Pray for those battling wildfires near Santa Barbara, CA and Ft. Huachuca, AZ asking God to strengthen and protect these brave firefighters. Pray for the quelling of the conditions that have spread the flames, and pray for the protection of residents, homes and businesses. Pray that all who need assistance�particularly the elderly and ill�will get the help they need.
What you're after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,
scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. (The Message)
"If it has been our privilege to enjoy the special teaching of the Spirit of God, we ought to feel that our guilt is additionally heavy, having sinned in this case against light, and having trampled under foot the precious gift with which we were intrusted.
"The repetition of David's requests for pardon proves how earnestly he desired it. It is no doubt to the blood of Christ alone that we must look for the atonement of our sins; but we are creatures of sense, who must see with our eyes, and handle with our hands; and it is only by improving the outward symbols of propitiation that we can arrive at a full and assured persuasion of it. It is the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit to sprinkle our consciences inwardly with the blood of Christ, and, by removing the sense of guilt, to secure our access into the presence of God."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readins from Calvin on the Psalms)
Say what?? Heh. I had already typed "Exodus" before I looked at the journal and saw that I'm reading Mark next. Weird. Okay, then.
Mark jumps right in with his gospel (which most scholars believe is the earliest of the four gospels writeen) with little explanation or salutation. Immediately, he quotes Isaiah concerning John the Baptizer. John came on the scene, "baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (1:4) He apparently drew quite a crowd. But he preached about one who was still to come. "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (1:7-8)
Mark very briefly describes the baptism scene of Jesus, including the voice from heaven which said, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." (1:11)
He also very briefly mentions the temptations of Jesus, sufficing it to say that he was tempted for 40 days. Mark apparently felt that other things were more important to his narrative.
Jesus appeared in Galilee after John was arrested, preaching a gospel of repentance.
In 1:16-20, Jesus calls the first disciples, Simon and Andrew. He said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." It says they followed him immediately. Then he found James and John and called them. They left their father in the boat and followed him. No questions. No hesitation.
A side note, here. The youth of Mark is evident in his writing style. As you read the book of Mark, make note of how many sentences begin with the word "and." It's as though an excited child has run in to tell you a story!
In 1:21-28, the first healing is recorded. Jesus has come into Capernaum and is teaching in the synagogue. There was a man in the synagogue with an "unclean spirit." The spirit cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God." He commanded the spirit to be silent and come out. The man convulsed and the spirit left him. Immediately, Jesus's fame began spreading throughout Galilee, because he taught with authority and commanded the unclean spirits.
In 1:29-34, Jesus healed many, including Simon's mother-in-law. (Interesting that we never hear a thing about his wife, eh?) Also of interest is that, at this time, Jesus would not permit the demons to speak about him.
Jesus continues to travel around Galilee, preaching to people and casting out demons. In 1:40, Jesus cleanses a leper. Leprosy was a terrible skin disease that was thought to be very contagious. No one would dare touch a leper. But Jesus did, and healed him. Jesus instructed the man to go straight to the priest to have himself examined to be declared clean, and speak to no one. But he disobeyed and told everyone he met about his healer. This made it so that Jesus couldn't even enter a town freely, but had to remain out in "desolate places."
Chapter 2 begins with one of my favorite childhood stories. Jesus is teaching in someone's house, back in Capernaum. There was barely any standing room in the house. Four friends, carrying a paralyitic on a mat, came to the house. They couldn't get in, so they got on the roof, dug a hole in the roof and lowered the guy in through the hole. Jesus, seeing their extreme faith, said to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven." Some of the scribes were there and accused him in their hearts of blasphemy. "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" they asked. Bingo! So Jesus, being able to ascertain their thoughts, said, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." The man immediately did so. The were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
This is the first time Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man. But here, he equates himself with God, even this early, as he says, "that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins," after the scribes had questioned that.
After this, Jesus calles Levi, the tax collector as a follower. This stirs up come controversy, since tax collectors were despised in Israel.
The disciples of John and some pharisees were fasting, and Jesus's followers were not. This caused some people to question Jesus. He gave them a rather cryptic answer, asking if the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is present. He said as long as the bridegroom is present, the guests will not fast.
After that, his disciples get in trouble for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus says, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."
In chapter three, Jesus heals the man with the withered hand, on the Sabbath. But he tricks the Pharisees with a trick question, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" They had no answer for that, of course. But note that Jesus was grieved at their hardness of heart (3:5). In chapter three, he also makes official the appointment of "the twelve," Simon (later Peter), James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew (Levi), Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot.
In verse 22, The scribes accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil, but Jesus counters that by saying, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." He then, essentially accuses the scribes of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, which to this day is a subject of great controversy.
I pray that as I read the book of Mark, that some new insight will appear to me that I have not seen before, concerning the walk and ministry of our savior. There is much to be learned about Jesus, and I have only begun to learn, even at this late age. Keep it fresh to me. May I have the faith of the four friends who dug a hole in the roof to get to Jesus. May I believe in your authority over sin and over Satan. May I never question that which you have declared is true.
Let us look to God as our refuge, our strong tower. A new week is coming. God give us strength to make it through.
Grace and peace, friends!