ResponsiveReiding

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.

From Mark 6:53-7:13 / As we know from 1 Cor. 11:2, 2 Thess. 2:15 & 3:6, there are traditions within the Church which are to be upheld and preserved. But how do we know what is binding and what is not? Jesus provides us with the simple answer – whatever tradition may be under consideration, it must accord with written revelation – the Scripture – to be binding. We dare not “reject the commandment of God in order to establish [our] tradition”. So Paul can refer to traditions taught by the Apostles: “either by our spoken word or by our letter.” But surely there can be no discord between these two, nor nothing necessary omitted from one and not protected in the other. We must always make our appeal back to the Scriptures. Jesus makes those the rule, and not the traditions handed down – by however pious ancestors may be in the mix. The problem really emerges when we make “void the Word of God by” our tradition. No can do.

From Mark 6:45-52 / What is it about the loaves (vs. 52) that they did not understand? Perhaps mainly this – that this Jesus, was God. In feeding the multitude He had performed an act of creation right in front of them. There were only so many molecules in the bread and fish. He could not stretch it per se – new material had to be created right before their eyes. This was no less profound than speaking the worlds into existence. All done with no pomp, no great announcements, no “look at me”. And they didn’t see. They didn’t get it. God was in their midst. And we don’t see either. We don’t get it any more than they did. God is in our midst, indwelling us in the Spirit. And we too are still afraid, still confused, still overwrought. We are fools. More than they, because we have this testimony before our eyes. His presence is always provision enough – if, we will see it.

Heavenly Father, forgive me of my unbelief. Of the poverty of my sin-wracked faith. Take away my hard heart – and let me see Jesus. Let me know you. In all places, and at all times and under all circumstances.

From Mark 6:30-44 / 1. The disciple’s first response was to solve the problem practically. In fact, to tell God Himself HOW to solve the problem, but they made no inquiry of God as to why they may be in this strange situation. We need to go to the Lord with all our situations – right from the start.

2. Jesus then goads them further, but they still only think in terms of their own abilities or constraints but still haven’t asked: “Master, what shall we do?” Providence often has to lead us to our powerlessness before we will truly look to and depend upon Him.

3. Then they are taught the wondrous lesson that their bankruptcy is no impediment to Christ’s provision. And so it is for us as well. Look to Christ.

From Mark 6:14-29 / It is a very interesting thing how some who hear, hear gladly, and yet remain so perplexed and unbelieving. We must not rush to consider such saved, simply because they hear the message of the Gospel with joy. They may even take great interest in it – and yet not submit to it. To attach to all who display an interest more than that, and treat them as converted or even true friends of the Gospel is a grave error. This is the danger with fawning over those who may court or speak kindly to Christians while seeking political power. With a new Presidential election cycle looming over us – this is a very timely caution.

Herod here seems to fit Jesus’ parable of the soils well. He is the rocky ground. He heard the word with joy. But had no root. And at the slightest perturbation, immediately falls away.

Men will be converted only when they understand their need of a Savior from God’s wrath and fly to Christ. Nothing else. And apart from that, when push comes to shove – for the sake of a wriggling teenager, a beheading can be right around the corner.