Day Three - January 9, 2013
Mark Chapter 3
(You can go to biblegateway.com if you want to read it online)
What struck me in this chapter?
There's a couple of things, but the biggest one is how when Jesus cast out a demon, it is the demon who identifies who Jesus is, shreking: "You are the Son of God." In fact that demon is the only being who seems to get that in this chapter.
... The others around Him don't seem to understand it. The Pharisees are lying in wait - using a man with a shriveled hand as bait. They're ready to confirm their initial assessment that Jesus is someone to be feared (and removed). Later in this chapter they'll accuse him of being in league with Satan (Beelzebub).
His own family have questions about His mental state. They are fearful that all this attention and the crowds are crushing in on Him and He needs His family to come in and rescue (save) Him.
Speaking of the crowds, they all want a piece of the miracle worker and so want what they want.
But the demon knew His identity. That confession that Jesus is the Son of God (go back to Mark 1:1) is not a confession of faith but fact. All of Satan's demonic powers cannot stand up against this Him. He speaks and they must obey.
So in a world in which there is so much darkness, do I willingly confess Jesus as the Son of God and live my life according to that confession? The honest answer is ... "Not all the time." But I want to live out that confession. I want to be one who lives in thankfulness for the healing and sanity He's brought into my life. I want to be one of the sent ones who spreads His love in this world. I want to be among His brothers who in response to that forgiveness and mercy, now lives in His Father's will. And that's why I pray:
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven ...
Mark Chapter 3
(You can go to biblegateway.com if you want to read it online)
What struck me in this chapter?
There's a couple of things, but the biggest one is how when Jesus cast out a demon, it is the demon who identifies who Jesus is, shreking: "You are the Son of God." In fact that demon is the only being who seems to get that in this chapter.
... The others around Him don't seem to understand it. The Pharisees are lying in wait - using a man with a shriveled hand as bait. They're ready to confirm their initial assessment that Jesus is someone to be feared (and removed). Later in this chapter they'll accuse him of being in league with Satan (Beelzebub).
His own family have questions about His mental state. They are fearful that all this attention and the crowds are crushing in on Him and He needs His family to come in and rescue (save) Him.
Speaking of the crowds, they all want a piece of the miracle worker and so want what they want.
But the demon knew His identity. That confession that Jesus is the Son of God (go back to Mark 1:1) is not a confession of faith but fact. All of Satan's demonic powers cannot stand up against this Him. He speaks and they must obey.
So in a world in which there is so much darkness, do I willingly confess Jesus as the Son of God and live my life according to that confession? The honest answer is ... "Not all the time." But I want to live out that confession. I want to be one who lives in thankfulness for the healing and sanity He's brought into my life. I want to be one of the sent ones who spreads His love in this world. I want to be among His brothers who in response to that forgiveness and mercy, now lives in His Father's will. And that's why I pray:
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven ...
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