Mk15

If we are focused on the Kingdom of God, we will be bold in our obedience to Jesus. If our focus is this world, Jesus will be minimized. Joseph of Arimathea, who was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin, was bold in offering to bury Jesus in his tomb. 

Most members of the Sanhedrin were working hard to have Jesus crucified, but Joseph boldly asked for his dead body and properly made arrangements for Jesus' burial. Why? The text clearly said, "he was looking forward to the kingdom of God." Jesus' words about the kingdom had gripped his heart and he had become a true follower of Christ.

Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come." The pharisees had Jesus crucified because they were "envious". Jesus threatened their kingdom. He demanded change. He wanted them to live differently. Their love for this world caused them to want Jesus out of it! I wonder if I sometimes feel the same way?

Live for the kingdom that is to come. Not this temporary world.

Mk14

Extravagance toward Jesus is a great way to "waste" your assets! To my knowledge this is the only time recorded in Scripture when someone gave something to Jesus and it was called "wasted". 

The value of this perfume was likely a year's wages for the average worker. It was an extravagant gift and an extravagant expression of love! Even the disciples thought this kind of extravagance toward Jesus was a "waste". They said, "this perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor."

My hunch is that the woman was probably more generous to the poor than the disciples, AND it is likely true, that they were not actually thinking of the poor. Most likely they were thinking of themselves! "Why not just give the perfume to Jesus. We could then sell it. Give some away. But mostly have money for ourselves." We don't have much evidence that they thought much of the poor. We have a lot of evidence that they thought a lot about themselves.

The application of this text could easily be... Let your extravagance be expressed to Jesus! 

Mk13

Jesus is coming back. It could be today. Would we be ready? Would we do something different if we knew it was today?

Jesus said, "no one knows the time or the hour, be ready!" A day is coming when life as we know it will be finished. The return of Christ will mark the beginning of eternity for everyone. Either eternal bliss with Jesus, or eternal darkness without HIm. Every day is another opportunity to share the good news with someone who doesn't know.

Live ready today. Let's intentionally use our life in a manner that will advance God's kingdom. When Jesus comes back, we want to be among those who fully rejoice and don't shrink back in fear and regret.

We believe. I pray our lives demonstrates this truth.

Mk12

Does your giving reflect love and faith toward God? The answer is yes! If you are rich and giving large sums of your "surplus" to God, you are still not giving as God desires. He wants our first and our best. Being rich from a biblical perspective is having excess beyond our "needs". I know of few Americans who would not qualify as rich.

The widow gave out of faith. She gave out of poverty. She gave all she had. What she had was not enough to meet her needs. She knew without God's provisions, she would be in want. Yet, rather than justify non-giving, she demonstrated her true love for God by giving. Her eternal reward will be great. She invested well.

I am constantly discouraged by how American christians consume, spend and give. What we call "need" the majority of the world would call luxury. What we call "giving" is almost always out of surplus. God has given us so much. He is watching our giving. I wonder if He is pleased.

Mk11

When Jesus surveyed the temple, He did not like what He saw. Since our bodies are His temple now, what does He see that He doesn't like? Is my life a life of prayer? Are the things I am giving my life for the things that are distracting from or enhancing my eternal reward?

Jesus surveyed the temple one day and the next day returned with zeal! He made a mess of the place proclaiming, "My house is to be a place of prayer. You have turned it into a den of robbers!" Today Christ's temple resides in the life of every believer. I wonder what Jesus' observations are.

Are we like the unfruitful fig tree? Do we say one thing with our words and a completely different thing with our lives? Would our life be characterized by prayer and obedience? Are we living in a manner that pleases God?

These are all good questions to be asking ourselves from this chapter.  Live to please Jesus.

Mk10

Our possessions capture our hearts and often keep us from honoring Jesus. Whatever we will not give away grips our heart and possibly is the idol we worship.

Jesus said, "It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." Why? Because the "riches" become our god. The young man came to Jesus wanting eternal life. He did not want eternal life at the expense of giving up all his possessions. The reason? He had many possessions and those possessions gripped his heart.

If your income exceeds $30,000 annually, you are in the top 1% of the world's wealthiest people! If you are not generous with your wealth (giving a minimum of a tithe {10%}), I would question whether you actually understand the call of the gospel. Jesus said multiple times, "you cannot serve God and money".

Jesus taught us the purpose of money is to expand His kingdom. It is the best investment of all. It is an eternal investment.

Be Generous.

MK9

If you don't know WHAT to say, be quiet! If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything. If you're terrified and in the presence of Jesus, Moses and Elijah, these things are especially true! 

Peter was a talker! He was the first to speak. He spoke when he didn't know what to say. He argued with Jesus about what Jesus should do. And now, in his fear, he speaks out only to be interrupted by God Himself! It is almost as though Peter's words were completely unnoticed. God's voice booms from heaven, LISTEN TO JESUS!

I can identify with Peter. Often my words, which come almost like breathing, only make things worse. I need to hear the rebuke from heaven…LISTEN. Jesus' brother wrote in James, "be quick to listen and slow to speak". Paul wrote, "speak the truth in love". Interestingly I don't know of any verses in 1 or 2 Peter about listening and speaking. Hmm…

I will have to look that up. Oh well. Be a listener today.

Mk8

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his life? What can a man give in exchange for his life?

Jesus was clear in His teaching about this life. Both the Pharisees and Herodians thought they had life all figured out, but they rejected the One who came to give life. Their rejection of Jesus sealed their eternity forever. In this life they had much. In the life to come they were bankrupt.

Jesus said, "Do you want to be my disciple?" If so you must deny yourself, take up your cross (die to self), and follow Him. Following the leader requires going where he goes, saying what he says and doing what he does? If these things are not true of us then we are not "following" Jesus.

Follow Jesus today.

Mk7

Many "worship" Jesus with their lips, but their heart is far from God! If you want to know where your heart is, examine where you spent your money and time.

Jesus condemned the pharisees for saying one thing and doing another! They were the ones who justified themselves before God. They were the ones who condemned others, yet did the bare minimum required by the law. They justified themselves by themselves without looking to Jesus and His example. Their standard of righteousness was each other.

Unfortunately, I am often more like a pharisee than I am like Jesus! What about you? Following Jesus is easy with my words. Actually doing what Jesus would want me to do is a difficult challenge every day. I know my heart is desperate and sinful. My personal prayer is that Jesus will continue to give me a "new heart". He says I can move my heart by moving my treasure.

God help all of us.

Mk6

Covering sin only leads to even more sin! The degree a person will go to cover their sin never ceases to amaze me! Herodias had John the Baptist beheaded because he stood for truth and told her that her actions were wrong! Whenever I read this account, I am perplexed with almost every detail! 

Rather than admit her wrong, she had John murdered! She was a powerful woman and could have had up to 1/2 of Herod's kingdom. Her daughter's dance had provoked Herod to commit to anything and everything she wanted. He had no idea that all she wanted was for the person who spoke truth to her to be destroyed! 

Imagine Herodias' next day. Now she not only had the quilt of her sinful immorality, but she had to live with the new quilt of murdering a righteous man. Not to mention the memory that would live daily in the life of her daughter! 

Covering sin only leads to more sin. Confess and forsake sin. It is a better path.

Mk5

Jesus overcame the demonic, healed the sick and raised the dead all in this one chapter! His challenge to us: "only believe".

Jesus has the power to conquer sin and death. His desire is for His name to be exalted and for God to be worshiped. Do you need a miracle today? I do. People are still being overcome by satan, sickness and death. Jesus has the power to heal. We should cry out to Him for help and healing.

This valentines day, I plan to spend time praying for healing and help for all those I love. Jesus cares even more than I do. 

"Lord I believe. Help my unbelief."

Mk4

"By the measure you use, it will be measured and added to you." - Jesus 

There is no question that Jesus often spoke of stewardship. Stewardship is when we have been given a responsibility to handle the treasure of another in a manner that is pleasing to them. When it comes to our stewardship in relationship to God, that involves every aspect of our lives.

Jesus is describing the kingdom in terms of seeds sown in different kinds of soil. Most of the seed becomes unfruitful, but there is a seed the yields fruit and produces an abundant crop. The seed is the same in every illustration. It is the soil that is different. The soil is made evident in fruitfulness. Jesus desires our lives to have an impact on His kingdom. Consider the fruit that is able to be seen in our lives.

Mk3

Jesus chose His disciples and gave some "nicknames". Do you ever wonder if the other disciples wished they had a nickname as well? Simon was the original "rock" and James and John were the "sons of thunder". If Jesus were to give you a nickname, what would it be?

I really enjoy nicknames. For me they are terms of endearment and communicate relationship. Often this is not the case. Sometimes nicknames are hurtful and cruel. Since Jesus never would have been the later, we can assume that these new names were terms of endearment.

If you enjoy giving nicknames, make sure the recipient enjoys the name also. Use "name calling" as a means of encouragement. Jesus did.

Mk2

Good friends are friends who bring you to Jesus so your sins can be forgiven. God forgives sin. Jesus forgave sins. Jesus is God.

What seemed blasphemous to the pharisees was actually evidence that Jesus was God. Healing the sick, casting out demons, performing miracles AND forgiving sins was "easy" for Him. In fact, those things were His nature. Being a man and dealing daily with the humanity of us all was the "hard" part!

Jesus' power to forgive sins is still for everyone who will seek Him in faith.

Mk1

Jesus "baptized" people with the Holy Spirit! If we are His disciples, the work of the Holy Spirit will be evident in our lives. Many people have entered in to a religious experience, (baptism, communion, attending a worship service, confirmation, etc.)but few seem to know anything about the work of the Holy Spirit.

The relationship that we have with God is made possible through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. That relationship is evident by the Holy Spirit coming to live within our lives. Religion is a set of things we do to "earn" good standing with God. It is the Holy Spirit that provides a true and meaningful relationship with God.

Jesus came so that we could have eternal life. Eternal life is rooted in a relationship with Him through the work of the Holy Spirit. Are you aware of the Holy Spirit's work in your life? He is the evidence of true faith in Jesus. His life in us is what matters. He is the One Jesus came to provide for us.

Mt28

Two emotions should characterize our worship of the risen Lord: fear & great joy! These were the emotions that first captured the hearts of the woman who saw Him after his resurrection. The angel announced that Jesus was risen from the dead. Immediately, they were overwhelmed with both fear and great joy. When they saw Jesus, they fell at His feet and worshiped Him.

The average christian today rarely has either of these emotions. My observation is that our worship could best be described as stoic & dutiful. We have very little "fear of God" in our lives and possibly even less "joy". We fear men, or the loss of relationship, or death, or unemployment, or not being able to retire. God and His desires are rarely on our minds. We rarely think about who we will ultimately stand before to give an account.

Joy is even less apparent in the things of God; much less "great joy". When is the last time we were filled with "great joy"? Was it in the presence of God as an act of worship? Or was it over something trivial and temporal in comparison? It is not wrong to have joy in all things. It is only wrong when we don't take joy in the best things. It is wrong to delight in the things of this life more than the creator of it all.

We need to examine our worship today. We will make disciples of everything we worship.

Mt27

Pilot knew Jesus was innocent! He also knew that "envy" was the primary reason the religious leaders wanted him dead!

Envy is a horrible sin. It says, "You have something I want, therefore, I don't want you to have it." It is the source of conflict in relationships and it destroys unity in the church. Jesus' brother, James, considered it one of the most destructive of all sins relationally. He described it as "bitter envy".

Are there people who have something you want and you don't like them simply because of what they have? Do you secretly want everyone to be "less" than you? When good things happen to people you envy are you angry?

Envy is a horrible killer! It was the motivation for crucifying the perfect man. Get rid of envy from your life. 

Mt26

The disciples "talked big" in the presence of Jesus, but were cowards at the moment of truth! For one brief moment, Peter took a stand and struck the high priest's servant, but even he ended the night with denying Jesus to a slave girl.

It has always been man's tendency to say one thing and actually do another! To talk the talk but not walk the walk. Only Jesus perfectly lived out the words He spoke. His perfection made possible our forgiveness. There is no doubt I would have been a cowering disciple.

The challenge today is for those of us who know Jesus to not be cowards, but to testify to the truth. Not only when we are with others who believe, but especially when we are with others who do not!

Don't be a coward.

Mt25

What is the difference between a "sheep and goat" in this chapter? What they "did" or "didn't" do. There is no question that Jesus expected one's faith to effect their actions! If you were to examine your life based on what you do for others, how would you likely be categorized?

Jesus came to serve others and to give his life for them. He calls His disciples to "do" the same thing. Being "ready" for Christ return is to be busy "doing" what He would call us to do. A good steward is someone who takes what has been given to them and actually uses it to accomplish the master's purpose.

Be a good steward of all you have been given today. Serve others. Share Christ with them.

Mt24

Jesus is coming back. If He came today, would you be ready? Two thousand years have passed since He first told His disciples to "be ready", certainly the time is drawing near.

What would be different about your day if you actually knew Jesus would return today? How would your conversations go? Who would you want to speak with? What would you say? These are all things Jesus wanted His followers to be daily considering. If that was true 2,000 years ago, it is definitely true today.

Live ready.