth i may have otherwise profited much, i have now fed to the fowls. The word of God became dead letters in an empty book when i skimmed the pages to satisfy so false a sense of a good deed; my gain was nothing. However, when seeking God to know Him better and to be more deeply involved with Him, i found the word alive and full of truth. This is the lesson for me to walk away with, God's word is a sword, it should be well prepared and handled properly.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25
Sunday, March 7, 2010
62. A Walk With Jesus pt 9
And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you." And he answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?"
And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:31-35
There are two possibilities to His family visitation. The first possibility is that the family was concerned with Jesus and His working too hard. His only meal earlier in the day was a few heads of grain; a snack (2:23). He then spent the day in the synagogue, healing and teaching and climbed a mountain to disciple His followers (3:1-19) and now once back home, the crowd was so large that He could not even consume bread (20). Perhaps out of concern they were saying, "your working too hard Jesus, retreat with us and take a break."
However, i believe the second possibility to be the more likely of the two. Read v21 again
And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind."
Again this could refer to the above thought, that He was out of His mind for working so hard. Or it could mean what it says, that He was out of His mind. We know that His family was not all that believing (john 7:5) and the people of His own home town were offended by His claims (Mark 6:1-5). So it is likely that when His family saw the crowds forming and His popularity growing that they thought He was out of His mind and His non-sense needed to stop.
I admit that either one is likely and neither one is improbable, i don't suppose it matters which one you side with. What matters is Jesus' response to their request.
"For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." The will of God as mentioned else where in the Bible is our sanctification (which is a 5 dollar word meaning "to be set apart" by theologians it means "set apart from sin and unto God.") and is therefore also our obedience. Obedience to God stirs out of a heart that loves God, it is not a means to gain His divine favor. God's love for us is independent of our actions and deeds; we cannot earn it.
God has forgiven our wrongs, and accepted us as sons and daughters. Ought we not respond out of a heart of gratitude and obey Him who loves us? God is not some cosmic kill joy in our universe. He does not follow the platonian theory that things spiritual (heart, soul...) are good and things material (body, food, etc) are evil. God made all material and spiritual and called it good (gen 1). God wants us to enjoy the goodness of life and all its pleasures to the fullest, but in moderation and within His guidelines. These lines are not to bore us or ruin our fun, but to ensure our time is safe and within His will. Enjoy life, eat drink and be merry, but do it all for the glory of God and be obedient to Him in all your doings.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1John 5:3
And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:31-35
There are two possibilities to His family visitation. The first possibility is that the family was concerned with Jesus and His working too hard. His only meal earlier in the day was a few heads of grain; a snack (2:23). He then spent the day in the synagogue, healing and teaching and climbed a mountain to disciple His followers (3:1-19) and now once back home, the crowd was so large that He could not even consume bread (20). Perhaps out of concern they were saying, "your working too hard Jesus, retreat with us and take a break."
However, i believe the second possibility to be the more likely of the two. Read v21 again
And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind."
Again this could refer to the above thought, that He was out of His mind for working so hard. Or it could mean what it says, that He was out of His mind. We know that His family was not all that believing (john 7:5) and the people of His own home town were offended by His claims (Mark 6:1-5). So it is likely that when His family saw the crowds forming and His popularity growing that they thought He was out of His mind and His non-sense needed to stop.
I admit that either one is likely and neither one is improbable, i don't suppose it matters which one you side with. What matters is Jesus' response to their request.
"For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." The will of God as mentioned else where in the Bible is our sanctification (which is a 5 dollar word meaning "to be set apart" by theologians it means "set apart from sin and unto God.") and is therefore also our obedience. Obedience to God stirs out of a heart that loves God, it is not a means to gain His divine favor. God's love for us is independent of our actions and deeds; we cannot earn it.
God has forgiven our wrongs, and accepted us as sons and daughters. Ought we not respond out of a heart of gratitude and obey Him who loves us? God is not some cosmic kill joy in our universe. He does not follow the platonian theory that things spiritual (heart, soul...) are good and things material (body, food, etc) are evil. God made all material and spiritual and called it good (gen 1). God wants us to enjoy the goodness of life and all its pleasures to the fullest, but in moderation and within His guidelines. These lines are not to bore us or ruin our fun, but to ensure our time is safe and within His will. Enjoy life, eat drink and be merry, but do it all for the glory of God and be obedient to Him in all your doings.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1John 5:3
Friday, March 5, 2010
61. A Walk With Jesus pt 8
After healing the man with a withered hand Jesus withdrew to the sea (v7). Multitudes of people followed after Him from all directions (v8). Concerned for the size of the crowd Jesus requested a boat be near by (v9), He then continues to display His love and compassion for the needy by healing them (v10-12). Jesus leaves to the mountain and has a private meeting with His disciples sending them to heal and proclaim the gospel (v13-19). Entering a house the crowd arrives once again, so many were the people that there was no room to even eat bread (v20). His own family accused Him for being nuts, here their poor Jewish brother quit His job and pursued a life of ministry and is doing miracles; they thought He was crazy (v21) they did not recognize Him as God.
The Unpardonable Sin:
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons."
And He called them to Him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end." Mark 3:22-26
Again with logic our Lord renders their spiteful thinking as irrational. The Greek name Beelzebul, the name rendered to Satan, possibly derived from the name Beelzebub, the God of Ekron, "the lord of dung." Not a very pleasant name to call Him by any means, but certainly one drawn out from their hate within.
"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." Mark 3:28-30
Application:
These men had committed the unpardonable sin, not merely by saying He was a demon, but rather by completely rejecting the work and ministry of Jesus Christ. So it remains that all who have sinned will be forgiven, and all sins committed before or after conversion will be forgiven, Praise God! But for those who reject Jesus as Lord, and deny Him as our only means of salvation; how heartbreaking and lonely will be that day when the Lord rejects them. When we die, we can not argue our way to salvation, we can not reason our way into heaven. We will be judged by what we do here on earth, and we will be saved on one foundation alone, that is, trust and faith in Jesus Christ.
Have you made that choice today? Talk with God. He will be happy to hear from you.
The Unpardonable Sin:
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons."
And He called them to Him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end." Mark 3:22-26
Again with logic our Lord renders their spiteful thinking as irrational. The Greek name Beelzebul, the name rendered to Satan, possibly derived from the name Beelzebub, the God of Ekron, "the lord of dung." Not a very pleasant name to call Him by any means, but certainly one drawn out from their hate within.
"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." Mark 3:28-30
Application:
These men had committed the unpardonable sin, not merely by saying He was a demon, but rather by completely rejecting the work and ministry of Jesus Christ. So it remains that all who have sinned will be forgiven, and all sins committed before or after conversion will be forgiven, Praise God! But for those who reject Jesus as Lord, and deny Him as our only means of salvation; how heartbreaking and lonely will be that day when the Lord rejects them. When we die, we can not argue our way to salvation, we can not reason our way into heaven. We will be judged by what we do here on earth, and we will be saved on one foundation alone, that is, trust and faith in Jesus Christ.
Have you made that choice today? Talk with God. He will be happy to hear from you.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
60. A Walk With Jesus pt 7
It is best thought of that this story is on the same day as Ch 2:23 and on. Jesus there proclaims Himself to be Lord of the Sabbath, The Lord of God's rest.
Again He entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. Mark 3:1-2
The 'they' being the Pharisees and perhaps even the Herodians(v6) were looking for a way to accuse Jesus of false religion. See, the Messiah had to be perfect, and was to be blameless, but if they could find fault in Him, then Jesus could not be the Messiah. But our Lord is no fool, and 'clever' is far to simple a word to describe his wits.
And He saith unto the man which had the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. Mark 3:3-4
They were arrogant, and they were proud, therefore they remained silent. For had they been humble and good at heart they wouldn't have been concerned with loosing face. But as it were, their pride kept them from answering the simple question. They would have lost face, they would look like fools, they would have to had humbled themselves to the Lordship of Christ, but they would have then repented and they would have been saved... but they didn't, instead...
And He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him. Mark 3:6
Why were they angry to the extent of killing someone? Because Jesus revealed their root sin, pride. Think of them as pastors at their own church, and Jesus shows the whole congregation that they are phonies, well spoken hypocrites. They were ticked off and ready for His blood, because He told the truth, as only He knows it to be.
Application:
God sees the heart of man, and He hates the sin within it. Adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, idolatry, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, poverty, rape, divorce, child abuse, starvation, death! These are not things from God! Our disobedience and hate for God has brought such things into the world, and it breaks His heart. God is at war against the brokenness of our generation, either we are for Him or we are against Him. There is no middle ground. Any good we do is filthy rags to Him, it will never be good enough. Jesus is our only hope, apart from Him we are lost, apart from trusting Him we are His enemies, apart from dropping our pride and following Him, we remain dead men. Yet He remains gracious, and waits patiently, giving people time to repent and be saved.
The question, however, remains; Are you willing to follow Him, and be saved?
Again He entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. Mark 3:1-2
The 'they' being the Pharisees and perhaps even the Herodians(v6) were looking for a way to accuse Jesus of false religion. See, the Messiah had to be perfect, and was to be blameless, but if they could find fault in Him, then Jesus could not be the Messiah. But our Lord is no fool, and 'clever' is far to simple a word to describe his wits.
And He saith unto the man which had the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. Mark 3:3-4
They were arrogant, and they were proud, therefore they remained silent. For had they been humble and good at heart they wouldn't have been concerned with loosing face. But as it were, their pride kept them from answering the simple question. They would have lost face, they would look like fools, they would have to had humbled themselves to the Lordship of Christ, but they would have then repented and they would have been saved... but they didn't, instead...
And He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him. Mark 3:6
Why were they angry to the extent of killing someone? Because Jesus revealed their root sin, pride. Think of them as pastors at their own church, and Jesus shows the whole congregation that they are phonies, well spoken hypocrites. They were ticked off and ready for His blood, because He told the truth, as only He knows it to be.
Application:
"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds. Jeremiah 17:9-10
God sees the heart of man, and He hates the sin within it. Adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, idolatry, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, poverty, rape, divorce, child abuse, starvation, death! These are not things from God! Our disobedience and hate for God has brought such things into the world, and it breaks His heart. God is at war against the brokenness of our generation, either we are for Him or we are against Him. There is no middle ground. Any good we do is filthy rags to Him, it will never be good enough. Jesus is our only hope, apart from Him we are lost, apart from trusting Him we are His enemies, apart from dropping our pride and following Him, we remain dead men. Yet He remains gracious, and waits patiently, giving people time to repent and be saved.
The question, however, remains; Are you willing to follow Him, and be saved?
Monday, March 1, 2010
59. A Walk With Jesus pt 6
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as His disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" Mark 2:23-24
Ceremonial acts of religion must never proceed our duty to give way to moral obligations. The Pharisees were so caught up in performance rituals that they neglected to show mercy on the hungry travelers. This by the way was not an unlawful thing to do, only a misinterpretation of what was. To work (earning a wage) was unlawful, while eating to fill your stomach was not.
He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Mark 2:25-26
Here David broke the law, but it was not to spite God, he was hungry and running for his life for the king was out to kill him. (1 Samuel 20-21)
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Mark 2:27-28
Application:
"The Sabbath was made for man," This day was intended for rest, a day of festivity, a break from work and drudgery, a day of worship to God. Here Jesus reminds us of this fact, the day was made for blessing man. Are you resting in the love of God this day? Are you finding your burdens lifted under his care? Does your soul speak to you in peace saying, "It is well."? If not, then why not? The Lord offers an easy load and attaches no burdens to it, His offer of peace of mind, and mercy, and rest are for all who believe. What is in our hearts holding us back from his grace? Search your heart, and turn back to God, seek Him and have understanding, then let the peace of God cover you.
Ceremonial acts of religion must never proceed our duty to give way to moral obligations. The Pharisees were so caught up in performance rituals that they neglected to show mercy on the hungry travelers. This by the way was not an unlawful thing to do, only a misinterpretation of what was. To work (earning a wage) was unlawful, while eating to fill your stomach was not.
He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Mark 2:25-26
Here David broke the law, but it was not to spite God, he was hungry and running for his life for the king was out to kill him. (1 Samuel 20-21)
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Mark 2:27-28
Application:
"The Sabbath was made for man," This day was intended for rest, a day of festivity, a break from work and drudgery, a day of worship to God. Here Jesus reminds us of this fact, the day was made for blessing man. Are you resting in the love of God this day? Are you finding your burdens lifted under his care? Does your soul speak to you in peace saying, "It is well."? If not, then why not? The Lord offers an easy load and attaches no burdens to it, His offer of peace of mind, and mercy, and rest are for all who believe. What is in our hearts holding us back from his grace? Search your heart, and turn back to God, seek Him and have understanding, then let the peace of God cover you.
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