11.26.08, Mark 5:1-19

The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!”

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

“Waste Of My Time”

(The description is long, but worth it!)

This passage makes more sense when you look at what preceded it.  In previous chapters, we see that large crowds are following Jesus because of his teachings and miracles, and chapter 4 is an account of the teachings he provided this large crowd.  Now, I imagine that this was quite fulfilling time for Jesus – having all these people following him, learning about the kingdom – seems like a blessed and effective use of his time, doesn’t it?

But then he abruptly tells the disciples at the end of chapter 4, let’s go over to the other side.  I’m sure his disciples must have been confused, because after all, they are doing such great ministry here with all these thousands of people!  They must have been curious as to why Jesus would want to do this…maybe to meet more people, minister to tens of thousands!  And to boot, they cross during a huge storm, risking their own lives!

And the purpose is revealed here in this passage: they left those thousands of followers behind to meet this completely solitary, self-mutilating, demon possessed man.  Immediately, I think to myself that this is a waste of Jesus’ time, ministering to this ONE man who is a total lost cause.  But Jesus does not turn back, but frees this man from demonic possession, and tells him to testify to God’s power.

And here’s where it gets interesting – the man then goes to the Decapolis, the intersecting point of 10 major cities, and tells everyone his incredible story.  If we say there were 10,000 people in each of those cities, that would mean that he could tell 100,000 people of Jesus’ compassion and power, far more than the crowds that followed Christ on the other side of the sea.  What seemed like a waste of time was in fact, an investment of time.  What can we take away from this?

- Jesus focuses on individuals: In your life and ministry, focus not on numbers but on individuals.  The change you bring about in one person’s life may become a powerful testimony to many more people in the end.

- Jesus does not believe in “lost causes” – never label anyone as a lost cause, unusable or un-redeemable by God.  Even the most unattractive and unlikable can be transformed, and used to great effect!

- Jesus has no comfort zones – he crosses a raging sea to confront a man who is known to be extremely dangerous.  He has no boundaries when it comes to ministering to others.  We need to do the same, be willing to sacrifice and get out of our comfort zones to help others.

- Jesus feels this way about you – all of the above points apply to everyone…even you.  God loves you as an individual, you are a never a lost cause to him, and would spare nothing (not even his Son) to give you the best!

Questions:

1. Who is one individual that you think God is calling you to minister to?

2. Who is one “lost cause” type of person that God is calling you to pay special attention to?

3. What is the main thing you are unwilling to sacrifice when it comes to helping and ministering to others?

4. In regards to yourself and how you think God views you, which of the above is hardest to remember?

11.24.08, Mark 4:35-41

Jesus Calms the Storm

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Fear Vs. Fear

As we discussed at the very beginning of our look into Mark, we will see a continuous unveiling of Jesus’ true identity – remember how in the first few chapters, people saw him as a teacher with authority, and then we saw a type of prophet’s power in his healings.  And in this passage we see another revelation into the character of Jesus Christ, as Lord over all creation.

Although this seems like a minor point, there is a significant difference between being Lord over people, and Lord over creation.  The disciples were used to warlords and dictators with limitless personal power, like the Roman government, or Alexander the Great of a few centuries prior.  But even the greatest kings of the world had no power over nature – they would like to think they did, like Xerxes whipping the Hellespont or the Pharoahs “causing” the flooding of the Nile, but all mankind is powerless against the forces of nature.

All except one.

And you see how Jesus is completely set apart – Alexander the Great?  Genghis Khan?  Julius Caesar?  Barack Obama?  NOTHING compared to the sovereignty and authority of Jesus Christ, who could even rebuke waves.  The disciples, previously overwhelmed by the fear of death by drowning, catch a glimpse of Jesus’ true identity, and it says they were “terrified”.  They realized that in this boat with them was a man unlike any other who had walked the earth, a man who had participated in the creation of the water and the land, who could rebuke waves like a master bringing his dog to heel.

And as we look forward to Calvary, we see that same man hanging on a cross for our sins – that is Humility, and that is Grace.

Questions:

1. What effects does Jesus as Lord of creation have on your daily life, perhaps in a situation you find yourself in currently?

2. What encourages you about Jesus as Lord of creation?  What is discouraging, intimidating, or difficult about this idea?

3. How does this part of Jesus’ identity affect how you look at the cross?

11.21.08, Mark 4:21-34

A Lamp on a Stand

21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

What I Was Born To Do (Kriss Kross, anyone?)

Each of these parables are wonderful images of our life in Christ, and could be examined individually and in their own right.  But for today, I want to point out something about all three of these images, of light, and of mustard and wheat seeds – that they don’t have to try to give light or to grow into plants – it is what they are made to do.  When you set fire to a candle wick, light springs out of that moment and illuminates the room because it’s the nature of light.  When you plant a seed into ground, the seed doesn’t make a choice to grow, and what to grow into…it grows because that’s the nature of a seed.

In my own life, and in my ministries, I tend to emphasize discipline and perseverance, mainly because they are such under-developed values in my own life.  But in this text, we are reminded that for Christians, doing the things of God is what we are made to do, and naturally spring out of us.  When we are saved through Christ, certain values and actions pour out of us: compassion, forgiveness, evangelism, worship, humility.  Christ’s nature lives in us, and just like a flame, it gives light – that’s just what it does!  So it is important to emphasize your nature rather than your effort, that the works of a Christian spring from the identity of a Christian.

So, when we find that these things are not overflowing out of our lives, effort alone will not fix things – we have to re-affirm, remember, and reclaim our identity.  Because these parables remind us that a lack of fruit in our lives primarily comes when we forget who we are and what we were made to do.

Do you remember who you are in Christ today?

Questions:

1. Which of the three parables really stuck out the most for you, and why?

2. Have you ever had a moment where you did something that you knew God wanted you to do, and it just felt so natural and right, like you were born to do it?

3. What part of your Christian life is most difficult and unnatural for you to do right now?

4. Relating to the above question, look at the issue in terms of identity rather than effort – what do you have to remember about your identity to make that part of your life more natural?

11.19.08, Mark 4:1-20

The Parable of the Sower

1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.  2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,
” ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

What is Good Soil?

This passage needs little explanation, as it has Jesus’ own explanation built into it!  It would be kind of presumptuous to think that I could explain it any better.  So rather than rehashing what Jesus has made clear, let’s try another angle and figure out what good soil looks like using the image of the bad soil.

Good soil…

- realizes that there is not just an internal battle, but an external one that tries to prevent God’s Word from taking root in our lives.  This means that at times, those little things that prevent us from reading or getting into Scripture, are NOT little things, but may be the Enemy’s attempt to rob you of your harvest!

- takes time to develop strong roots, so that their growth is not driven by emotionalism, and cannot be halted by circumstances.  Strong roots are developed by putting the Word into daily practice, walking with others in accountability, having a marathon runner’s mentality, and not depending only on emotions and feeling to gauge the health of your spirituality!

- makes sure that there is nothing else that competes in priority with God – jobs, relationships, materialism, money, fame, comfort, nothing.  And yet, this type of soil recognizes that even though we don’t place high priority in these things, God always provides an abundance of his blessings in their place!

The parable of the sower can seem like a strict parable of warning, as in what negative things to look for in our lives.  While this is true, we also can be more proactive with the passage, and can take certain steps to prepare, and make our hearts into good soil.  Let’s all be proactive with our hearts this week, not merely working to identify what is wrong, but taking time to make our hearts right, to be more receptive to what God is saying and doing in our lives.

Questions:

1. What type of soil/heart best describes your heart right now?

2. In what ways can you make sure that Satan doesn’t steal the Word from your heart before it has any chance to really take root?

3. In what ways can you develop strong roots in your life?

4. In what ways can you clear the soil of your heart so that nothing chokes the Word?

11.17.08, Mark 3:31-35

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.“

The Family of God

A tough passage, because Jesus appears to be devaluing the idea of family, something so precious to many of us.  We don’t hear much about Jesus’ family in the gospels besides in the early parts of some gospels like Luke, and when we do, he is ditching them to teach in the temple!  So it seems superficially that perhaps Jesus did not care about family, but instead valued only his family in God, those who do God’s will?

While it is true that Jesus does challenge us throughout the gospels to be prepared to leave all things to follow him, there is a special insight we receive in the book of John.  As Jesus hangs upon the cross, in his final moments, he looks towards his mother and asks for her and John to take of one other.  Obviously, his family was very precious to him if he takes his last moments to provide for Mary.

So if Jesus is not devaluing biological family, as we thought initially, what is he doing?  There is only one real option: that he is elevating the family of God.

Rather than devaluing biological family, he is challenging his disciples to see each other as they would real family members, with that same sense of inseparable intimacy.  You see, we use the phrase “family of God” very loosely and generically to talk about other Christians, but really don’t see each other like family – we refuse to forgive one another, abandon relationships when they become inconvenient, and basically see the family of God as a “take-it or leave-it” kind of thing.  But Jesus takes the “family of God” very seriously, seeing the family that we have through faith as basic, important, and enduring as the relationships we have with our biological parents, brothers, and sisters.

Questions:

1. Who are your spiritual brothers and sisters right now?

2. What are some of the characteristics of a (functional) biological family that you think Jesus would want to see in our faith relationships?

3. Sometimes we wish we weren’t related to our biological brothers and sisters, but we have no choice but to make it work, no matter what!  Do you have a spiritual brother and sister whom you wish you weren’t in relationship with?  How can you make that relationship work at any cost?

11.14.08, Mark 3:20-30

Jesus and Beelzebub

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.”

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”

Us Against Them

We know from earlier passages that the Pharisees are now on a mission to find fault with Jesus, a fault great enough to execute him for.  They know he is a miracle worker, having healed people right in front of their face, so they try to use this against him, accusing him of sorcery and witchcraft, that it was by Satan’s power that he did all these great miracles.

Jesus uses this moment to reveal an important and uncomfortable spiritual truth – that there are only two sides to spiritual life: God’s and Satan’s.  He uses three different and difficult images to paint this stark picture – first, the “kingdom divided against himself”, that Satan cannot drive out demons by his own power.  Secondly, he talks about the strong man being bound, making reference to the fact that he, Jesus, has entered into Satan’s realm to bind Satan and his power.  And lastly, and most unsettlingly, he reveals that there are sins that are unforgiveable – namely, rejection of the Holy Spirit.  We see then a conflict between two sides, with no middle ground.

We’d like to think that there is wide spectrum of how we stand before the Lord, and that there are many neutral stances and actions in our lives that have no spiritual consequence.  We try to strike balances between the world and God, between who we were and who we want to be, one foot in two different boats.  But Jesus lifts the veil and reveals the truth, that there is no middle ground in spiritual life – it is an “either/or”, “with me or against me” situation, Satan OR Jesus.  For our lives, this reminds us of a few practical truths – first, that there is a real spiritual battle going on.  Yes, Jesus has come and bound the strong man (Satan), especially through his death and resurrection, but that strong man is trying to take as many down with him as possible.  We need to realize that there is an enemy at work in our lives, but more importantly, that we serve a Savior far stronger than our enemy.

Also, it reminds us of an uncomfortable and absolute truth: that those who do not know Jesus Christ are not saved.  There are no other options.

Questions:

1. In what ways have seemingly “neutral” actions and positions in your life had a negative effect on your spiritual welfare?

2. Given the urgency that Jesus presents here, who in your life really needs to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?

3. in what ways is this passage a wake-up call for your life?

4. In what ways have you been trying to live both in the world and with God?

11.12.08, Mark 3:1-6

1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Remaining Silent

This is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Jesus’ ministry, because from here on, the Pharisees have only one plan – to trip up Jesus somewhere so they can accuse and execute him.  And it all starts with a simple question:

“Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?”

Everyone knows the answer to that, even the Pharisees – everyone knows that even on the Sabbath it is better to save than to destroy…but they remain silent.  They are so judgmental of Jesus, so sure of themselves, so focused on their own selfish ends, that they simply cannot bring themselves to answer the simplest of questions, whether it is better to do good or evil.

The text tells us that Jesus was angered and distressed by their stubborn silence, and tells the man to stretch out his hand (and in saying this, Jesus did not violate the law because he did not actually “heal” the man!).  And the Pharisees, so caught in their pride and judgment, again cannot even bring themselves to recognize that this man was healed – they only go on to plot for Jesus’ death.

This behavior seems to terrible, and we judge the Pharisees for their pride, and rightly so.  But unfortunately…I have felt this way at times too.  Someone who I don’t like does something well or says something that is correct, and my stubborn pride refuses to acknowledge the good of his or her actions.  I am so focused on their downfall, watching for every slip-up, that I can’t recognize simple good from simple evil.  And when I, or any of us act this way, we have to remember that it distresses Jesus, because he does not want his people to live like this, mired in anger and judgment and vengeance, but to be more like him: forgiving, humble, and loving.

Is Jesus distressed by your life right now?

Questions:

1. Is there someone in your life whom you can’t see any good in right now?

2. A sense of perspective is helpful here, as it reminds us of our own sinfulness – have you ever found yourself acting in the same way as the person you thought of above?

3. Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant is a wakeup call to us all, that the debt that God forgives in us is far larger than the debt we forgive in others – how do the wrongs committed against you measure up against the wrongs you have committed against God?

11.10.08, Mark 2:23-28

Lord of the Sabbath

23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

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.”

The Sabbath

Let’s break this passage down into two sections, based on Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees – first, “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”  When we think about the Bible, what often springs into the minds of non-Believers (and Believers as well!) is that it is a rulebook of do’s and don’ts.  This is true to an extent, but the real question is which one was created first?  Did God create a bunch of laws, and then create humans to try to fulfil those laws?  No, he created us first, and then gave us laws as a blessing, in order to give us structure and encouragement and insight into the Maker’s character.  We must realize then that we were not created to simply obey the Law, but rather, the Law was created to help us!

And there is no clearer example of this then obeying the Sabbath.  We often take this as an arbitrary and legalistic ritual, but in truth, keeping a Sabbath day is for our OWN good – it gives us spiritual and physical pause, starts our week on firm spiritual footing, gives us time to build relationships with God and one another, and forces us to depend on him for the provision of that week.  We need to reform our mentality regarding the Bible and the Sabbath, viewing it as a deep blessing for us, rather than a burden on us.

Next, that “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”  Up to this point, we have seen Jesus as a teacher of the Law, a healer, a Lord who commands, and a forgiver of sins.  Now, this passage provides further insight into his identity, this time, in reference to the Law.  Although the main focus in the passage is the Sabbath, the issue at heart is really the Law – the Pharisees are just using the Sabbath to test Jesus’ adherence to the Mosaic Law, to trip him up.  If the the issue at heart is really the Law, we could rephrase Jesus’ words as “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Law.”  And if we extrapolate this further into our own context, we could say that “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Bible.”

We should never forget that the main focus and actor in the Bible is Jesus – the Old Testament leads up to his ministry on the cross, all the New Testament is derived from that ministry, but also looks forward to when he comes again.  Practically, this affects how we should read the Bible, always looking at the text in light of what Jesus will/or has done.  But additionally, if we want to know Jesus better…we must know the Word.  For it’s through the Word that we see most clearly the Lord of the Sabbath.

Questions:

1. What essential part of your Christian life feels the most burdensome?  Why do you think this is?  How can you rethink that element as a blessing instead?

2. What does a modern 21st century Sabbath look like?

3. You can personalize Jesus’ statement on the Sabbath, that the Sabbath was created for YOU!  In what ways would keeping a Sabbath be good for you in your life?

4. In going through the book of Mark, what have you learned about Jesus that you weren’t aware of before, or perhaps had forgotten?

11.07.08, Mark 2:21-22

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.”

New Wine/Skins

This passage is confusing to many of us, mainly because the whole wineskins thing – what is Jesus talking about?  To explain this, we have to know a little biology, that when grape juice ferments into wine, it creates a lot of gas.  So if you put new wine into a new wineskin, gas is created, and the skin stretches and balloons out!  Now, if you pour out that wine now, and pour new wine into that old stretched out skin, gas is created, but the skin is already stretched out!  So it bursts, and both are ruined.

One way to understand this passage is to see our lives as the wineskin.  Often we receive new wine from God: maybe a new conviction, a fresh understanding of God’s love, a passion for worship, a vision for our future, something new that God is doing.  But we fail to change our wineskins, meaning that our lives look exactly the same – we use our time the same, we have the same relationships, we have the same habits…but just like in the passage, our old stretched out lives can’t grow with the new wine God has given, and it bursts.

No, when God does something new, the structures and habits of our lives have to become new as well.  If we are convicted to commit to church, then we have to make Sunday a priority, get our work done on Saturday, not staying up late.  If we are convicted about evangelism, then the amount of time we spend with certain people must shift as well.  What it boils down to is this: we have a bad habit of depending too much on the emotional momentum of a conviction to carry us to new levels of maturity.  That passionate conviction is just the spark – you still need to feed the fire with your time, your discipline, and your habits.

Questions:

1. What was the last time you really felt a conviction from God, that God was doing something new in your life?

2. Going from the above, did your life change correspondingly to make room for that conviction to grow?  If not, in what ways can you make that room?

3. The reverse principle can also be helpful – changing our wineskins to prepare ourselves for something new that God wants to do!  Is there something in your life that you know has to change so that you will be ready for what God wants to do?

11.05.08, Mark 2:18-20

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.”

The Joy Set Before Us!

Here in these short verses, we catch a glimpse of how Jesus viewed his own ministry.  Earlier, we talked about the focus of Jesus ministry, how he shuns the crowds because he knows that his ministry is not about popularity, but about the cross.  And because we know Jesus is aware of the cross, we assume that the tone of his ministry must have been tragic, serious and sad – after all, it’s hard to have fun with those kinds of images in the back of your mind…

But this passage reveals to us that he saw his ministry quite differently: he saw it as a type of celebration!  He compares his time with the disciples as a bridegroom at a wedding, a time of celebration and joy.  But it is still obvious the he is fully cognizant of the cross before him, as well as his asencsion, when he mentions that the bridegroom will be taken from them.  And yet, despite the looming suffering of the cross, he sees his ministry as a party!

We should remember this as well, that there was great sorrow in Jesus’ ministry for sure, but his work was primarily one of Joy and Victory and Redemption – truly causes for celebration!  A wonderful reminder to us that it was JOY that propeled Jesus, a Joy so great that it overcame the imminent fear of the pain and suffering and death of the cross:

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

And so Joy should propel us forward as well!  Yes, there will be times where we bear the cross, where we must too inevitably ascend the hill of Calvary as all disciples do.  But we do so because the promise of Joy is even greater than the specter of ridicule or suffering or want.  And that Joy is far greater than anything the world or the enemy could ever throw in our path.

Questions:

1. What currently motivates you as a Christian and as a minister?  Is it more of a spirit of duty, sacrifice and obedience, or a spirit of joy and celebration?  Why do you think this is?

2. If your life in Christ has become more of a grind than a party, what do you think would help reform that perception to the correct one?

3. Joy is not just a future “when-Jesus-comes-again” idea, but one that we can enjoy even now!  What are the joys of Christian life?  What is the joy of YOUR Christian life?

4. Our brothers and sisters both are a source of, and need reminders of, Christian joy – what are some ways in which we can encourage and remind each other to live in the joy of the Lord?