Monthly Archives: August 2020

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – LINKED TO THE SOURCE

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LINKED TO THE SOURCE

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:23-27

Peter was dumbfounded. As spokesman as usual, he blurted out what was on his mind. Jesus’ observation, in response to the rich man’s crestfallen reaction to His reply, left him (Peter) completely confused. According to his understanding, wealth was the evidence of God’s favour and blessing on a life. Surely, then, that blessing must include the reward of eternal life. And yet this man had no such assurance and was seeking it from Jesus through some deed he thought he needed to do.

As the man walked slowly away, Jesus gazed after him with a wistful comment. Wealth is not a sign that one is in the kingdom. Rather, it’s the biggest hindrance to experiencing and enjoying the kingdom – unless, of course, one’s wealth is a servant to serve those who are in the kingdom.

The disciples’ minds reeled. If wealthy people have no chance of experiencing the kingdom of God, what chance do we poor folk have? Jesus’ reply was blunt. “No chance at all if you think it depends upon you. Every chance in the world if you realise it’s about God’s grace.” Once again Jesus zeroed in on the heart of the matter. Externals don’t count. Wealth or poverty is not the determining factors. Eternal life is a matter of the heart.

And again, Peter opened his mouth. “Look how good we are, Jesus!  We left everything for you.” Jesus graciously acknowledged that. “Yes, Peter, you have and you won’t lose out for me. You’ll get back more than you forfeited, but remember that this journey is not trouble-free. What you receive in this life is only temporary, and it brings its own troubles. The true reward is your bond with me. That will last forever long after this life is over.”

Paradoxically, what might appear to be God’s favour and blessing actually turns out to be a hindrance, pushing the ones who think they have it all to the end of the queue. Those who have nothing and are aware of it stand first in line for the benefits of depending on and living in union with their source. They don’t need the world’s wealth because they are joined by faith to the Giver of life. They are linked to a limitless supply. That is true life.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – HE KEPT EVERYTHING BUT LOST EVERYTHING

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HE KEPT EVERYTHING BUT LOST EVERYTHING

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Mark 10:17-22

As we ponder the vast, unbounded and limitless love of God, a little phrase pops up in this story, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” What was there in that glance of Jesus that released a river of love for this man? What was this love that rose up in the heart of Jesus? What did the disciples see that released this comment in the inspired Scriptures? Was it a tear that rolled unheeded down Jesus’ cheek? Was it the tender tone in His voice? Was it an arm extended to embrace him? Was it the words Jesus spoke that would set him free from his burden of possessions had he the courage to let them go?

The words that Jesus spoke may have seemed hard and cruel to this wealthy man. Give it all away! How could he do that? How could he voluntarily reduce himself to poverty by giving away everything he had worked so hard to accumulate? How could he deprive his descendants of their inheritance? It was too much to ask of him. He weighed up his desire to be assured of eternal life with the ease and comfort of his present life and chose what he had over what he longed to have. He could not have both.

How amazing is the love of God! He honoured and respected His gift of free will. The man had made his choice and Jesus loved him enough to let him go. His love bound Him to honour his freedom without trying to persuade him or coerce him. In this He showed him that He longs to be loved for no other reward than to have the honour of loving Him.

What did this main gain by his choice and what did he lose? He gained the whole world, everything that money and possessions represent in this present scheme of things; comfort, ease, position, luxury, pleasure, self-indulgence, friends – but he lost his own soul. What he had inside was fear, guilt, shame, insecurity, emptiness and restlessness that would never leave him, day or night. His thirst remained unquenched. He was alone – an orphan, never knowing a Father’s love or the joy of a place in God’s forever family. Was it worth it?

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – A POOR CHOICE, INDEED

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A POOR CHOICE, INDEED 

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Mark 10:17-22

This incident illustrates the power that stuff, whatever it is – money, things, gifts, talents, abilities, skills, people, habits, and pleasure – exerts on a person and blocks the potential to have fellowship with Jesus. A wealthy young man came to Jesus with an expression of spiritual hunger. He desired the assurance of eternal life. He had obviously seen something in Jesus that drew a response from his own heart. He yearned for a share in the dimension of living that Jesus exhibited.

Jesus firstly challenged his address – good teacher. Did the man recognise His deity or was he only trying to flatter Him? To call Jesus “good” was to attribute to Him deity and all the power and authority that go with deity. What Jesus said in response to the man’s query would alert him to the very nature of the one he was addressing. Fid he realise that he was acknowledging Jesus to be God? God? . To the man, Jesus’ response would eventually be much more than an answer to his question. This would turn out to be a defining moment for him; a choice to make that would determine the direction of his destiny.

His restless soul bore witness to the inadequacy of his own righteousness, and the focus of his life and confidence.– stuff. Keeping the commandments from childhood brought him no nearer to real living. He had too many chains that hindered true freedom. There was something he had missed but he could not identify it. He thought that it was something he had not yet done.

In one sentence, Jesus put his finger on the problem. His treasure was in his heart. As long as his stuff was his master, he was owned by a life-principle that rules in the world system – the yetzer harah, the evil eye of selfishness and greed. . No-one can serve two masters. Unless he chose to repudiate the master that controlled him, he would be a slave to money until he died. His slave-driver won the battle that day. He chose to remain a slave to his possessions rather than let them go for a Master who would give him true freedom. He could not visualise a life linked to a Source far more secure than his money and possessions.

Millions in today’s world are in love with the same master. Better to trust your bank account than a God you cannot see. Really…?

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – THE FATHER’S BLESSING

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THE FATHER’S BLESSING

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

What is it about fatherhood that either makes or breaks a child? What is it about a father’s blessing that sets a child free to fulfil his potential? Jesus simply taught and demonstrated this quality of fatherhood throughout His public ministry. Since it was His primary mission to reveal the Father, the way He treated the “dregs” of society would open up people’s understanding to the heart of the Father.

What the religious leaders modelled was the exact opposite of the Father’s attitude to people. They presented a god who put people on trial in relation to their behaviour. Everything was judged on the grounds of rule-breaking. They only accepted the people who thought and behaved as they did. They created a class of people who were exclusive and contemptuous of all other people who did not fulfil their expectations.

Jesus, on the other hand, modelled a true father who loves unconditionally and accepts all people as His sons. He affirms every person regardless of what they have done, as long as they have faith in Him. In that environment of total acceptance and unconditional love, a person has room enough to be himself and to learn, through mistakes and imperfections, how to be a son. Through fellowship with the Father and under the mentorship of Jesus and the nurturing of the Holy Spirit, they mature into spiritual adulthood in order to partner with the Father in the business of the kingdom.

Jesus Himself, on the threshold of His public ministry at His baptism, received the confirmation and assurance of the Father’s love and full acceptance that carried Him through to the completion of His mission. He was so secure in the Father’s love that He constantly spoke about it in His conflict with the religious leaders. This loving acceptance was the driving force and guiding light of His whole life.

A father’s blessing, then, is not just a once-off act but an attitude – the daily, loving, non-judgmental acceptance of his child that creates the environment for learning, growth and development into secure and responsible adulthood.

It is tragic that the church has lost its perspective. People are judged or accepted on the grounds of whether they are “in” or “out”.  Why is this? Is it because there has come a gradual separation, through centuries of erroneous understanding and preaching, between “the gospel” and the kingdom of God? The church in many cases, has become a place of judgment instead of a place of safety. “Gospel” preaching is equated with evangelism and tends to focus on how to get to heaven. It’s mostly about how to get one’s sins forgiven so that one can escape hell and go to heaven when one dies. That is NOT what Jesus taught. He taught that the kingdom of God is here. He invited all people to enter in order to experience His life here and now and to be restored to ECHAD with Him.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – BLESSED AND COVERED

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BLESSED AND COVERED

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

We have already discussed why children are precious to Jesus and why He used a child as an example of what He values in people (Mark 9:33-37). It is obvious that the disciples had not yet got the message or they would not have shown contempt for the children who were brought to Jesus.

Why did Jesus relish “blessing” the children and what was the blessing He spoke over them? There is no indication in the passage of who they were, how old they were, how many there were. None of these details mattered. Every child at every age had value to Jesus. He took the opportunity to intercept any damaging word or experience spoken over any one of those children with His own divine, creative words of affirmation and acceptance that released shalom – peace and well-being – into their lives. He probably spoke the priestly blessing over them.

Jesus did not speak grandiose Ideas into the children of what they would become or achieve. He simply acknowledged their potential as God’s children and spoke affirmation and acceptance into their lives. We must beware, in our “ministry” to people, that we don’t subtly put ideas into people’s heads that lead them away from utter dependence on Jesus for life and fruitfulness.

One of the names of Messiah which Isaiah prophesied (Is 9:6) would be “Everlasting Father”. Jesus was acting in a fatherly role in receiving, affirming and accepting the little ones in order to release them into their full potential in the kingdom of God. It is seen clearly in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son. The father was not offended by his son’s behaviour. He received him back because of who he was – his son. In one act of acceptance and affirmation, he peeled off all the layers of offensive behaviour to reveal the heart of the young man – still his son, no matter what.

This incident is a visual aid of the way Jesus views His children. Our behaviour does not offend Him because He sees the potential and affirms the relationship He has made possible by peeling off all the layers of filthy behaviour that encrust us. He covers us with His own garment of perfect sonship and by His acceptance and affirmation, releases us into our destiny to become what we were created for, without the hindrances of what we think we are or what we have done. God sees none of that because it has been covered by the righteousness of His own Son.