In the 1960′s it was popular to “question authority”. Every perceived authority – in some people’s minds – had become subject to scrutiny. They may have said, “by what authority does a city prohibit protest?” Women may have asked, “by what authority must my skirt be a certain length?” Men may have asked, “by what authority must my hair be short?” Soon it was, “by what authority must I follow any law?” Read more »
Two weeks ago we pondered a curious incident recorded in Mark 11:12-14Mark 11:12-14
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12 The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry.
13 Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.
WP-Bible plugin, when Jesus cursed a fig tree which was not bearing fruit. Today we read the conclusion, and discover the lesson Jesus had for the disciples then, and for us today. It is that, “If you have faith in God, you can tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea, and if you do not doubt, it will be done for Him.” (Mark 11:23Mark 11:23
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23 For most assuredly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says.
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WOW! Read more »
Every year observant Jews came from all lands, having been scattered over the centuries by the conquest of Gentile rulers, to perform their covenant-duty to sacrifice and remember the Passover (See Deut. 4.9 & Deut. 16:5-6Deut. 16:5-6
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5 You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you;
6 but at the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt.
WP-Bible plugin). Read more »
On the way to Jerusalem the disciples witnessed a curious incident: Jesus cursed a fig tree (Mark 11:14Mark 11:14
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14 Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.
WP-Bible plugin). On the surface, this seems to be out of character for Jesus. Read more »
Imagine for a moment, the stereotypical young father-to-be attempting to assemble the new crib. Certain how easy it will be, he tosses the instructions aside and begins connecting the pieces. His expectant wife looks on with growing concern for her baby’s safety. As she observes his growing frustration, she tactfully asks, “Maybe we should see what the instructions say.” Read more »
Bartimaeus was blind and a beggar in Jericho. He had little hope at a time when blindness was considered a punishment – either for his own sin or for the sin of his parents (John 9:2John 9:2
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2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
WP-Bible plugin). It may have been true (Deut. 5:9Deut. 5:9
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9 you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, Yahweh, your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me;
WP-Bible plugin), or may have been superstition based on a poor interpretation by the Pharisees and teachers of Moses’ law. Read more »
We can all imagine how we might feel when our friends “call shotgun” – outwitted, taken advantage of, even indignant. You may resent those, who by means you see as unfair, obtain a place ‘above’ you – in social standing, in wealth, in authority. But such thinking reflects only our own ambition, our own desire for recognition, and our own thirst for power over others. Read more »
When I was a kid, before I had a driver’s license, I would compete with my friends to be first to call shotgun – to get to sit in front – with whoever was giving us a ride that day. No one wanted to sit in the back seat – that’s where the ‘kids’ sat. Maybe you did the same kinds of things when you were young. Read more »
The time was approaching for Jesus to experience the suffering necessary to redeem humanity from sin. Only One could fulfill this purpose – One without sin; One sent by God from eternity past to eternity future. Jesus knew what was to come and He prepared those who would be His first messengers by warning them of a future they could not yet possibly comprehend.
Jesus not only knew what would happen to Himself, He knew what would happen to each of them. What would happen to Jesus would change their lives forever – but they weren’t able to understand it – yet.
Would you like to know your future? Could you bear it? If your life purpose – your mission – was set before you, would that make life any easier? Could you then prepare for it? If you didn’t like it, would you attempt to change it?
Jesus knew His future and He knew the consequences of failure: humanity lost in sin for all eternity. So He led the death march to Jerusalem where He would be betrayed to those who unjustly sought to kill Him; where he would be condemned to death by a mock trial which violated all standards of justice at that time; He would be mocked and spit upon and flogged by the foreign rulers of His own people in a traitorous act of collusion. This would all culminate in His humiliating death on a cross, pierced and hanging naked above his mother and a few remaining faithful followers – the rest having left Him.
No matter what our own future holds, of one thing we must be assured: that it’s not the end. Jesus knew that it was not the end. “Three days later He will rise.” (Mark 10:34Mark 10:34
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34 They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”
WP-Bible plugin). We don’t know if our next drive to the grocery store, or the next time we turn out the lights to go to bed, will be our own death march. But because Jesus has completed His, it is entirely possible for you to know your own future.
Do you believe Jesus came from God, suffered these things and rose on the third day? Do you believe He was the only One who could fulfill this purpose? Do you hunger to know your Redeemer more intimately?
Then you know your future.
A quick review of the past two weeks:
- 9/9/2009 – Mark 10:17-22Mark 10:17-22
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17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one— God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.” 21 Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.” 22 But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.
WP-Bible plugin – Jesus teaches a very different love than most people practice today - 9/16/2009 – Mark 10:23-27Mark 10:23-27
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23 Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through a or, the needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” 26 They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”
WP-Bible plugin – We can’t earn our way into heaven – it is free to those who love Jesus
Now we find Peter asking for assurance that he and his fellow disciples “qualified”. “We have left everything to follow you!”, he pleads. (Mark 10:28Mark 10:28
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28 Peter began to tell him, “Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.”
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