Week 11, Day 3: Will They Remember?
Today’s Reading: 1 Peter 1:1-2:25
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
One thought that often comes to my mind as I read the accounts of the crucifixion of Christ, such as is found in Mark 15, is the question: At the judgment, will these people remember their role in the crucifixion of Christ? Will it be brought to their attention? Will they be reminded that their judgment is based on those actions? And, the answer is yes. They will be reminded of these sins (if they did not repent) because that is the very reason that God will condemn. He will declare, based on their actions, that these people can not enter into the eternal reward.
That is a scary thought, because it is not true just about those who crucified the Son of God. It is true for every single person who has sinned (which is all of us, Romans 3:23) and refused to repent. If I choose not to turn away from sin in this life, I will have to face it again when I come to the judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). I cannot escape the judgment to come. What I must do is make sure that I take care of my sins while I can still do something about it!
We have the opportunity now to make sure that we turn away from sin, so that we don’t have to worry about it when we come to judgment. We will not have to have our sin replayed for us, like so many in the world around us. Even if our sin is not so severe as those who crucified the Son of God, it will be severe enough to condemn us.
The encouraging side of this thought is that even those who did crucify the Messiah could have their sins forgiven! Can you imagine a God so forgiving that He can forgive even that atrocity? Our God is able to do that! And, if He can forgive those sinners, we can have confidence in the fact that He can (and will) forgive us as well!
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Week 11, Day 2: The Little Things
Today’s Reading: Mark 15:1-16:20
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Have you ever thought that the little things that you may do are insignificant? Do you think that some of the things you do in service to God go overlooked? I know that I have talked with people before who seem to have these thoughts. They think that their service is considered “less” in some way because they don’t do some of the more prominent and noticeable jobs in the Lord’s church. But, that simply is not the case. Sometimes it is the “little things” that mean the most!
Consider a verse from our context. In Mark 14:3-9, we can read the account of a woman who brought a very costly perfume and anointed the head of Jesus. The people who were there complained, saying that it was wasteful and that the perfume should have been sold and given to the poor. Jesus rebuked them, and told them that this woman had done a good deed. She had anointed His body for the grave (even thought they didn’t realize that the time was quickly coming when Jesus would be killed). But, the verse that stood out the most to me was Mark 14:9. Jesus said that this woman’s deeds would be spoken of where ever the gospel was preached! This was not a big thing (though it was expensive for her). It was a small act. And yet that small act would be a part of the teaching of the gospel from that day forward. We are indeed still speaking of her in the proclamation of the gospel today! This event is so important that it is included in each of the gospel accounts!
This should make us pause and think about our actions in life. The little things that we do, that may seem insignificant to us, may be things that are very important to others. More importantly, they may be very important to God. After all, if we were deciding what accounts were to go into the Bible, would we have chosen this story to appear four times? Probably not. But, to God, it was an important account, and the reputation of this woman lives on through the record of her actions.
But, we should also consider that wicked small things could also have a big impact. It is not just the righteous things that we do that can have a great impact, but the unrighteous as well. We should never dismiss sin in our lives as being “insignificant”, as we will never know just how much impact it might have. Even those “little things” that we think don’t affect anyone else can have a tremendous impact down the road.
So, let us make sure that we don’t leave the “little things” undone that need to be done. And let us avoid those “little things” that often tempt us to sin.
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Week 11, Day 1: The Unanswerable Question
Today’s Reading: Mark 13:1-14:72
Some thoughts from Friday’s reading…
In Mark 12:18-27, we have an account of some of the Sadducees who came to Jesus to question Him. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, and decided that they would prove their position by asking a question that Jesus could not answer. After all, if they could stump the Master Teacher, then they must be right! So they developed a scenario that they thought was unanswerable. A man had a wife, and then died. She had no children, so she was to become the second brother’s wife. This continued through 7 brothers, without the woman ever having a child. Their question was: In the resurrection, whose wife would she be? They thought this proved there was no resurrection, because she would have 7 husbands in the resurrection, and that would be unlawful!
Jesus, of course, was able to answer their question. They did not understand the scriptures. They did not understand the power of God. He showed in Mark 12:26-27 that God is the God of the living, not the dead. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were spoken of as being alive, even though they had died hundreds of years earlier! They still existed! If these Sadducees had known the scriptures better, they would have understood this principle.
How often is the same pattern followed today? Many times, when a controversial subject is discussed, one side or the other decides that they can prove their point by asking some “unanswerable question.” They believe if they can just stump the other side with a “trick question” then they must be right! But, that is not the case any more today than it was in Jesus’ day. Let me give you a modern example of this type of thinking. How often have you heard someone argue against the necessity of baptism based on a question such as: “What about the person who is on their way to be baptized, and has a car wreck in which they are killed? Are they still going to be lost?” Such a person is convinced that they have asked an unanswerable question. They believe it proves that baptism is truly not necessary for salvation. In reality, God is saying, “You do not understand the scriptures or the power of God.” You see, this question has absolutely nothing to do with what the scriptures teach. We can only teach what has been revealed to us. I am not the judge who determines the fate of the person in the hypothetical situation given above. But, I certainly can not base my teaching on my suppositions about what God will choose to do in such a situation. I certainly cannot change the plain teaching of scripture, and teach that baptism is not necessary when God so plainly says that it is (1 Peter 3:21).
Many in the Lord’s church take the same approach when discussing what have become “controversial subjects.” Instead of looking at the scriptures carefully, and trying to study together to come to agreement, many just try to come up with what they perceive to be an “unanswerable question.” They believe that if they can just come up with that one question that can’t be answered (at least to their satisfaction) then they have won the argument. But, we shouldn’t be looking to just “win the argument,” but rather trying to find the truth. So, lets make sure we understand the scriptures and the power of God, instead of just trying to defeat others in some debate!
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Week 10, Day 5: One Thing…
Today’s Reading: Mark 11:1-12:44
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
In the movie “City Slickers”, Billy Crystal is told by Jack Palance that he had to seek out the “one thing”, which was different for every one. It was, if I recall, something to do with the meaning of life for each person, or that which was most important to him. Jesus’ interaction with the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10 reminds me of that scene. Jesus was not telling this man to look for the meaning of life, but He did tell him to look for the one thing that was keeping him from being faithful to God (Mark 10:21). In his case, the Rich Young Ruler was letting worldly wealth stand in his way. He was not willing to give up his riches to be faithful.
There may be only one thing that keeps us from being faithful to God. It may not be money or possessions (though it very well may be). Our problem may be that we are unwilling to give up filthy communication, or lasciviousness, or some other sin. We may not be willing to make the kind of commitment that God demands of us. We may be unwilling to work in the Kingdom the way that we are supposed to. There are any number of things that can keep us from being faithful. The bottom line is that we must be willing to give up every last thing that keeps us from faithful service.
Being a Christian is not an easy task. But, often we do so well at getting sin put out of our lives right down to a certain point–the point at which we only have one or two things left. Typically these are the things that are the most ingrained in our lives, the things that are hardest to let go. If we are truly committed to Christ, then we should be willing to give up whatever is in the way of our service. If you have “one thing” that you lack, do what is necessary to fix it today!
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Week 10, Day 4: Sins of the Heart
Today’s Reading: Mark 9:1-10:52
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
How often do we think that we “act without thinking”? We often blame our sin on this type of impulsive action. But, the fact of the matter is that we cannot act without thinking. Our sin starts in our heart, and proceeds to actions. That is the point of what we see Jesus making in Mark 7:14-23.
The Jews had come to Jesus complaining that His disciples did not wash their hands before eating. They believed that the person would be corrupted because of this, even though it was not a part of the Law, but rather a part of the traditions of their fathers. Jesus’ teaching shows that it is not what goes into a man through his mouth that corrupts him, but rather what comes out of him. As He is completing this section, Jesus makes the point that our sins originate in our hearts, and then come forth as actions.
This is the source of all of our sins. Nothing just happens. We have to think about it before we can ever put sin into practice. Notice the examples that Jesus cites: evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness. Every one of these things starts in the heart first. Those who commit adultery or fornication do not do so without first thinking about entering the bed of one they have no right to. Those who commit murder can not do so without first thinking about taking the life of another person. Those who steal must first think about what they will steal and how they will steal it. Surely we can see how each of Jesus’ examples of sin starts in the heart.
So, what is the solution? To guard our hearts against these and all sins. We need to do our very best to keep sin out of our mind. We should fill our minds and hearts with good works. If we commit ourselves to righteousness, we will guard ourselves against unrighteousness. This should remind us of what Paul wrote to the Galatians:
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
–Galatians 5:16-26
If we focus on the “fruit of the Sprit”, we will help ourselves to avoid the sins that are “works of the flesh.” This is the manner of life that we choose to live. This is the path that we walk. That does not mean that we will never stumble, but it should define who we are. If we continue in sin, we are not walking “in the Spirit”, bur thater according to the “lust of the flesh.”
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Week 10, Day 3: Shaking the Dust Off
Today’s Reading: Mark 7:1-8:38
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
In Mark 6, Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the message that He had been teaching them. In the process of giving His instructions, Jesus told the disciples that they were to leave any place that did not listen to them, and as they went out, they were to shake the dust off of their feet. This was to serve as a testimony against those who were rejecting the message (Mark 6:11).
Today, we also have to make a decision about when a person, or a group, have rejected the message of Christ. The time comes that we must decide to shake the dust from our feet, and move on to another, more receptive audience. But, the question that is more difficult to answer is: When do we do this? At what point do we decide that a person or a group is unworthy of further time or effort in teaching the gospel message? I am sure that I do not have all of the answers to that question, but certainly, I can offer some thoughts.
First, a person declares themselves to be unworthy of the gospel when they mock the message of Christ. There are some who simply refuse to listen long enough to decide whether there is any merit to the message that is being delivered. I can call to mind at least two instances in which a person declared themselves unworthy of the message by their mocking reception. In one case, I remember a man taking a flyer, tearing it up and throwing it down on his yard, and then instructing the person who delivered it to pick it up. Of course, that person did just as she was asked, and then left. This man decided for himself that he was unworthy of the gospel message. The second case I remember was a man who actually tracked us down, and fussed at us for leaving a meeting invitation on his front door. He did not want our “propaganda” and he was going to make sure we knew it. He didn’t read the pamphlet, he only looked and saw that it had something to do with religion. He decided that he didn’t want anything to do with God! He too decided for himself that he was unworthy of the gospel message!
Secondly, a person who has heard the message and rejected it declares themselves to be unworthy of the gospel. There is only one gospel message, and if a person is unwilling to accept it when they have heard it, there is nothing more we can do for them. I have studied with many people who would be very happy to continue studying “religious” topics with me, but they want nothing to do with the saving power of the gospel message. They want to reject the basic commands of God, but think they are OK because they are “religious.” This reminds me of the people that Paul warned Titus about in Titus 1:6. They had profess to know God, and then are disobedient to what He has revealed in His word! We could continue studying with a person like this, but what good is it to come to agreement on “religious” or “moral” principles, if a person will not put on Christ? When a person rejects the message of Christ, he has declared himself to be unworthy of the gospel.
It is a hard thing to give up on a person, especially if you have invested a lot of time and effort into teaching them. However, we have to look forward, and realize that there are hundreds and thousands of contacts out there waiting for us to come and talk to them! When we realize that our teaching is being rejected, we must move on to someone who is “worthy of the gospel”, which will be shown by their acceptance of the pure gospel message. Also, keep in mind that we have the job of spreading the seed (Mark 4:3-9) and it is God who gives the increase! (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) When the time comes, we must make that difficult decision to “shake the dust off” and find another person to share the gospel with!
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Week 10, Day 2: Who is My Brother?
Today’s Reading: Mark 5:1-6:56
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Which is more important to you: Physical relationships or spiritual relationships? Many people put much more emphasis on their physical families and relationships than they do their spiritual family. For those who are truly Christians, this should never be the case. In fact, in Mark 3:32-35, Jesus gives us the perfect example of what our attitudes should be. There, disciples came to Him telling Him that His brothers and mother were coming to see Him. He asked the question, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”
How many mothers and brothers would have been insulted by Jesus’ answer? How many would have been offended that He would put these near strangers above His own physical family? Probably a lot! But this is one of those instances that the interpretation is all in your perspective. If a person were focused on the physical, the temporal, then they would certainly be offended by what Jesus had to say here. This is the type of person who will support their own family, regardless of what is right. How many of us have seen people who will support their family members, even if they are obviously wrong, or participating in sin? However, if one has an heavenly perspective, Jesus’ answer was not an insult. In fact, it was a revelation of how great a family we can have! Those who serve God can have far greater relationships (in both depth and number) than those who put their focus on the physical. Later in his gospel, Mark tells us that we have a huge family in Christ:
So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
–Mark 10:29-31
By putting more emphasis on our spiritual family, we ensure that we will hold our physical family to the higher standard revealed in God’s word. We may be tempted to give our own physical family a “pass” when it comes to sin. But, when we think of them as not just physical family, but also spiritual family, we cannot allow such. If we care for the soul of our family member, how can we overlook their sin? We cannot choose to support our physical relations to the detriment of the Lord’s instructions!
We often use passages like this to say that we sometimes have to give up our family if we are going to be faithful Christians. That is true, but there are other lessons that we can also learn. We should learn that our physical family (if they are Christians as well) share a deeper, more important relationship than ever before. With that comes a greater responsibility. If we are going to look out for them, we must be willing to hold them to the standard revealed to us by God! We need to follow the example left by Jesus. Who is my brother, my mother? Whoever does the will of God! But that is only true if I too am doing the will of God!
So, which is more important to you: Physical family, or spiritual family? I hope that your answer is the latter. If you want to be helpful to your physical family, push them to be obedient to God, and give up sin in their lives!
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Week 10, Day 1: Physical and Spiritual Healing
Today’s Reading: Mark 3:1-4:41
Some thoughts from Friday’s reading…
Often, it seems, many people are consumed by the miracles of Jesus. While the miracles performed by Jesus certainly had an important role (John 20:30-31), they were not the most important thing that He brought. Instead of focusing on only the physical healings that Jesus performed, we should also realize that He possessed the power to heal spiritually. In Mark chapter 2, we see Jesus addressing both of these types of healing.
A paralytic was brought to Jesus, and let down through the roof because the room was too full for his friends to bring him in through the door. Jesus, upon seeing the faith of this man, said (Mark 2:5): “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” This angered the Jews that witnessed it because they knew that Jesus was claiming to be deity, for only deity could forgive sins! Because of this, they began to accuse Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus, to show that He indeed had the power to forgive, went on to physically heal this paralytic.
Which of these “healings” was more important to Jesus? I would suggest that it was the spiritual healing. Upon seeing this man’s faith, the first thing that Jesus did was to heal his spiritual sickness (his sin). This was what kept the man from having the proper relationship with God. Not being able to walk would not affect whether he was saved or not! Jesus only went on to heal this man physically so that He could show the Jews that He really did have the power to forgive sins. Why would the physical miracle prove Jesus’ power to forgive sins? One of the main purposes of miracles was to confirm a message that was presented (Hebrews 2:4). God gave the apostles the power to work miracles so that their message would be received as true. Jesus, by performing the physical healing was confirming that He had indeed forgiven the sins of this man. If the message was false, God would not work miracles of confirmation!
Many look back on these miracles and wish for them to be present today. They bemoan the fact that the miraculous age has passed, and wish (perhaps like Simon the sorcerer) for the power to perform such miracles today. But, we should consider that God has left us with the more important healing. He left us with the ability to have our sins forgiven. Jesus does not simply speak them forgiven as He did with this paralytic, but He has provided us with His plan of salvation, so that every single person has the ability to receive the same blessing as did this man.
I wonder how many people who witnessed these two acts by Jesus missed the importance of the first? The Jews were angered because they understood the claim that Jesus was making. However, did they ever come to realize that the time of forgiveness of sins had come to them? This was the very time that the prophets of old had spoken about, and the time that both men and angels had desired to see (1 Peter 1:10-12). At the same time, I wonder how many people today miss the significance of what Jesus has made available to us. How many people desire the power to work miracles, but miss the importance of the fact that Jesus has given us the way to have our sins forgiven? We need to make sure that we keep focus on the truly important things! We have been given the greatest of spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). Let us not waste them!
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