relationships (Mark 3:1-35) Joy vs Grief

(Mark 3:1-35)

He entered a synagogue again; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 2 And they were watching Him closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” 4 And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might put Him to death.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

At the root of religion is the desire to control.  It has nothing to do with God's love or true compassion on people.  It seems very possible that the Pharisees planted the man with the withered hand in the synagogue in order to trap Jesus.  But obviously, Jesus knew about their plan, and knew how to help the man, while not crossing any lines that the Pharisees themselves had drawn.

Meanwhile, the Pharisees, who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of God's people, to guide them in God's love, knew nothing about God or His love.  They did not even recognize God in flesh, standing right before them.  And, instead, they hated the Lord Jesus, to the point of desiring to put Him to death.

Now notice the reactions of Jesus.  We know that God is angered at sin, because where there is sin, there is death, and separation from God.  In this, and His great love for all people, the Lord God will grieve (mourn) for those who cling to their sin, and cling to their death.  And we know that God desires that all come to know Him personally, which is exactly why He came in flesh, taking on our sin, death and punishment to pay the price, so that He can redeem all of those who humbly repent, believe, and put their faith in Him!

In the same way, when believers choose to sin and stray from the Lord, we grieve His Holy Spirit.  Our rejection will not and cannot undo our salvation, because God is faithful and patient.  But He will grieve the fact that, for whatever reason, we are distancing ourselves from Him, even though He always has purpose and a much, much better way for our lives, in which we can experience His very presence, and all of His blessings of peace and inexplicable joy.

relationships (Mark 2:18-28) It's Not About Appearances

(Mark 2:18-28)

18 John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “While the groom is with them, the attendants of the groom cannot fast, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast, on that day.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

23 And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

God did not institute the Sabbath in order to make us miserable, or for us to draw attention to what we do or not do.  It was and is intended for us to put our attention on God, and all that He has done, is doing, and will do.  Yet somehow, people still think that they have to make everything into a religion.

God also instituted an annual corporate time of fasting on the Day of Atonement, with the focus to be on "atoning" for sins committed;  therefore, fasting is to accompany one's humble prayers of penitence.  But the religious Pharisees had added many other fasts, fasting up to twice a week, even periodically refusing to drink water.  Their focus was not on the condition of their hearts, but on "spiritual appearances", and trying to maintain their power, and trying to control the people.  It's clear that they didn't understand what fasting is truly about, because instead of being humbly penitent, they were arrogantly judging others according to their own personal rules and regulations.  

People create religions, setting up rigid rules and sets of structures and rituals to follow, in efforts to somehow earn favor among others, and earn one's way to God and to heaven.  But, to get to God and heaven, one must be holy (perfect).  In our own strength, wisdom and efforts, this is impossible.  

Instead of religiously trying to patch a hole on a threadbare piece of clothing with a new piece of cloth --- Jesus wants to clothe us with His righteousness through His salvation...  

(Galatians 3:27)  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Instead of religiously trying to pour new wine into an old wineskin which will burst --- Jesus wants to make us a brand new creation, filling us with His indwelling Holy Spirit of promise...

(2 Corinthians 5:17)  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

As well, in our salvation, we are part of the Church, which is referred to as the bride, and Jesus as the groom (2Corinthians 11:1-2, Revelation 21;2).  And having this personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, we can celebrate in Him, and with Him!  He has set us free from sin, death and the law!  And while here on earth, because of God's grace and faithfulness, we cannot lose our salvation.  So while we strive in God's will, not because we have to, but because we want to, in His strength and wisdom, it is all to God's glory.  This is what pleases the Lord! 

relationships (Mark 2:15-17) Being Inviting

(Mark 2:15-17)

15 And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Here is our shining example of how to be "in the world, but not of the world".  Levi (Matthew) had just made his decision to follow Jesus.  And immediately, he invited Jesus and His disciples over for a meal, and invited all of his tax-collector-friends and other "worldly friends" to join them, and meet Jesus!

I love how Matthew didn't try to do this on his own.  He had the support of not only Jesus, Himself, but also his new brothers in Christ!  And he had everyone over to his house.  Maybe for him, it was an environment where temptations would not be as prevalent.  Who knows.  But there they all were, getting to know Jesus, and as verse 15 says, they were all following Him.  Just so, as we go out into the world, we should be inviting Jesus to go with us, be right there beside us, giving us opportunities, and the right words to speak as He presents the opportunities to us, to share the love and salvation of the Lord, and His life-changing power.

It was the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who looked down on this, always with the intention of discrediting Jesus.  People, like the scribes and Pharisees, believe that in their own thinking and in their own strength, they are able to be "good enough" to work their way to heaven.  But no one can be "good enough."  One has to be perfect, which is impossible for anyone of us to be, even when and if we really, really, really want to be.

One will never understand what it truly means to be a believer (a Christian), until one realizes that they are sick with sin, and they need Jesus as their Physician!  And continuing on in one's journey of faith is not about the do's and don'ts, it's all about having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus... because we will still struggle with our sinful nature, and therefore we still need Jesus' help, nourishment, guidance, wisdom, strength, comfort, peace, hope, joy, grace...friendship!!!

relationships (Mark 2:13-14) Finding Greater Purpose

(Mark 2:13-14)

13 And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

God created us because He wanted someone to love, and desires that we come to know Him, personally.  Therefore, He created us, each with a soul, which can only be filled by Him, so that we can have a close relationship with Him.  But this is a personal choice that we each must make.  The Lord God will never force anyone to love Him back, or be obedient.

Well, here we see Levi (Matthew), a tax-collector, who was hated by other Jews because tax collectors not only worked with their enemy (the Romans), but they notoriously charged extra so that they themselves would become very rich.  So, I'm very sure that Matthew would have been feeling the guilt of his sins and crimes, feeling very much isolated from most of his community, and realizing that money wasn't enough to make him happy.  There must be more to life!  And there must be a solution and a way out from all our emptiness, guilt and shame.

All it took was Jesus saying to Matthew, "Follow Me."  Done!  And he never looked back.  In fact, we'll see in the next verses, he invited all his tax-collector friends over to his house so that they could meet Jesus!  Having Jesus in our lives is completely life changing, filling us with the Lord's presence, peace, joy, certain hope, and gives us a much, much greater purpose!
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relationship (Mark 2:1-13) Who Completes Us?

(Mark 2:1-13)

1 When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. 3 And some people came, bringing to Him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. 4 And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5 And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking it over in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were thinking that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you thinking about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralyzed man, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

13 And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

To me, this is always a mic-drop-moment!  Come on people!  Jesus is the Lord God who loves us so much that He came to take on the punishment that we all deserve, so that we can come to Him for spiritual healing and eternal life!

I've shared this one man's testimony before, but it's so very poignant.  While the paralyzed man here is first saved (healed of his sins), and then is physically healed, this particular man became a quadriplegic, and then he found Jesus!  He said that he appreciated the accident and the outcome so much so, because this is why and how he became spiritually healed.  He was emphatic that he preferred the condition he was currently in, far more than what he had been before becoming a believer!

Only in Jesus can we be made complete, and fully satisfied!

relationships (Mark 1:32-45) A Healing Love

(Mark 1:32-45)

32 Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

35 And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” 39 And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.

40 And a man with leprosy came to Jesus, imploring Him and kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Talk about free healthcare!.  We know how much people can love this concept, but when we sit down and do the math, we'll quickly realize that nothing in life is free.  Well, except for THIS!!!  Jesus, the great Physician, offers to everyone the free gift of salvation and spiritual cleansing and healing from our sins.

Of course, having Jesus in our lives doesn't automatically mean that we'll never be sick, ever again.  We will get sick, and we will die at some point.  So, just as this one man realized, IF IT IS HIS WILL, JESUS CAN heal us.  Jesus healed many, as a testimony of His power and authority, proving that He was and is the Son of God.  And He still does physically heal people now... IF it is His will.  Sometimes we will have a stronger testimony to those around us if and when we are sick or struggling with a physical issue, WHEN we are relying on, trusting in, and resting in the Lord!  

What if God healed us to the point of perfection here on earth...we would most likely take Him for granted, and He'd become an after-thought.  And we would probably start taking credit for His work.  It's when we go through something, while continuing to focus on the Lord, that we will feel His amazing comfort, strength and peace.  And there's certain hope!  Let's not forget that this is all very temporary.  When believers get to heaven, we will have an eternity of 100% health, and so much more!  

Notice that right after explaining that He came to also preach, Jesus focused on preaching, alongside casting out demons.  The Lord God's words are eternal, true, and life-changing.  Now, the only way to cast out demons and keep them out is through the Lord's salvation!  At this point in time, the Lord still had not sent His Holy Spirit to those who became believers.  This would come after His ascension, on the Day of Pentecost.  

God knows to write His words of truth in a way, so that we understand how this all works.  Now, as soon as we become believers, we receive the Lord's indwelling Holy Spirit, who fills our souls and changes us from the inside out.  Therefore, no demons may enter us after that point.  Demons can oppress us externally, but they cannot possess us.  This is why part of the Lord's prayer has us asking Him to deliver us from evil.

Well, speaking of prayer!  Since Jesus came to earth in flesh, to be fully man, while still being fully God, He came to preach, and to fulfill His work on the cross, as well as to live a sinless life as our perfect example.  We see Jesus spending time alone in prayer, a lot!  And He would pray as He went...  Proof that our faith is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord God, who is always there for us, who knows all things, and can do all things... who is compassionate and caring, extremely patient and gracious, and desires to do life WITH us!  The Lord's preaching was and is all about how we can have an eternal, personal relationship with Him, because He loves us and desires to have this relationship with us!

relationships (Mark 1:29-31) Loving and Serving

(Mark 1:29-31)

29 And immediately after they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately spoke to Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

I love the fact that Simon (Peter) cared about and loved his mother-in-law.  When believers are dating, and then married, consider God's love for everyone, not just for the loveable, but for the unlovable.  And I'm NOT saying that all in-laws are unlovable, but we can go into family dynamics and with a selfish, self-centered attitude that will start a chain of responses, which will deeply impact the way we get along with others.  And this is will deeply hurt our significant other.

If God's commandment about loving all people doesn't change our behavior, consider this... If we say we love someone, we should be loving those whom they love!  If we start some sort of "war" or exacerbate tensions with the in-laws, I promise you, you are setting yourself up for misery.  And think of it this way, when we love the in-laws, we gain yet another loving, supportive family!

I also really love the disciples' trust in Jesus and their response time.  They "immediately" went to Him ".  How often is this our last resort - to go, talk to God about our issues, and ask Him for help, wisdom and guidance, no matter how big or small the issue?!  God wants to be involved with our lives, 100% of the time.  That's how much He cares!  And He is able!

Now, I really love the mother-in-law's response time and her love for Jesus.  A fever is never good, especially when one is older.  It most likely indicates that there is an infection, and without antibiotics, it can be weeks before one is fully recovered.  So, after being healed, the mother-in-law might have said, "I was just really very sick, and I need some recovery time...get my bearings..."  Instead, she immediately gets to serving.

I'm now thinking the topic of gender-specific-roles needs to be addressed here.  This verse is NOT saying that men should not be in the kitchen.  Throughout the Bible, we see men cook and serve!  Just to name a few:  Abraham, Esau, Jacob... Those men all knew their way around "the kitchen".  

In my marriage, we discussed how much work we were doing outside of the home, and divided up the housework accordingly.  Then, when and if it changed, we went back to the drawing board.  And at my insistence of being a stay-at-home-mom, no matter how poor we got, which came at a point in time when my husband's job had him working long, long hours, I tried to pick up the slack wherever and however I was able.  I don't mind taking out the garbage or mowing the lawn... my husband is working really hard, long hours in order to provide for us!!!  

Even then, after a difficult day, when my husband would come home, and if he saw that I was struggling to get supper ready, he stepped in and helped.  As well, he NEVER saw it as a "chore" to spend time with the kids.  He knew our children needed their father's attention!  He knew that it was necessary to nurture a loving relationship with them, as well as with me.  And by now, as empty-nesters, my husband has claimed the kitchen!  He finds cooking cathartic, which is the opposite for me.  So I will gladly pick up the slack somewhere else!  So, never look at it as a 50-50 kind-of-thing.  When we choose to serve one another 100%, then we both are served 100%.  And don't look at it selfishly, as if and how we are being served.  Look at it as - how can I be serving?!

In God's economy of finances, time and energy, we are to be generous in our loving and serving the Lord, and one another.  Life is work!  Not just to survive with a roof over one's head, clothes on one's back, and food in one's stomach... relationships require work.  A relationship that works - is the one where both parties are working at it, always.  And putting our personal relationship with the Lord first in our lives, will help us in all other relationships.  The closer we all get to the Lord, the closer we will get to each other.  The Lord God is there to help us with everything!