Beware of the lawyers‏

Mark 12: ¹² Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

Jesus has some unfinished business to tend to. Read Mark 12:

He will not fly off to some peaceful kingdom without facing the powers that have crippled and mistreated the children of Israel. He tells the parable about the vineyard to show how the scribes, Pharisees and teachers of the law and the High Priest have abused the trust given to them by God for the sake of their own power, prestige and wealth. When they recognized he was speaking against them they wanted to kill him. What would Jesus say to his children living in America today? “To him to which much has been given will much be expected.”

He tells those hypocrites that even Caesar is the servant of God. The Jewish leaders can’t use hatred of Rome to justify their treatment of the Messiah. The humble people recognized the moral authority of Jesus in contrast to the petty thievery and vanity of the religious leaders. Jesus probed into their hearts. Does he look into your heart. Remember: the Word is like a two-edged sword that sees into the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

These jackals tried to throw doubt into the teaching that would free these poor people of Israel from their poverty . That was Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God that promised life after death. Instead fooling Jesus they just showed their cold and empty hearts.

But there was one scribe who asked the right question: “What is the great commandment?" In looking for the ultimate truth they came close to the mission of Jesus. He came to teach and bring the love of God into their lives. That love captures all we say and do. How does that love help you to treat others with dignity?

Jesus is the Messiah. He quotes david in the Psalm that he is the Lord of the lord, King David. With one more warning he can warn them: Beware of the scribes then shows them true love of God in the poor widow’s gift. They give for show. She gives for the love of God. Jesus asks you,”Do you love me?”

This is the day the Lord has made. Make the most of it! See you in the kingdom!

Now is the time‏

Eccl 3:1  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

Read Mark 11:

Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem. His purpose is becoming clear. His disciples are following his command to get a donkey and prepare for his entrance into Jerusalem. When they began the ascent into the City of David they found a crowd throwing branches on the ground as a royal welcome. A spirit of joy fills the crowd as they shout “Hosanna in the highest!” Everything is falling into place for the divine drama of redemption for all humanity. The cursing of the unfruitful fig tree, the cleansing of the temple from those who would turn a house of prayer into a market place, and his teaching in the porch of the Temple show that God is in control of this campaign. “The Son of Man has authority over the teachers of the law.”

What preparations are you making to observe Lent? You have the opportunity to find cleansing and renewal. You can grow in worship, serving, generosity, in reading and understanding the Word, in real Christian fellowship and in various ways to come closer to the Father who loves you. When I was a child we put pennies and nickels and dimes in a card board bank to make an offering to Jesus. On Easter we celebrated our growth in faith and obedience when we turned in our Lenten Self-denial banks.

Grow in prayer for those who are sick, especially for Bonnie and Jack who fight cancer. And may the God of all consolation fill you with the Holy Spirit. 

Amen.

a rigorous self-assessment‏

Mark 10:5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied.

Read Mark 10:

As you read Mark 10 you realize that Jesus holds his followers to a higher standard than the rule of the teachers of the law. The pharisees allowed for divorce. Jesus pointed out that it was because of the hardness of their hearts that Moses permitted what was contrary to God's intention in the beginning: "That the two shall become one flesh."

Jesus invites us to look into our attitudes, our motivations, our emotions and the character of our actions. This is the purpose of the season of Lent: to make a rigorous self-assesssment of our hearts. As David cried to the Lord, "Wash me and I will be whiter than snow!" We must look into the heart and bring out the dirt.

Jesus told the rich young man he had to give up his wealth because it was strangling his spiritual life. He told his followers they would have to leave things behind so that he could bless them a hundred times now and give them eternal life in the kingdom to come. This was when they turned to take the road to Jerusalem. From here the the end is the cross. It is the end of one life and the beginning of a new life. As we see how blind and selfish we have been we give up our old self to Jesus to be mortified on the cross. Then the promise is regeneration, renewal and life.

The road ahead through the season of Lent is an uphill journey. We spend sweat and tears to give up our secret thoughts and intentions. Then at the end of our Lenten journey we cry aloud, "We are free at last" as we celebrate the Easter victory of Christ over all our foes.

One obstacle we need to overcome is our blindness to spiritual things. Jesus asked Bartimaeus,"What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." We pray that we may have sight to see the things in our hearts and minds that he may touch us and make us whole. 

Amen.

What does it mean?‏

^{Mark 9:10} They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. 

Read Mark chapter 9:

Jesus said he would rise from the dead. That’s not a normal experience. We shouldn’t expect the disciples to understand what that means. Two thousand years later people are still discussing and arguing about what it means. Even among non-believers there is the feeling that “something unusual happened to Jesus."

The disciples have seen the many wonders that Jesus performed. He was worth “leaving all behind and following him." Peter, James and John had seen Jesus adorned in heavenly glory on the mountain. But where will it all lead? As Jesus returns to the rest of his disciples he frees a boy from a demonic spirit and challenges the Father to greater faith. “Lord, I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.”

People would get sick and be healed. Some would even be raised from the dead and still die again. The problems of life and the evil we face each day are still with us. Paul wrote, ”The Last enemy is death." Does Jesus have plans to face that enemy and win the final battle that will free humanity from the grip of death?" He again predicts that he will be killed and rise again.

But if the disciples are ever going to understand what it means to be raised with Jesus they must stop arguing among themselves. They must follow Jesus to the end. They are made aware that there are little ones watching them. Their faith is contagious. As you journey through the Gospel of Mark think of how Jesus has changed your outlook on life and death and immortality.

We pray for our new member, Alex Kerns who is going to Tampa for his military physical today. Amen.  

Will you follow Jesus? Will you?‏

^{Read Mark ,chapter  8:}

^{Mark 8:31} He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

Some say that there are two miracles in Mark 8: one is the feeding of the four thousand and Peter’s testimony that Jesus is the messiah. There is also the opening of the eyes of the blind man and another that you might miss: Jesus challenges the disciples to begin to think in spiritual terms. He challenges Peter to stop thinking in his ordinary ways but to be open to the life that Jesus has promised. That includes going through suffering and the cross for the joy of the resurrection to come.

In the season of Lent we hope to grow in God’s Word through study, prayer and witness in the name of Jesus. May the Spirit of Christ open your heart and mind to grow in faith and knowledge of the Holy One.

Amen.

It comes from the heart‏

  “‘These people honor me with their lips,
   but their hearts are far from me. Mark 7:6
Read St. Mark 7:
Advertising should help people decide what they need, not coerce them into buying what they don't need. A candidate for office should stick to the issues and not pretend to be some sort of demi-god. A teacher of religion should stick to what pleases God and not to vain traditions that serve man's ego instead of serving God. In chapter seven Jesus moved from confronting the hypocrites in his region to showing the love and power of God to those who did not presume to have the favor of God. He set free a young girl who was bound by a demon who was of Greek, not Hebrew heritage. He loosed the tongue of a man born deaf and dumb and gave him the freedom to speak. We who are oppressed by the devil in living among " a people of unclean lips" are free to seek holiness and righteousness. The access to this new freedom comes from the heart. We find the love of Jesus overpowers the hatred of greed and prejudice. His love brings us into fellowship with those who disagree with us but are sincere in seeking the truth.
We trust that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He will bring home his lost sheep.
Happy St. Valentine's Day.

Going on to the next town‏

Read St. Mark, chapter 6

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. ⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

Jesus had an unenthusiastic welcome from people from his home town . They could not imagine who he really was because they saw him as just another home town boy. So he went on and preached in other towns and sending out his followers to bring the good news to all kinds of people. They were invested with power to bring peace to troubled people. As his fame spread some people compared Jesus to John the Baptists who was executed. Even King Herod himself wondered about Jesus.

The disciples were so busy ministering to people’s needs that they had to go to a remote place out of town to rest. But the people just followed them. So Jesus commanded his disciples to feed the crowd with just a small lunch. The next morning as they rowed across the lake, the disciples saw Jesus come to them walking on the water. Jesus is showing the disciples that he is truly the Son of God sent to bring salvation to all kinds of people. This is still the mission of his Church.

Today we remember that Bill Baker heard the call and ministered in home, his church and community. He inspires us to live in the grace and peace of our Savior, Jesus.

Amen.

I touched him, he touched me.‏

Read St. Mark, Chapter 5

²¹ When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. ²² Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet ²³ and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." ²⁴ So he went with him.

Jesus travelled from one side of the Lake to the other. As he went, people followed him on foot. He cast out demons, he laid hands on a dead girl and a woman touched his robes and was healed. What do people want from Jesus today? Some want to be healed, still. Others want to live at peace with family members and with others in the world. We seek justice and in the core of our soul we want to touch what is holy and righteous. Jesus still offers to drive out the demons and restore us to wholeness. May his Church be faithful in prayer and ministry in the name of Jesus. 

Amen.

A choice of soils‏

The Gospel of St. Mark, Chapter 4  “Then he taught them many things in parables…”

Jesus was teaching the crowd by the sea shore and using parables about ordinary work, like farming, to explain the secrets of God’s promised kingdom. The people would understand what happens to seeds that are planted in different kinds of soil. Some seeds would never take root, some grow up quickly and wither, other seeds would get choked by weeds, but some seed would produce a bumper crop.

But could they apply this story to their own life and especially to the offer of salvation by Jesus? Could they trust that Jesus is the one who comes from the father to give life to the world? Jesus took his disciples aside to explain to them that the various types of soil represent the conditions of the human heart. When the disciples followed Jesus on the boat across the lake he demonstrates how weak and indecisive they were in the face of adversity. But he also shows his power over the wind and waves and his love for them.

Like the disciples, we are urged to learn the secrets of the kingdom in parables. The Holy Spirit will teach us to understand and apply his Word to our problems and give us opportunity to share the wonderful love of God. Take these words to heart and open the scriptures. You will find wisdom for life and joy everlasting. Amen.

Follow in his footsteps‏

Read Mark 3:

What are the things that Jesus is doing and how are people responding to his ministry?

Jesus heals the crippled hand of a man on the Sabbath and the Pharisees vow to have him killed.

People from all over Israel came to hear Jesus preach and he healed sick people and cast out demons. The crowds were so enthusiastic he had to preach from a boat off from shore.

Jesus took twelve men and gave some symbolic names, like Peter “the rock” and selected these men to follow him.

Jesus went back home and again large crowds gathered to hear him. So the leaders of the Jews spread rumors that he was using the power of the devil to cast out demons. Jesus answered that if Satan was doing that he was sealing his own doom.

Jesus Mother and brothers came to see him. Some messengers told him that they were outside.  Jesus told them his real family was composed of those who obeyed God.

What impression do you get about Jesus from this chapter?

Jesus is set on doing God’s will in spite of what people thought about him. He had compassion on poor, sick people but he was not trying to win any popularity contests, but most people knew that he was the man who could help them. That made the religious leaders jealous and made them determined to get rid of him.

What does that say about how I practice my faith?

I should be focused on what God wants me to do and not on what others may think. If God is asking you to do something that people may not understand or appreciate I should not hesitate to do it on their account. Some call this a “holy boldness.” We are not doing things to intentionally upset people but we are not dominated by people’s opinions.

Lord, keep us on the path that leads to life. Help us not to wander into what is harmful or useless but always what is pleasing to the father. 

Amen.

Trail blazing with Jesus‏

Read Mark 2:1-28

Jesus said,”

Those who are well have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

As you read chapter two of Mark you see Jesus is reaching out beyond normal religious practice to bring in lost sinners. He heals the paralytic and is criticized for saying he forgives their sins. Jesus calls a hated tax collector, Levi, to join his ministry. He even eats with the sinful friends of Levi. He compares his ministry to “new wine.” The old conventional ways want hold this life-giving wine of the Holy Spirit. Jesus encourages his followers to find new ways to bring sinners to repentance and forgiveness.

We pray for those who have thought outside of the box to bring the Gospel to our community, including the Salvation Army, the Mission, Street Angels, and Angel Care Ministry.

Amen. 

Receive and go for a touchdown‏

Mark 1:  ²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

 ³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

The locus of the Gospel is to reach out to people in need- not to keep all you can for yourself. Rather than doing a miracle and then setting up a “headquarters”, Jesus moves on to the next town. Peter’s mother-in-law probably deserved a rest, but as soon as she was healed she got up to serve Jesus and his disciples. God was always giving to his people so that they could reach out to others. It is the same with his Church today.

Some people think that our mission should be to keep as much as we can, but God blesses us we serve others. 

This is “Souper Sunday”, another opportunity to remember why God brought us here. Out of our abundance we can share a can of soup and a dollar to help women, men and children.

 I have an assignment for you: read a chapter a day from the Gospel of Mark. See what Jesus is doing. Is he setting up an earthly kingdom to benefit his own people? Or is he sharing the healings and miracles for the benefit to people who often felt unworthy? Let me know what discover? 

We also pray for that other “Super Bowl” that the Father will shed his light upon all those watching the game and reveal the way of Christ to them.

Amen.

In the family‏

Remember to bring a can of soup and a dollar for “Souper Sunday” this Sunday.

5.    Through the Spirit we have received a spirit of adoption as children, which leads us into intimacy with the Father, instead of a relationship instead of a relationship based on fear and slavery. The Spirit bears witness to us that we are his children. (Romans 8:15-16)

Linda’s family had invited a child who lived at a nearby orphanage to attend family celebrations like Thanksgiving and Christmas with their family. After some time he started leaving notes around the house begging for the family to adopt him. What a wonderful thing God has done by giving us the family where loving parents raise their children. What sadness to be cut out of that loving relationship.

The Spirit does just the opposite: he takes children of this world who have been cut apart from the family of God by our sin and adopts them into the Family of God. We have no natural right into this family. Sonship can only be given as a gift to undeserving recipients. We have more than a formal relationship. We have intimacy with the Father. By the Spirit we can cry, Abba, Father.” That is “Daddy, my Daddy!”Having the Spirit is having that loving relationship with the Father.  

We pray for Kevin, Tom, and those who are looking for a home. Amen.