Showing posts with label Mark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark. Show all posts

The End of the World as We Know It?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 4:14 PM

(10 pm CDT update - I'm still here. Either I missed it, or someone got it wrong...)


It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
(REM - It's The End Of The World As We Know It, 1987)


As I write, it's Saturday, May 21st, and the rapture, according to Harold Camping of Oakland, CA, is supposed to occur this afternoon at 6 pm... and I feel fine! (According to his prediction, the world itself won't actually end until October 21, 2011.) My first question is - is that 6 pm PDT (since that's where Harold is located) or 6 pm CDT (where I am) or 6 pm EDT (because television shows always list Eastern Time first - must be a conspiracy in there somewhere) or even 6 pm GMT (which is Greenwich Mean Time, which runs through England, and means I'm probably already too late)? It's an important question, if you think about it. If it's 6 pm EDT, then I have time to hear if it's really happening before it gets here to the Central Time Zone. Sort of a rolling rapture...


Anyway, I haven't cancelled any of my appointments for next week, and I would suggest that you don't either. It's not that I don't believe that Jesus will return someday and take home all those who have put their faith in him. That promise is found often and consistently throughout the Bible. It begins in the Old Testament with prophecies about the Day of the Lord. 


After Jesus' death and resurrection, there was a general expectation that he would return very soon. I love the picture of the church in Acts 2-4, but you also get the impression here that they were waiting for something to happen - the return of Jesus. And when it didn't happen right away and they had to go about their lives - and be Jesus' witnesses "...in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth," (Acts 1:8 NLT2) - the church began following the leading of the Holy Spirit to share this good news to every tribe and nation. But they never lost sight of the promise that Jesus would return on a Day of Judgment and take his followers home.



For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 NLT2)

This event is sometimes called the Rapture, though you won't find this word in the Bible. The word Rapture is a theological term that, according to my Accordance Bible Software, is "the imminent translation or removal from earth of the Church at the second coming of Christ." In Jerusalem just before he was taken prisoner, Jesus talked about his return and the warning signs that would be present in Matthew 24 and Mark 13.


Almost since the time of Jesus there have been folks who have tried to ascertain when Jesus' Second Coming would occur. Down through the centuries there have been many, many predictions. In my own lifetime and the 20th Century there have been seen several well-documented predications, and probably many more. (similar prophesies occurred for 2000, 1994, 1988, 1975, 1941, 1925, 1920, 1918, 1915, 1914, etc.) The first time you hear one of these it can be disconcerting, even scary, until you read more from the Bible about this event.


Jesus: "'However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.'" (Matthew 24:36 NLT2; see also Mark 13:32, which probably records the same event)
Jesus: "...'The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.'" (Acts 1:7 NLT2)

On two separate occasions Jesus clearly stated that no one but the Father (God) knows when this will happen. No prophet, no pastor, no denomination, no radio preacher - no one! Jesus often tells us to be ready because, he says, '"...the Son of Man (Jesus) will come when least expected.'" (Matthew 24:44 NLT2) It seems to be the height of arrogance or ignorance for anyone to claim they know or have figured this out. Jesus is very clear about this.

So, honestly, I'm not sweating 6 pm very much, no matter which time zone it comes in. My biblical faith tells me that this is a non-event, except for the poor folks who have been duped or frightened into making something out of another set of faulty predictions. Those who believe Camping have been gathering in spots around the country and even selling off their possessions in order to be ready. It's interesting that Camping, the latest prophet of doom, actually made this prediction once before in 1994. When it failed to occur then, he claimed to have gotten the math wrong. But this time he says he's got it right. Yea, sure...

I did a little more reading about Camping and his ministry, Family Radio. He's basing his predictions on math and codes that he believes he's found in the Bible. You can go to his website to learn more about how he came to this. He even goes so far as to explain why Jesus' own statements (see above) about his return aren't to be believed. Camping owns close to sixty radio stations around the country. Interestingly, one news article I read interviewed a receptionist with Family Radio who planned to be on the job Monday, and who said at least eighty percent of the staff there did not believe this prophecy. I was wondering how they would handle their station if they were all gone - I guess they won't be!

I have not listened to Camping nor read very much of his stuff. But this one topic - the time of the return of Jesus - seems to catch him and a number of otherwise well-intentioned Christ followers (as well as a few genuine nuts). Ultimately, it ruins their credibility with Christ followers, and it makes Christianity as a whole look crazy.

There is one aspect of all this with which Camping does help us. He reminds us that Jesus will return, and we had better be ready. It will happen suddenly, without warning, and there will come a day and time when it is too late - it really will be the end of the world as we know it. Jesus told a powerful parable that warns us all that though we may not know when he is coming, the wise person will be ready:


"'Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight they were roused by the shout, "Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!" All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, "Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out." But the others replied, "We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves." But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, "Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!" But he called back, "Believe me, I don’t know you!" So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.'" (Matthew 25:1-13 NLT2)
Regardless of the day and time, each of us has to decide if we will have put our faith and trust in Christ and be wise and ready, or if we are willing to gamble and put it off and discover we are foolish. You are the only one that can decide that - what's your choice?

24 HOURS-Week 4: Psalm 22 & Encouragement

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 6:06 PM


“Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’” (Mark 15:34 (NLT2)

I have to confess that the first time I read these words from Jesus, I was disappointed. I could not imagine God abandoning His Son, yet Jesus cried these words out. At first I thought this was evidence God and Jesus and the Bible weren't all they were cracked up to be. My faith was young and I did not know my Bible well. But words that at first caused me to experience doubt about either the Bible or the nature of God have now become words of great insight and comfort to me.

The first time someone explained to me that these were the first words of Psalm 22, written by King David some one thousand years earlier, I decided I needed to find Psalm 22 and read it. In case you haven't read it, I've included it below:

"My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.

"Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

"But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, 'Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!'

"Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast. I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born.

"Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in! Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.

"O LORD, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen.

"I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. Praise the LORD, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.

"I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the LORD will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations.

"Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done." (Psalm 22 NLT2)

I was struck the first time I read this Psalm how descriptive it was of Jesus' last few hours here on earth. And as I dug deeper, the truth of this prophecy was astounding to me.

But, not only is it prophetic, Psalm 22 is rich in faith in God. In spite of all these circumstances, David writes about his faith. This Psalm reminds me of how there are times when I feel I'm just being overwhelmed, that I can't keep going. It's obvious that as David wrote this Psalm, he, too, seemed to feel that way. Yet, he held on to his faith.

I've always remembered something Mother Teresa said: "I know God will never give me more than I can handle, but I wish He didn't trust me so much." It feels that way sometimes. It must have felt that way to Jesus as he hung on the cross, but he did not let his feelings dictate his faith. He held on to his Heavenly Father, and that was enough!

I could say a lot more about this Psalm, but something else struck me about Psalm 22. It certainly could not be a coincidence that this difficult, gut-wrenching Psalm of faith is followed by Psalm 23. It almost seems like God used David to write an exclamation point to the faith of Jesus.

"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever." (Psalm 23 NLT2)

24 HOURS-Week 4: The Sons of Simon from Cyrene

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , | Posted On at 5:50 PM


“A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)” (Mark 15:21 NLT2)

Simon of Cyrene was almost definitely a Jew who had made a pilgrimage, maybe his first ever, to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Cyrene was located in what is today northern Libya in North Africa, so he had come a long ways, most likely on foot.

There has been conjecture over the years as to whether Simon was a black African, based on some possible allusions in Acts, but it’s fairly vague. The truth is, we really don’t know - he certainly could have been - but what’s even more intriguing is the comment in parentheses that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.

Mark would not have included seemingly random information unless it conveyed something significant, so scholars have tried to figure out why he did this. We do know that Mark wrote his Gospel primarily for Gentiles – non-Jews – in the mid-60s AD, and it was very likely first intended for Christ followers in Rome.

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, probably written a decade earlier, is a very interesting note: “I send greetings to Rufus, that outstanding worker in the Lord’s service, and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son.” (Romans 16:3 TEV)

Is it a coincidence that one of the most revered members of the church at Rome was named Rufus, which also just happened to be the name of the one of the sons of Simon of Cyrene? Is it a coincidence that a document written a decade later, most likely to the Christians in Rome, specifically mentions an outstanding worker named Rufus?

Of course, we don’t really know, but many scholars believe these were the same individuals, and that somehow Simon’s experience carrying Jesus’ cross had had a big impact on him. Jesus had called upon his followers to take up their crosses and follow him – perhaps Simon had done that literally. Perhaps he later married another follower of Jesus, and they moved as missionaries to Rome, where their sons Rufus and Alexander were raised as Christ followers.

There is no absolute proof of this connection, but it certainly explains a great deal about why Mark would specifically mention Simon’s sons. It's something to think about, because it shows us that Jesus can use what seem to be random or even terrible experiences for his good purposes.

24 HOURS-Week 3: Jesus the Suffering Servant

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 6:56 PM

“Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Jesus replied, ‘You have said it.’” (Mark 15:2 NLT2)
Jesus’ response here is simply a restating of what Pilate has said. He’s not denying, but he’s not vigorously affirming it, leaving Pilate with little to go on, so the religious leaders pile on more claims.

“Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, and Pilate asked him, ‘Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?’ But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.” (Mark 15:3-5 NLT2)

You get the sense that Pilate really doesn’t buy what the religious authorities are selling, but Jesus isn’t helping him out. In fact, Jesus knows this is now all part of God’s plan, and though he had prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane asking God to free him from this path, he knows this is why he is here and he is ready to fulfill God’s plan.

He very likely was living out the biblical role of Suffering Servant that Isaiah prophesied about seven hundred years earlier. The Suffering Servant songs of Isaiah spoke of one who through their suffering would bring liberation and freedom.

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:6-7 NLT2)

Jesus would not defend himself. He was silent before his accusers. Jesus knew his mission – to be the Lamb of God, the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sins of the world. Christ followers believe Jesus’ death on the cross redeems us from sin. He wasn’t simply a great teacher or a good man – he was the Savior of the world.

“Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5 NLT2)

Not all of those things have occurred yet in these last 24 hours of Jesus’ life, but they will...

24 HOURS-Week 3: The Sanhedrin

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , | Posted On at 5:38 PM

“They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered.” (Mark 14:53 NLT2)

Matthew tells us the high priest was Caiaphas, and his home was probably near the Upper Room. It must have been a large house befitting the high priest of the Jews.

This gathering of the Jewish high council of priests, elders and teachers was called the Sanhedrin. More precisely, it was composed of Sadducees, Elders and Pharisees.

The Sadducees made up the priestly class of the Sanhedrin. All high priests came from this group. They were the favored party to the Romans, highly political, and since they were satisfied with the way things were, did not look ahead to a future messianic age. They held strictly to the written law and rejected the traditions of the Pharisees. They did not believe in the resurrection of the body or any real kind of afterlife. They denied the existence of angels and demons. They were not particularly popular with the people and, strangely enough, were somewhat indifferent to religion.

The second group of the Sanhedrin was the Elders. The elders were the tribal and family heads of the people and the priesthood, mostly the secular nobility of Jerusalem.

The third and final group making up the Sanhedrin was the Pharisees. They were by far the most influential and popular of the three groups. They were highly legalistic and religious. They, along with the Scribes, protected and interpreted the Jewish Law and were the Jewish religious leaders. In fact, their interpretations of the Law took on equal or greater weight than the Law itself. They were sticklers for living out even the smallest details of the Law and traditions. They believed in the eternal soul and a spirit life. They looked forward to the coming of the Messiah and were the opposites in many ways to beliefs to the Sadducees. Jesus often opposed the Pharisees because of their legalistic emphasis on good works, their hypocrisies and their general lack of love.

The Sanhedrin evolved into existence in the years after the Jews returned from the Exile in Babylonia. They came into their own as the ruling body perhaps a century or more before the time of Jesus. The idea of the council is based on an event in the time of Moses, when he complained to God that he could not carry the full load of leading the Israelites in the wilderness.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.’” (Numbers 11:16-17 NLT2)

The seventy-one members of the Sanhedrin represented the seventy elders plus Moses.

By the First Century these men had little authority over civil matters, since that was left largely to the Romans, but they completely ruled over the religious matters for the Jews. They controlled the Temple and surrounding areas and had some power to police religious affairs. They certainly did not have the authority to impose the death penalty on their own – they would need the Romans to do that.

The Sanhedrin could only meet during the day in the Temple courts, and never during religious feasts, and no decisions reached by this body outside their designated meeting place was considered valid. Evidence was taken from separate witnesses individually, and all testimony had to agree on every detail. Each member of the Sanhedrin was required to give their verdict separately, beginning with the youngest and proceeding to the oldest.

Yet, for the trial of Jesus, they were gathering not at the Temple but in Caiaphas’ home sometime after midnight on the Day of the Passover Feast. Clearly, the Sanhedrin was breaking several of their own rules in order to railroad Jesus, now that they had him in their hands, in the middle of the night, in secret, away from crowds who might oppose their arrest of him. Now, all they had to do was come up with evidence that Jesus was guilty of a crime that would bring from the Romans the death sentence. Yet even that was a challenge, until the high priest asked the crucial question...

“…Then the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ Jesus said, ‘I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” (Mark 14:61-62 NLT2)

24 HOURS-Week 2: What Happened to Judas?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 7:58 PM

One of the key characters in the last 24 hours of Jesus' life is the disciple Judas. There were actually two disciples named Judas, but the Gospel writers always distinguish the one who betrayed Jesus as Judas Iscariot (with Iscariot probably meaning, "a man of Keiroth," a small town in the south of Judah).

Matthew, Mark and Luke all list Judas among Jesus' twelve disciples, but he is listed last in each list with a comment indicating he later betrayed Jesus (John has no list). John tells us Judas' heart is clearly not in the right place. When Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, poured expensive perfume on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair, Judas objected. "That perfume was worth a year's wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor." (John 12:5 NLT2) But his motivation wasn't the poor, as John tells us: "Not that he cared for the poor - he was a thief, and...he often stole some for himself." (John 12:6 NLT2)

We know that at the Last Supper, after Jesus prophesied that one of his disciples would betray him, Judas quietly left the meal. John tells us the other disciples just assumed he was going out to pay for their meal or give money to the poor. But both Luke and John indicate that Satan prompts Judas to betray Jesus. However, the fact that Satan could enter into Judas indicated at that time he really wasn't a true follower of Christ. Had he been in the beginning? None of the Gospels tell us.

So, why did Judas betray Jesus? This is a question people have wrestled with down through the centuries. Was it for the 30 coins of silver? Possibly, since we know he was a thief and very interested in money. Matthew tells us Judas went to the authorities and asked how much they were willing to pay to have Jesus betrayed into their hands (Matthew 26:14-16). But could there be another reason?

Some have suggested Judas was driven by ambition. Judas was almost certainly an extreme Jewish nationalist or zealot. In Jesus he believed he had found the Messiah, the anointed one of God, who would liberate his people. Perhaps Judas was looking forward to the day when Jesus would be crowned king and lead the Jews to victory over the Romans. Then Judas would take his place alongside Jesus in his new kingdom, with more power and wealth than he could even dream of.

As Jesus entered Jerusalem that last week, on Sunday, to the crowds waving palm branches and shouting out "Hosanna," Judas thought the time had finally come. What better time to announce he was the Messiah than at the Feast of the Passover, when Jerusalem would be crowded with 2-3 million Jews and national fervor was already running high (remembering when God had liberated Israel from the Egyptians). The Roman garrison in Jerusalem would be no match for them, and with the Messiah leading the way, they would quickly expel the Romans from their borders and set up a new Israel, with God's own power protecting them through the Messiah Jesus.

But, as the week went on and Judas realized Jesus wasn't going to confront the Romans, wasn't going to declare himself king, wasn't going to raise up an army to expel the Romans, he became disillusioned with Jesus. Perhaps he felt he had been a fool for thinking this Jesus would really be the Messiah, and now he was angry and bitter. But he would show Jesus. He would betray him and at least get some silver out of the deal.

A somewhat different version of the above scenario starts out the same, with Judas believing in the cause for Israel and believing Jesus was the Messiah. Again, as they entered Jerusalem, it appeared the time had come. But instead of rallying the Jews, Jesus was simply antagonizing the religious authorities more and more. Perhaps Judas saw an inevitable conflict looming between Jesus and the authorities that would leave the Jews divided rather than united. So, some have suggested, Judas betrayed Jesus in order to force his hand, to make him proclaim that he was the Messiah and take his rightful place in leadership of the Jewish people. Perhaps he believed Jesus, as he was delivered to the authorities, would be compelled to act in order to save himself. And thus, the campaign would begin.

Something interesting happens in Judas' very act of betrayal of Jesus. In the dark at the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas would greet Jesus with a kiss, a customary greeting of a Jewish rabbi. It was a sign of respect and affection. Then the arresting mob would know for sure which one to grab. The Greek word used for this "kiss" sign was philein, which is the typical word for this act. However, when it comes time for Judas to actually kiss Jesus, Mark uses the word kataphilein, which carries a much more intense sense of deep affection and love (Mark 14:44-45).

We don't see this significant difference in the English, but it's there in the Greek. Why does Mark use the different, more intense word? Could it be that Judas has begun to reflect on what he's done, that he's starting to feel remorse or regret or even guilt? Of course, we don't actually know, but the choice of these two words by Mark might indicate there was more turmoil going on within Judas than is obvious.

Mark doesn't tell us what happens to Judas, but Matthew and Luke give us the tragic ending. Matthew tells us, in Matthew 27:3-5, that when it became obvious to Judas that Jesus was going to die, he really was filled with remorse. Early on that Friday morning he takes the money back to the religious authorities and says, "'I have sinned, for I have betrayed an innocent man.'" (vs. 4 NLT2) But the religious authorities have Jesus now, and they could care less if Judas has developed a conscience. So, Judas threw the money down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

Luke tells us in Acts 1:18 that Judas bought a field with the money. Though Luke isn't clear, most scholars think Judas still hung himself, but either the tree limb or rope broke, and his already dead body fell and "spilt open." Either way, in Matthew or Luke, Judas' life comes to a sad and tragic ending.

William Barclay puts it this way:
"Both Luke and John say simply that the devil entered into Judas. In the last analysis that is what happened. Judas wanted Jesus to be what he wanted him to be and not what Jesus wanted to be. In reality Judas attached himself to Jesus, not so much to become a follower as to use Jesus to work out the plans and desires of his own ambitious heart. So far from surrendering to Jesus, he wanted Jesus to surrender to him..." (p. 330)

Perhaps the message and caution for all of us is that there is some of Judas in each one of us. We're all capable of self-serving sin to get our own way, to even use Jesus for our purposes instead of being used by Jesus for his. I know I have to often check my intentions to see if I'm serving Jesus or trying to get him to serve me. In the end, it's my prayer that I am serving Jesus.

24 HOURS That Changed the World

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , | Posted On Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 6:07 PM

Jesus died at the age of 33. However, of those 33 years, the Gospel writers devoted over 95% of their writings to his last three years, and nearly 30% to the last week. But nearly 15% of the four Gospels is centered on the last 24 hours of his life – clearly Matthew, Mark, Luke and John believed something extraordinary happened in those 24 hours.

The writers focused on the period beginning with sunset on Thursday, which for the Jews marked the beginning of a new day, through his Last Supper with his disciples, his time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, his arrest and trial before the religious and Roman authorities, his torture by the Romans and march to the cross, culminating in his crucifixion, death and burial.

The four Gospel writers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, believed that everything that had happened in Jesus’ life drove to these crucial 24 hours that changed the world. In fact, the Apostle Paul some 25 years later summed up the Gospel to the church at Corinth in Greece, writing: “…I made up my mind to forget everything except Jesus Christ and especially his death on the cross.” (1 Corinthians 2:2 TEV)

To help us understand what happened and why it's still important to us today, during the month of March we'll be focusing on Jesus' last 24 hours here on earth. I'll be working primarily from the Gospel of Mark, but I'll be drawing on information from all four Gospels as well as the rest of the Bible. I'll be using various commentaries, photos, maps, and in particular, a book by Adam Hamilton entitled, 24 Hours That Changed the World. (I'm grateful to Adam's book for some ideas and the title, but this series itself is my work.)

As I began preparing for this series, I realized there was no way I could share in a Sunday morning message everything I was learning. So, for those who want to dig deeper and learn more, I'll be adding extra posts tied to each week's message. I'll be including the week number for each of these posts so you'll know where these additional posts fit in our 24 hour journey.

I'm excited about what I believe God is going to do through this series, and I hope and pray you will, too. And pray for me, so that I can communicate clearly the events and significance for us today of these 24 HOURS that Changed the World!

Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today marks the last "official" day of our daily readings in the New Testament for Greater Things.... But, I hope you'll continue reading. After doing this for 31 days, I hope it has begun to become a habit for you. Our Gateway website, under the Life Journal heading, has the daily Scripture readings for New Testament and Old Testament. You can even read online.

I won't be writing everyday, though I will keep doing my daily readings. I do plan to still write a few times a week on the Scripture readings, plus other things. If God has used this to encourage you this month, you might think about bookmarking this or subscribing to it.

I've been amazed all this month with the way God has been using these readings, at least in my life. I keep feeling like God picked all these Scriptures just for us, even though the reading plan was put together a few years ago at a church in Hawaii. For instance, our key Scripture for Greater Things... is John 14:12, where Jesus said: "'I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.'" (italics added) Jesus says the key to doing even greater things is our faith in him.

So, our reading today comes from Mark 7-8, and there's a passage in Mark 8 that sums up all we've been trying to do this past month. Jesus and his disciples have headed north from Galilee, and as they're walking along, Jesus asks them who people think he is. His disciples repeat what they've heard, saying people like the prophets, Elijah or even John the Baptist (who had been executed by King Herod Antipas, Mark 6). But then Jesus gets to the crux of the matter when he asks his followers, "...'But who do you say I am?'..." (8:29, NLT - italics added)

That's really the question, isn't it? Not just who people or disciples in First Century Palestine said Jesus was, but who do we say he is. Who we say, what we believe, makes all the difference in the world. It determines whether we believe what he says, whether we're willing to follow him, no matter what. It determines whether we're a follower in name, or a follower in reality. And Jesus tells us from John 14:12 that who we believe he is, our faith in him, determines how much God can and will use us.

Peter makes the amazing statement that must have been floating around in the minds of at least some of the disciples, but no one had said it yet: "...'You are the Messiah.'" (8:29) The Messiah was the Hebrew term (or Old Testament term) for God's anointed One. It was believed by First Century Jews that someday the Messiah would come, from the line of King David, and he would liberate his people, freeing them from captivity and slavery. Jews today are still looking for the coming of the Messiah, whereas Christians believe he has already come in Jesus Christ. The Greek term for "Messiah" is "Christ." Peter was saying to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the anointed One of God." "Christ" is actually a title, not a proper name. Jesus is the Christ.

The Jews pictured their Christ or Messiah as a warrior-type king who would vanquish their foes and lead them to re-establish the Kingdom of Israel, as in the time of King David, a thousand years earlier. There were certainly prophecies that pointed to the Messiah being a liberator, but there were other prophecies that most Jews had overlooked. As if to say this to his followers when Peter made this statement, Jesus proceeds to tell them what will happen to him - and it wasn't exactly according to the script most of them imagined for the Messiah or Christ. Perhaps this was one reason Jesus wasn't fully understood until after his death and resurrection.

Jesus told that, as the Messiah or Christ, he "...'must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead.'" (8:31) I'm certain the disciples didn't really hear what Jesus was saying, because all of this went against everything their faith had taught them about the Messiah. How could their conquering King be killed? The reason the disciples had a hard time at first believing in Jesus' resurrection, even though he told them he would (as we see here), was because this was so far outside their expectations, they couldn't begin to swallow what Jesus was saying.

But Jesus doesn't stop there. He goes on to talk about what it means to be his follower - then and now:

"...'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?'" (8:34-36)

Here is the picture Jesus paints of what it means to follow him, to put our faith in him. It's a radical turning from self to God and others. It's selling ourselves out for Jesus Christ, so that nothing and no one is more important. It's sacrificing everything for him, and receiving eternal life! And it is this kind of life, a life of faith in Jesus fully lived out day-in and day-out, that Jesus says he can work in and through to do even greater things. Every time we fall short of this picture, we diminish what Jesus can do in us and through us. Yet, this goal is so impossible, in and of it self, that it takes the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, living in us to move us in this direction, enabling us to live this radical lifestyle.

The question Jesus confronts all of us with is actually very simple: "Do I really believe you are who you say you are - the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One of God? Am I willing to redirect my life and actions to align with this belief - to live what I say? Ultimately, this is the question that confronts every one of us. Who do you say Jesus is?

Sometimes Interruptions are Good Things

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , | Posted On Friday, October 30, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Beginning in Mark 5:21 we read a powerful story about not one but two healings. Jesus gets out of the boat, after traveling from the region of the Gerasenes. Jairus, leader of the local synagogue, seeks Jesus out for help because his daughter is dying. He asks Jesus to come and heal her. Jesus immediately sets out with Jairus, and crowds of people follow.

Mark tells us about a woman who had suffered from constant bleeding for twelve years. No one had been able to help her; in fact, she had only gotten worse. Her bleeding would also make her ceremonially unclean - she wouldn't be able to fulfill any of the Jewish rituals, so her bleeding blocked ways for her Jewish faith to help her. And because she was "unclean," it wasn't even appropriate for her to approach Jesus, a Jewish teacher. But she is desperate. Can you imagine living with this for twelve years?

"She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, 'If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.' Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition." (Mark 5:27-29, NLT)

It was a miracle! But amazingly, Jesus was aware of what happened, feeling the healing flow out through him, the Bible tells us, and he wants to know who touched his robe. The disciples can't believe what Jesus is saying, because he's surrounded by this large crowd, with all the jostling and pushing. How could he know a miracle had happened?

Yet it had! And the frightened woman came forward, fell to her knees, and told Jesus what had happened. It's obvious that Jesus was thrilled with her act of faith: "...'Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, Your suffering is over.'" (5:34) I can just imagine her relief and joy as she got up and left to tell the world what had happened to her.

But in the meantime, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, telling him his daughter had died and there was no use bothering the Teacher now. I wonder if Jairus was resentful in that moment. He had sought Jesus out and was bringing him to his daughter, when this unclean woman barged in and touched him. Jesus had stopped, sought her out, and blessed her. Could that time have made the difference? The Bible doesn't tell us one way or another, but Jesus assures Jairus not to be afraid but have faith.

So, they proceed on to Jairus' home, where word of the daughter's death had spread and ceremonial mourners had arrived to weep and wail on behalf of the family. Jesus says the little girl isn't dead, just sleeping, and the crowd just laughs. It must have been pretty obvious to all that the girl really was dead.

But Jesus commands the girl to get up, and immediately she does and begins to walk around. Everyone was "...overwhelmed and totally amazed." (5:42) Jesus' delay with the woman had not changed the outcome. In fact, it may have heightened the miracle, causing more praise to go to God.

The thing that strikes me about this whole story is how often I get focused on something I'm going to do, and I plan it and set the plan in motion and then head off to do it. It may be a good plan, even a great plan, but sometimes God has the best plan - if I'm paying attention. Life really is about the journey, more than the destination. Sometimes the interruptions along the way are really doors God opens to allow us to see Him and His work. Rather than interruptions, they're really opportunities to grow our faith. I'm trying to remember this, because sometimes I just feel annoyed, until the "ah-ha!" moment arrives and I see what God was really up to.

I'm convinced that the reason we're often not too aware of God working in our world is because we're not looking for Him to work. We're moving forward with our plans, and we become blind to what God might do on the way. This is one of the reasons I believe reading our Bibles and praying daily are both important - they remind me each day about God and get me looking for Him, even in the interruptions of life. I really am trying to live my life with my "God" radar up and scanning all the time, and I'm seeing God working more than ever. In fact, sometimes the interruptions turn out to be the most important part of my day.

Jesus Sometimes Creates Tensions in Our Families and Friendships

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:01 AM

The Gospel of Mark is jam-packed with stories, and it's hard to pick out any one thing to write about in chapters 3-4. However, one thing did catch my attention - it's something many folks who follow Jesus discover, just as Jesus himself experienced.

"One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn't even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. 'He's out of his mind,' they said." (Mark 3:20-21, NLT)

Obviously there was some tension between Jesus and his family at this point in his life. Mark has told us nothing about Jesus' family, including stories about his birth. But all the Gospel writers recognized being with Jesus would be a source of tension in many families and friendships. In Matthew, Jesus cautions about what happens when people follow him, and then he quotes the Old Testament prophet Micah:

"'Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. "I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household."'" (Matthew 10:34-36, quote from Micah 7:6)

Jesus didn't mean he came to intentionally create strife in families and friendships. But he realized that there was always a cost to being his follower. People would be uncomfortable with a follower's level of faith, with their commitment to Christ, with their moral and ethical choices, etc. It seems so radical, so extreme sometimes.

I've talked with many Christ followers who have family members and friends who just don't understand or get it. A wife or a husband who thinks it's weird going to church, a friend who doesn't understand why you're changing some of your old habits, a co-worker who wonders if she or he can trust you anymore. This can be a real struggle for some Christ followers, to the point where they end up compromising their faith for the sake of these other relationships.

Jesus clearly faced this with his family at this point in his life. He'd given up a safe job as a carpenter to be some kind of itinerant preacher. He didn't seem to care who he angered or upset, including very powerful men. Some of the folks he was hanging out with were clearly from the other side of the tracks, or worse, tax collectors and sinners. Even though his mother Mary knew he had been a special child from God, this may have been more than they had bargained for, and they thought Jesus just might have lost it.

In fact, a few verses later, when his mother and brothers come to see him and talk to him, he refuses to stop his teaching and go out to see them. He even calls those who do God's will his "'...brother and sister and mother.'" (3:35)

Sometimes those we love just don't get it. They don't understand what it means to follow Jesus and the difference he can make in a person's life. And our relationship with Jesus can set family members and friends against each other. Maybe that's what you're struggling with right now.

But, this story doesn't end here. John tells us, "Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene." (John 19:25 NLT2) In fact, Jesus cared so much for his mother that as he hung there on the cross, he entrusted the care of his mother to the disciple John. Likewise, Jesus' brother James became active in the Jewish Christian church in Jerusalem. In fact, scholars believe that he ultimately led that church and wrote the Book of James in the Bible.

Sometimes family and friends don't get Jesus, but if we're patient and express the love of Christ to them, many of them eventually come around to become followers, too. It's always exciting to me to see a person come to faith in Christ, and before long see other members of their family and friends came to faith, because their witness was so encouraging. Sometimes it takes years, even decades. And sadly, some family and friends may never come around. While Jesus never compromised his faith and convictions for his family and friends, he also never gave up on them, and neither can we. We may be the very one God uses to reach that family member or friend.

Mark and the Invitation of Jesus

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today we move into the Gospel of Mark, looking at the first two chapters. But I want to first share a little background about Mark.

Most scholars believe that Mark was the first of the Gospels written (but not the first writing of the New Testament - some of Paul's writings date to the late 40s), somewhere between 55 and 65 A.D. It was written by John Mark, a disciple of Jesus, but not one of the original twelve. He is mentioned in Acts as accompanying Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:5), but he did not stay for the whole journey (13:13). As Paul prepared to depart on his second missionary journey with Barnabas, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along, but Paul strongly disagreed since John Mark had left them on their first journey. Barnabas ends up taking John Mark with him to Cyprus, while Paul takes Silas with him on his second missionary journey.

Sometime after that Mark probably wrote his Gospel. Many scholars believe that while Mark probably knew Jesus firsthand and followed him, he depended on the Apostle Peter for many of the details of his Gospel, giving it the credibility of one of the greatest apostles. Mark's Gospel is the shortest of the four Gospels, and was written to Gentiles (probably in Rome) instead of Jews. Therefore, he wanted to emphasize that Jesus was the Son of God who came not as a conquering king but as a humble servant. For that reason, unlike Matthew, he is less concerned to show how Jesus fulfilled Jewish prophecy. His focus is on what will make the most sense to Gentiles who may know little or nothing about Judaism and the one true God, and it may explain why he shows us more miracles than any other Gospel. Interestingly, Mark is the only Gospel that tells us absolutely nothing about Jesus' birth or coming into this world.

Most scholars believe that both Matthew and Luke had copies of Mark as they wrote their own Gospels, for virtually all of Mark is repeated in one or both of these other two Gospels. This explains why we often read the same stories in these three Gospels, though Matthew and Luke added their own insights and purposes to make them distinctively different. These three Gospels are sometimes called the Synoptic Gospels, differentiating them from John, which has little overlap.

Mark begins his Gospel with John the Baptist announcing the Messiah, the anointed one of God, is coming. Jesus comes to John, his older cousin, and is baptized by him in the Jordan River. "As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, 'You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.'" (Mark 1:10-11, NLT)

The very first words Mark records out of Jesus' mouth are these: "'The time promised by God has come at last!' he announced. 'The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!'" (1:15) These words sum up Jesus' message throughout Mark - repent and believe!

Very soon after that Jesus begins calling his disciples, and his invitation then is the same as his invitation today. To Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, Jesus said, "...'Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!'" (1:17) He would repeat that same basic invitation, Mark tells us, to the brothers James and John, and to Levi (Matthew), the tax collector: follow me!

Last night our Life Group finished watched the three-part video series "Simple" by Pastor Andy Stanley. The three messages were: "Follow," "Believe," and "Obey." Our group really enjoyed all three, but it helped to hear Stanley talk about where Jesus began with people. Not do this, or follow these rules, or jump through these hoops. He simply said, "Follow me." Go with me, get to know me, discover who I am and what I'm about. Walk with me. I love that! Let's get to know and trust each other first. That's the way all relationships begin - walking through life together.

Mark tells us Jesus invited five disciples this very way, but my guess is he used this same basic invitation with everyone. Too many folks want to make it hard - they want to make Christianity a religion of rules, when it all begins with a relationship. That doesn't mean there isn't a place for doing the right things - Stanley got to that in his third message, which we watched last night, and it was obedience. But obedience comes after a relationship is established and we come to believe and trust Jesus. In the beginning, we just follow.

Because Mark wrote to people who may have known little or nothing about Jesus, his emphasis on Jesus' invitation is a great way for us to begin today with those around us who aren't sure about Jesus. Just come check him out, start following him, and see where he leads you. Don't worry about all the rules, etc. - just get to know Jesus himself. We can tell our own story of how we began to follow him, and not try to force things. We might just be surprised by how much happens when we simply do things Jesus' way.
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