ResponsiveReiding

From Mark 9:30-32 / Things of First Importance – After Jesus’ transfiguration, and the failure of the Disciples to free the demonized boy, one might have expected Jesus to conduct a class on being glorified, or demonology. But no. As He draws His disciples alone to talk of things which are highest on His list of priorities, it is a focus upon His death, burial and resurrection. And then I see how they respond to this. It confused them. And they were afraid to ask Him about it. And I wonder, what great things do I NOT know about Christ, about the wonder of His death, burial and resurrection, because – for whatever reason, I am afraid to ask Him for clarity? We do not automatically assume these are of the greatest importance. And so I pray today: Forgive me Father. I fail so here. I know so little of Jesus, because I fail to explore Him as I desperately need to. The wonder of His person and work fail to capture my attention as they ought. Fill me with the wonder of – Jesus Christ, my crucified and risen Lord.

From Mark 9:14-29 – A Grieving Savior / In vs. 19, Jesus’ grief over this situation is palpable. The question is, is Jesus’ grief here: a. an expression of grief over the Disciple’s inability to cast the demon out; b. the heated response of the crowd in the aftermath of their failure; c. the state of affairs among fallen mankind that made the demonization of the boy and his misery possible in the first place – or all or some combination of these? And to see this in such brutal clarity after just having been with Moses and Elijah, and tasting of His own true glory once again – only to be thrust back into the midst of this sin-cursed world. What a grief that must have been to Him. But if I had to settle on one above the others, it would be His grief over the state of the boy – and how long He must tolerate the ravages of sin on His image bearers. How grateful I am He grieves over what sin has done to we who were made in His image. He grieves with us in our groaning in the experience of sin’s aftermath. And He alone will, be the one to satisfy the Father’s justice on our behalf, that “sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa. 35:10) someday.

From Mark 9:9-13 / Back to the Mountain – We could not have a more timely caution here from Jesus, than if He had gone on television today and spoken it: DO NOT – DO NOT be as concerned with such prophecies regarding Elijah and other so-called “end times” details. Consider first and foremost the coming of the Son of Man and His rejection by the Jews. When Elijah came (both originally and in antitype in John the Baptizer) he was persecuted (13). Luke 1:17 ties the two together. But these stand only as types, shadows and signals of the Christ and His persecution. Do not make the shadow the substance. Don’t make the paperboys more important than the news. So Jesus could go on to as if to say: You did not understand that the fulfillment of this prophecy was in John the Baptizer, for the same reason you do not understand the Messiah must come first as a suffering servant to die, before He comes in His glory – because these are not simple, one-time events, but multi-layered types, shadows and multi-faceted things which require great discernment. And they all find their fulfillment in Jesus. Back to the mountain – “Listen to Him!”

From Mark 9:1-8 – “Listen to Him” / To the Jewish mind, there was no Old Testament figure higher than Moses. He led the people out of Egypt, received the Law on Mt. Sinai and was the premier figure as the mediator of God’s revelation to His People. And Elijah was considered the dean of the prophets. These two stood as the epitome of Old Testament authority. But when Jesus is seen with them, His glory so eclipses theirs, that the Father declares – “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.” They were messengers and representatives – He, is God in human flesh. We cannot fully know what the Law was all about, nor the prophets, until Jesus is in His rightful place as supreme over all. And so we must read our Old Testament in the light of Him: “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6) There’s no going back to even a quasi-Judaism. Christ has come to fulfill all.

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.