Mark 9

Today's reading covers a lot of ground.  I think I've heard a hundred sermons out of this one chapter.  The transfiguration alone is crazy.  Then the reaction by the disciples is something to talk about.  The demon possessed boy, and how that could translate to today. But here's the verse that caught my attention

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

I can COMPLETELY relate with this father.  He believes!  But, in the back of his mind he feels weak, and knows that Jesus can read his doubt and disbelief way down deep.  No matter how hard he tries to push it down.  It still pops up.  

I feel that frustration.  I know Jesus is real and that he is who he said it is....but sometimes I struggle with doubt.  Where does that come from?  I hate it.  I want to push it down, just like this father.  It makes me feel really weak.  I suppose in that feeling of weakness is my own realization that I can't do it myself and a recognition that I need Jesus to bridge that gap for me.

tp

Mark 8

29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

This feels familiar, me picking this verse.  I may have done it last time through.  This one hits me every time I read it.  This is the question that Jesus is asking all of us.  Our answer is the most important response we will ever give.  Then acting on how we respond.....

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Do you feel like you are "bearing a cross" for Christ?  I'm not sure I do.  I feel really blessed and very lucky in this life.  This is one to ponder.  It's not a quick thing to think about.  How am I sacrificing for Jesus and for my faith?....

hmmm
tp

Mark 7

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16] [k]I

This really resonated with me today.  We get so caught up in our own vision of what is good and bad, and how bad you are compared to me....we lose sight of what God is looking at. 

If there is 1 thing that has stuck with me, from reading through all these chapters over the last couple of years....its the thought that I need to be constantly thinking about God's view.  Not mine.  What is his will in the situation?  What would he say here.  Its such a different mindset for me to think about.  I think you can go to church every week; be on the church board; pray every day; on the outside be doing everything according to the world view of a Christian....and completely miss it.  That really startles me.  I fall into that trap over and over.  I need to keep reminding myself what he wants.  Would he care if I get one more promotion before I retire?  Would he care if I remodel my kitchen?  OR  Does he care that I have extra on my table every night.  Does he care that I have an extra bed in my basement that nobody ever sleeps in.  Does he care that my neighbors don't know him.  What breaks his heart?  Does it break mine?
The things that seem so important to me suddenly seem so hollow.

Sorry, went off the rails for a second there....

I noticed a couple of stories today, that were also written in Matthew.  We say it over and over, but the consistency of what is written is very inspiring and validating.

tp

Mark 6

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

I read this over and over.  It seems to be going along fine.  Everyone is amazed.  Isn't this the same guy we used to know?  Isn't he from here?  Don't we know his family?  How is he doing all this unbelievable stuff?
Then it slams into crazy land!  "And they took offense at him."  WHAT?!!  That is not where I thought it was going.  How can you look at all of this stuff.......realize it's being done by someone that belongs to you.....from the same place you are....and you take offense? 

When I think about it....my reaction to the things he does for me.....is the most important decision I make.

tp

Mark 5

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 

I found a lot in this chapter.  I will hit the highlights.  This story about the demons makes me think of all the glorification in our society for the darkness.  There's the TV show called Lucifer, now there's a new one called Legion.  I haven't watched it, to be honest.  But, I can only assume its a loose reference to this passage.  It's really scary to me.  I'm not even sure how to react to it.  Should I boycott the network?  I don't know.  I hate it that the evil is being glorified.

Now to the story itself.  Can you imagine the scene.  It almost makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.  I can picture some guys getting out of a boat on the shore.  Its quiet, and there really isn't anyone around.  Then all of the sudden this crazy person comes flying out of the darkness of the caves.  When they see him, they immediately know how he is.  He is completely uncontrollable.  His clothes are nothing more than dirty, torn rags hanging off his body.  He was probably scarred up on his wrists and ankles from when he tore through the many restraints that have been put on him.  I bet he was renowned in the area.  Everyone knew he was strong, crazy, and completely dangerous.  When the men see him, they immediately run....except for Jesus.  A small smile curls the corners of this mouth.  He doesn't see the wild man....he sees his lamb needing to be rescued.  As the others run away, Jesus slowly walks toward him.  Then the unthinkable happens.  The wild man kneels down before Jesus!  What?!  Then demons respond to his every question, and beg him to let them go!  Are you kidding me?!  Holy bananas!
The things that scare us the most...to our core.....are completely afraid of the one we follow.
Think about that for a second.....

tp

Mark 4

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

This is another chapter with quick hitting action.  It pops from one story to the next.  This chapter always confuses me a little bit.  I can wrap my head around the above verse.  Those who are seeking him, and willing to hear his message....will hear it.  But, this perplexes me....

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
    and ever hearing but never understanding;?
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a]”

Could be the implied meaning within the translation.  But, it sounds to me like the real meaning is being hidden so that everyone won't hear it and be forgiven.  Isn't that what God wants?  It probably means that we need to pursue it.  We need to make it our priority.  We need to struggle to understand it.  This shows our true love for him...?  What do you think?

tp 

Mark 3

16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

I'm always surprises that I can't name all 12 of these dudes.  You would think as important as they are/were...we would be able to name them all at the drop of a hat.  But, I can't.  I can get probably 5 or 6.  Sad.
That's why this daily reading is so important to me.  To start to recall the information, and to make it part of my daily thinking

Mark 2

14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

This is a direct tie back to the last chapter.  I wonder why the author opted to highlight the calling of Matthew? 

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

I love these "drop the mic" moments.  Jesus has a way of saying things so absolutely that there's no possibility for an argument.  What could you say to that?

But having cited these two verses....my favorite part of this chapter is the remembering of us acting out the lowering of the paralyzed man down between the cardtables, covered with blankets.  "Is this thing on?"  hahahaha...awesome!

Mark 1

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 

This line is inspirational to me.  I've been working on being more disciplined in general.....I've been doing pretty well.  I've started working out at the gym.  I have a list of things to do at home that I cross off as I complete em.  This is all in a effort to be better prepared for the mission that God puts in front of me.  The one thing I'm still not doing well, is written in the verse above.  We are supposed to be following Jesus, but this one is tough.  I'm not a morning guy.  Having said that, I think it's all mental and still am trying to do it.  I pray a lot during the day.  But, I can't say I'm really "spending time" with God.  I'm in communication, but not giving myself the opportunity to listen or hear.

PS.  I saved Luke 1, and started in on Mark.  I don't know why I skipped Mark the first time.

tp

Matthew - All

Well, I said this didn't need to be a long exhaustive wrap-up.....but I have a feeling it might become that.  I read thru Matthew in my Life Application Bible, instead of reading thru the normal online version (which is what I normally do).  There is a LOT to be gleaned form it.
First thing that hit me, is that Matthew (Levi) was a Jewish tax collector.   A hated man by the Jewish people.  But, having this job means that more than likely he was a detailed person.  Someone who could keep track of lots of things, and document them.  That's probably why Jesus called him to be one of the twelve.  The second thing is that because he was Jewish, he knew all the traditions and hangups of the Jewish people.  If you look at how he organized his book, he is laying out a perfect argument for the Jews to see that Jesus was the messiah.  He started out by going thru the lineage of Jesus.  He traces it thru David, and all the way to Abraham.  This was HUGE for the Jewish people.  He also is constantly referencing back to the Old Testament....again to show them that he is fulfilling all the prophesies that they all knew.  Then he starts in on the things Jesus does.  It was amazing to me just read the sub-headings within the chapters.  Jesus heals the sick, Jesus casts out demons, Jesus has compassion on the people and feeds them (5000 people).....Jesus again heals the sick, he again casts out demons, he again feeds the masses (4000 people the second time).  Then Matthew, now that he has established who Jesus is by birth, and by proof of miracles, then starts to record the teachings. He is probably thinking, "now that I have convinced you who Jesus is, now listen to this.....it's important."  He records countless parables and lessons.  Too many, almost, to even remember.  Lastly, he wraps it up with the death of Jesus, and all of its implications.

1.  Here's who Jesus is (lineage)
2.  Here's who I am (Matthew, the calling of the 12)
3.  Here's proof due to how he acts (miracles)
4.  Here's what you need to know and remember (teachings and parables)
5.  Here's his ultimate purpose (final death and resurrection)
6.  Here's what this truth means to you (great commission)

It's really brilliant how he constructs his book.  I think that's true as I read it 2000 years later, but it must have hit really hard to the Jewish people that he was specifically speaking to.  He even calls them out specifically when talking about the empty tomb and the bribing on the guards to change their story.

The chapter moves really quickly, and as I was reading it, I was hoping for more meat to the stories.  But, I have a much better understanding of why its written the way it is, after studying Matthew as a person.  I didn't learn anything I didn't already know.....for me it's good to make connections between the truths.  It makes it even MORE compelling.

tp out
Let me know how you found this exercise.

Matthew 28

17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 


Wow, we humans are so weak.  After all the disciples had observed and been taught by Jesus, they see him face to face in his glory and even while worshiping him there are some that doubt.

If a human can go through all of that and not fully believe how weak is our faith or how strong is our skepticism?  

I know I can have my moments of weakness and all I can think is that there is so much that I don't understand but I'm not going to let that dissuade me from my faith that Jesus is who he said he was.  So while I don't understand all the stuff we read in the bible I do believe it and want to continue to take it in and build on my faith.  Its obvious it needs to be a constant journey and investment or else my weak human nature is likely to take over.


knut 

Matthew 27

 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”


Well this chapter has so much going with all of the details of Jesus crucifixion its hard to know where to start.  I have to say I totally forget about Judas killing himself, but it certainly makes sense given what he did to Jesus.  Will we see him in heaven?  No insight is given only God knows his heart.

Jesus passes on the drink of poisoned wine, some commentary says because he knew he wanted to keep a clear mind.  Makes sense but I guess its just some humans interpretation of the situation.

Many people came back from the dead upon Jesus death, I honestly don't recall that until I read it again.

So like I said there is so much to digest.

I picked the verse above because I thought it was ironic.  They are trying to make sure the disciples don't create the illusion of Jesus rising from the dead by stealing the body.  Instead they help document the fact that he rises, because now people know there was a guard in place and yet Jesus does rise and his body is no longer in the tomb and it was guarded so people know it is not a fake.

well played...just like the entire bible.  everything ties together.
knut

Matthew 27

Again, there's a ton of stuff in this chapter.  I was caught by a small, obscure verse.

39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

What's strikes me here is the words that are used, and what it depicts.  I have always pictured the crucifixion as a huge event.  And in terms of human history,.....it was.  But, after reading this verse.  I don't think it was like that in the moment.  It says, "...those who passed by hurled insults."  So, here we have the Son of God hanging on a cross.  Slowly dying.  Being tortured.  And people are strolling by, going on with their daily tasks.  Only pausing for a moment to find out who is being crucified today, and then hurling some poison in his direction.  That's crazy to me!
In my daily life....I think I do the same thing.  I heard a sermon one time that kept using the phrase, "look up.  Get your head up.  Keep your eyes fixed on the lamb of God."  I think it applies here.  Get your head our of your iphone, or ipad, or tv, or whatever.  Look up!  See Jesus.  See what he is doing.  If we don't look up and recognize the situation.....we could completely dismiss it as unimportant.  Just like the people walking passed the cross.