Day Four – January 10, 2013

Mark Chapter Four

What stuck out in this chapter?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered about the parable that leads off this chapter.  I’ve often wondered what it would have been like to have heard Jesus tell the story of the sower for the very first time.  Even with His explanation, there are times when I think I’ve got it, and other times, when I can’t help but wonder if I’m missing the point.

I will think in terms of people I’ve encountered.  There are some who seem like that seed falling on a beat down path.  Life has turned soil into something hard and impervious.  They seem closed off to God’s Word and the life that God has for them. 

I’ll think of folks who were enthusiastic at first.  Something takes place in their life and suddenly their faith springs to life.  For some they were raised in the church, but they have this new found passion in their spiritual lives.  But it seems short lived.  Old friends and old ways come calling and turn up the heat and you almost see that faith shrinking – and I’ve stood there doing everything I could to call them back, but at times to no avail.

For others that seed seems to be taking root and I am excited to see where God will lead them.  But then the stuff of life starts taking more of their time, their energy and their attention.  They are consumed by the thorns all around them and there’s times I can hear their choked voices in mid-conversation.

And finally I’ve been overjoyed to see people for whom the seed takes root and does absolutely incredible things.  Having seen them in person it makes perfect sense for Jesus to be speaking in terms of the abundant harvest that their lives become in response to God’s Word.

But just when I’m sure that’s what Jesus is talking about, I find myself asking … so who am I in this parable.  Is my heart always that good soil that produces abundant fruit?  Or are there areas in my life that seem hardened to God’s Word because I’m deep down afraid it will call for instruments to come in and break up that hardness and return it to receptive soil?  Am I so arrogant to think that the heat of the sun makes no impact or that the thorns of worry never choke God’s Word within me? 

So is this parable about the others who respond to God’s Word or is it about the soil within our own hearts and lives?  And is the answer: “Yes!”?

In either case, God is certainly generous with His Word – casting it in every direction – desiring to see it take root and produce a harvest of life.  I think that’s yet another take away for us as well.  If we follow the generosity of this Sower, we’ll faithfully cast that Word near and far – leaving it up to God to see where it takes root.

What do you think?

Mark 3 January 9, 2013

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 ...

Day Two - January 8, 2013
Mark Chapter Two

As I read through this second chapter of Mark, I am struck by all the questions Jesus must face.  He simply doesn't meet the expectations of the religious elite of His day.  Just listen to these:

You want to forgive sins ... Who do you think you are?
You're eating with "sinners" - Why don't you hang out with the right people? 
Your disciples don't fast like John's disciples do ... Why don't you act religious enough?
Your disciples don't follow all the Sabbath regulations ... Why don't you comply with our rules?

I chuckle about the arrogance of the Pharisees questioning everything about Jesus - not at all realizing who they're actually talking to at the moment.  It's such a large dose of irony. 

It's the armchair quarterback telling Peyton Manning how to play the game - magnified by a million. 

But like every other chapter, the mirror of God's Word doesn't take long to show me that I can be the armchair quarterback.  It makes me ask ... What "religion" or "rules" do I create that I expect Jesus to conform to?  In the days of the Pharisees, Jesus had to confront their judgmental and unforgiving spirits?  Do I have that "inner" Pharisee in me that wants to lay the hammer down on some - while all along excusing my own "mistakes."  Or in our day when political correctness has it's own remake of elitism, do I line up and repeat the creed of being "nice" and never challenging anyone over anything? 

In either case, I fear that I have no reason to chuckle over the arrogance of the Pharisees until I learn to laugh at how quickly I can put their sandals on my own feet - sandals that sadly feel like a perfect fit.
Maybe it is MY sins that need to be forgiven, my attitudes that need to be reshaped, and my religious rules that need to be challenged. 

The Good News - Jesus is One who can do all of the above.

What do you think?

Day One - January 7th
Mark Chapter One

Note: Just a quick reminder that very strong tradition tells us that Mark (known as John Mark in the Bible) wrote this Gospel while in Rome under the influence of the apostle Peter.  The uniqueness of Mark's Gospel is in the "action" orientation of these sixteen chapters.  It is the briefest of the Gospels and tends to move from event to event rather quickly - focusing more on the things that Jesus did than what Jesus taught (which the other three Gospel writers did in greater detail). 


What struck me from today's reading?

For me it was the two words that both fascinate me and scare me.  What are those two words?  "Follow me."  Jesus spoke those words to Peter and Andrew, as well as James and John.  And we are told that "immediately" they left their boats and followed Jesus. 

I remember this Bible story from my Sunday School days (which is pretty amazing since most days, I can barely remember what I did the day before, and what I'm suppose to accomplish today).  But I remember the flannel-graph (which was definitely not high tech but I thought is was fun) as the flannel Jesus came up to the flannel Peter or John and their flannel boat and spoke those words.  And "immediately" they were ready and willing to go wherever Jesus would lead them.

And then there's me - a grown up version of that Sunday School kid from the east side of Detroit who is still fascinated by those two words, but truthfully wonders how many days I'm ready to "immediately" get up and follow Him.  I suspect there are many more days in my life that I call out to Jesus with those same words: "Follow me."  I've already set my agenda.  I've already finished by to-do list for the day.  I've already hit the ground running and I'm calling back over my shoulder ... "Jesus, come on and follow me.  I may need you." 

So honestly, that's not how I want to live.  I know where my life ends up when I'm trying to call the shots and asking Jesus to bless them.  I end up in a stressed out mess of my own making.  So I"m thankful to begin this NT 5.1 journey with these words jumping out at me.  "Follow me," Jesus says, and my prayer this morning is that I will do more than simply listen to those words.  I'll act up them.  I want to see where He'll take me.

So what do you think?  What words jump out at you?  Feel free to comment below.

First Week of the NT 5.1 Reading Plan. 

It all begins on Monday, January 7th, but I'm printing out the schedule for all of January.  Instead of reading from Matthew straight through to Revelation, I've opted for a slightly different reading plan.  I prefer to spread out the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) to four different times throughout the year, rather than four all at once.  Then I am linking books after each of the Gospels that have a connection to that particular Gospel writer.

I chose to begin with year with Mark because most believe that this Gospel was written earlier than any of the others.  John Mark was not one of the twelve, but he had a deep connection with Peter, and hence that is why we'll go to First and Second Peter right after we complete Mark's Gospel. 

So here's the reading schedule for January ...

January 7^th       Mark 1

 8^th       Mark 2

 9^th       Mark 3

10^th      Mark 4

11^th      Mark 5

14^th      Mark 6

15^th      Mark 7

16^th      Mark 8

17^th      Mark 9

18^th      Mark 10

21^st      Mark 11

22^nd      Mark 12

23^rd      Mark 13

24^th      Mark 14

25^th      Mark 15

28^th      Mark 16

29^th      I Peter 1

30^th      I Peter 2

31^st      I Peter 3

Feb.     1^st       I Peter 4

Welcome to N.T. 5.1

N.T. 5.1 is a plan to read through the whole New Testament during 2013.  5.1 stands for reading l chapter each day, five days a week.  I'm inviting you to join with me in this endeavour.  Each day I'm committing to reading it early so I can post some devotional thoughts - nothing long - although I can't promise I'll never have a few more words to say than other times.  But just as important, I'd love to hear your own thoughts, such as a particular verse in that chapter that really impacts your life or really gets you thinking.  I'm really excited that I not only have friends from Royal Redeemer who are committing to do this together, but friends from all over my past travels and ministries.  I think this will be a great experience and just like on Facebook, I love it when I see my friends who are encouraging other friends - even though they've never met in person. 

Each day I'll post the where the reading of the day is found, and in the next post later today or tomorrow, I'll post the reading schedule for the year as well.

God's Word is life changing so thanks for being on this journey with me.