ResponsiveReiding

From Mark 8:34-38 / When many hear the idea of losing one’s life for Jesus’ sake and that of the Gospel, they immediately think of martyrdom. Being physically killed because of being a Christian. And while there have been more Christian martyrs in the 20th century than in all the previous centuries combined – Jesus here is speaking to some far more close to home for those of us in Western culture. He defines it simply as – putting His will and purposes above our own. Crucifying our lusts, desires and plans and preferences, to live in a way that best makes Him manifest to the world around us. To say to Christ – “how can I serve you today” rather than “how can you serve me today?” To put ourselves at His disposal. To live in accordance with who and what He made us to be as His representatives and servants. But I wonder, if we wouldn’t rather suffer martyrdom than denying ourselves? It is worth considering. For He is asking most of us to live for Him, not die for Him – except to our being the center of our world. God, grant us grace.

From Mark 8:31-33 / Suffering and Surrender – “Satan” (vs. 33) means – adversary. All it takes to be God’s adversary, is to set our agenda above His. And so I pray today: Heavenly Father, keep your plan and purposes ever before me. Let me live my life so as to be fully invested in your agenda, what you are about in this world. Let me leave my self-willed and self-constructed goals behind. Let me be immersed in your will, surrendering my own completely. If nothing gets done the way I want, let it be, as long as your will is done.

Note too the connection between 33, and 34-38. This is what it means to take up our cross. To abandon our agendas for His.

From Mark 8:27-30 – Who is Jesus? This is the single most important question in the universe – who do YOU say Jesus is? Who do you know Him to be? It seems He told His disciples to refrain from saying anything yet, because of common misconceptions about the Messiah, and because their own thoughts weren’t fully formed yet. But we have the Gospels and 2000 years of proclamation behind us. If He is just a prophet, just a healer, just a moral teacher – no great shakes. But if He is God in human flesh, “Immanuel” – God with us – then we either bow before Him to love, serve and adore Him, or reject Him, and in the process, reject God. For as Jesus Himself said in John 5 – The Father has given all judgment to Him, that all may honor Him, just as they honor Father God. So, who do you say Jesus is? And what are the implications of your answer?

From Mark 8:22-26 / 2 Things:

1 – Salvation does not follow such a specific pattern, that we can require the same uniform experience by all. God deals individually. Some are brought to full sight all at once. Others come in stages. We need to allow for how the Spirit works according to His infinite wisdom and freedom of choice. Never measure another’s experience in Christ by your own, nor your own by theirs. The question is, has He opened our eyes to see Him?

2 – Having come to Christ for salvation, we do not then go off to some other source to complete the work. Sanctification is not to be had from the Law, or from Psychology, nor in systems, programs, seminars, books, special meetings, experiences or anything else separate from Jesus. He alone is made to us wisdom, salvation, sanctification and redemption. We go to Him for all. What He begins, He alone can and will complete.

From Mark 8:14-21 / Provision – Will we, will I, never understand? God does not want us fretting over natural provisions, but to be concerned with the matters of the kingdom and He’ll make provision for us – even when there is none. It seems so simple, and yet so far from the ways we think and feel. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and He will see to it food and drink and clothing will be provided. Now go and seek the kingship of Christ in yourselves and in all things.

From Mark 8:11-13 / Signs – Why do the Pharisees ask for a sign, when they had already made their minds up to reject the miracles they’d already witnessed? Because the Teacher, disagreed with their traditions. Their asking for proof is disingenuous – just as it is with many today. Nothing keeps men bound in their sins more than requiring God to give them “signs” rather than simply believing the truth. We try to force God’s hand. Internally, thinking to blame Him for not giving us enough proof. But what proof does the truth need? It ought to be obvious. This then becomes the question for each of us to ask ourselves – what kind of “signs” do we require from God, and why? How often do our faithless hearts seek God to prove His love to us in various way – spoken or unspoken, and take our cues about how He views us based upon them – rather than upon the revelation of His love in Christ and the Cross? Oh my wicked, wicked heart! Note, what happens to them because of their unbelief? “He left them” (vs. 13). May that not be any of us.

A God of Abundance From Mark 8:1-10 / 4 Things to note:

1 – He takes note of our need before others do – or even before we ourselves do. God is a God of abundance.

2 – He is not unmoved by our basic needs. No one is about to starve to death here. There is a need, but it is not life or death. But He is still aware, and still moved. Oh how I fail to trust His compassion!

3 – He does not denigrate their natural need while in the midst of meeting their deepest spiritual need. He is a complete Savior.

4 – Some say that Christ’s atonement was quantitatively sufficient only for the elect, that there is no provision beyond the specific application, and that for there to be more than actually “used” it would be “wasting” the blood of Christ. But it is not so. While it is sovereignly only applied to the Elect, as here, He provides much more than is needed, not in waste, but in mere abundance. Where sin abounded, grace did much MORE abound. God is omnipotent, but not every act of His requires ALL that power. Does that mean it is superfluous or wasted? No. It is indicative of His nature to meet more than the mere need. He is far and beyond all the need of all. Though not all will partake.

From Mark 7:31-37 / There are 2 things which stand out here: 1st. Jesus “sighed.” Our Savior groans at the effects of the Fall on us. This poor man, bereft of hearing, and also the ability to speak, moves the Master’s heart. Rather than being repulsed by the effects of sin upon us, He is deeply moved. How grateful I am that He sighs at how sin has impacted my soul, body and mind. Thank you Jesus! 2nd, note how radically different Jesus is from the faith healers of today who only do what they do when a crowd has gathered. They are not found drawing people aside to avoid spectacle, but they actually court and engineer spectacle. They never heal in secret, only to crowds of thousands. Not Him. The divine humility is on full display here. He neither makes a spectacle of the man He heals, nor of Himself. If others indulge in some form of pageantry in ministering to others – run. For they are not displaying the Spirit of Christ.

From Mark 7:24-30 / Virtually everyone remarks how this retort of Jesus seems harsh. And one right response is to note Jesus uses the word here for household puppies, rather than the usual scavenger dogs. Irrespective of this, the main idea is 2-fold: First, Jesus was sent to the Jews at this time, not the Gentiles. He was saying that there would be a time later for Him to come and visit Gentiles in their need – but not now: “let the children be fed first.” Second, nevertheless, seeing her distress and how her plea would require Him to go outside His appointed ministry – He still makes a way. This is the only record of Jesus healing at a distance in Mark. Though this woman, like you and me, had no “right” to His attention, He still made a way. And herein we understand the real meaning of grace – it is given in our absolutely undeserving state. Pray beloved. Deserving or not (and we never truly are) we have a Christ who hears and answers when we look to Him.

From Mark 7:14-23 / Our most common response to sin, is to try and deal with externals – a better environment. It is true, that we are to flee from sin. If we put ourselves in places which we know expose us to temptation, it will be no surprise if we give in. At the same time, environment is not the larger part of the problem. The real issue, is the remnants of indwelling sin in the Believer, which still resonate with the things we are exposed to in the World. The only REAL answer, is to be about the business of being transformed inwardly by the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ. Now the same way sin, like a fire, is stoked when we add more fuel to it, the motions of the Spirit are increased when we pursue things which accord with Him: Time in the Word. Time in prayer. Time in worship. Time in service. Time in fellowship. These things don’t make us holy, they ingrain a new way of living under the influence and the impulse of the Holy Spirit who now resides in every Believer. Constant, conscious, deliberate dependence upon His indwelling power – as new habits of the new life.