Mark 8
Hi, Team! It’s Molly writing the blog this week, about Mark 8.
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."
While Jesus refused to give the Pharisees a sign, his disciples had all just witnessed
Jesus taking seven loaves of bread and a few small fish, feeding four thousand people with it, and having seven baskets of bread left over. He’s also, at this point, walked on the Sea, healed a Deaf Mute, and made people well just by them touching Him.
Shortly after when Jesus tells the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, the disciples don’t think of it as a warning to help them, they think he is upset with them because they only brought one loaf of bread. They’ve just witnessed the miracle that he performed with the previous group, feeding them from seven loaves of bread, and they think He’s upset about the bread? You feel like asking them, “Were you paying attention, at all to what just happened?” Which is basically what he does say to them. Jesus has just told the Pharisees he does not need to give them a sign, and then the people following him most closely that have been witnessing true signs the whole time of the Word he speaks and of the Godly acts he performs, are thinking he would be upset about something that they just watched him take complete control over?
We live in a society that is always looking for “proof” before we take action on something. We have all been these disciples at some point. We are always seeking signs from God, we even ask for them, but how many come that we just skip over, in turn thinking that God has forgotten about us and that he is upset with us about “the bread”? I can think of too many instances where God would be able to say to me, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?”
Monday, April 26, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Mark 7
Mark 7
Hey everyone! This is Miranda. This week we are going to be in Mark 7. In this chapter, Jesus is confronted by the scribes and Pharisees because the disciples did not follow the traditions of the Jews. If you were Jewish, it was required that you wash your hands before eating. This was a tradition instituted by the elders, in addition to other traditions like washing pots and pans before eating from them.
That may seem silly to us because we all wash our dishes and hands. But, the big underlying issue here is, the Pharisees saw their traditions as law and replaced the law of God for their own beliefs. They spent more time focusing on protecting their man-based traditions rather than using God’s commandments as the guide for their actions. Because they were like this, they were very judgmental of anyone who did not hold to their standards. It brings to mind Matthew 7: 3-5 where Jesus preaches about taking the log out of our own eye so that we may take the speck out of our brother’s eye. When you spend all your energy judging someone else, you can’t see that you’re the one who is in need of help.
What I want us to think about this week is: Are there things in our lives that are tradition to us that don’t measure up with what Gods says? Do we pay God lip-service with hearts far from him and worship him in vain, holding to our own traditions instead of His commandments, as verses 6-7 say? What are your thoughts and what stood out to you in this chapter?
Hey everyone! This is Miranda. This week we are going to be in Mark 7. In this chapter, Jesus is confronted by the scribes and Pharisees because the disciples did not follow the traditions of the Jews. If you were Jewish, it was required that you wash your hands before eating. This was a tradition instituted by the elders, in addition to other traditions like washing pots and pans before eating from them.
That may seem silly to us because we all wash our dishes and hands. But, the big underlying issue here is, the Pharisees saw their traditions as law and replaced the law of God for their own beliefs. They spent more time focusing on protecting their man-based traditions rather than using God’s commandments as the guide for their actions. Because they were like this, they were very judgmental of anyone who did not hold to their standards. It brings to mind Matthew 7: 3-5 where Jesus preaches about taking the log out of our own eye so that we may take the speck out of our brother’s eye. When you spend all your energy judging someone else, you can’t see that you’re the one who is in need of help.
What I want us to think about this week is: Are there things in our lives that are tradition to us that don’t measure up with what Gods says? Do we pay God lip-service with hearts far from him and worship him in vain, holding to our own traditions instead of His commandments, as verses 6-7 say? What are your thoughts and what stood out to you in this chapter?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Mark 6
Mark 6
Hey guys, it’s Philip this week. Wow, life is busy, but if you are like me, this blog certainly holds me accountable to being in the word more consistently. I am so proud to be a part of this team!
We have a really long chapter this week, and some great stories: Jesus walking on the water, feeding of the 5,000, Jesus healing the sick with only the touch of his garment, AMAZING POWER! With all these powerful stories, I was struck by some of the language yet again, and specifically in what I want to point out, vs. 7-13, when Jesus sends out His disciples.
Up to this point, Jesus called these men and had them travelling with Him, but it was clearly the right time, they had seen enough and heard his teachings enough to be sent out on their own. I noticed He sent them out in pairs, for strength and support, and I would argue in parallel with our lesson this week, for fellowship. Knowing the hearts of these men, and seeing them even in this chapter become frightened of situations, Jesus was intentional about setting them up to work together. He also sent them with nothing except a staff. This was to push them to place all of their trust and faith in God’s ability to sustain their earthly needs such as food, water, etc. It seems a bit extreme, but what about this mission wasn’t extreme? Remember, though Jesus was becoming increasingly famous, there was certain danger everywhere they went as this teaching was challenging the norm.
The last point that struck me, was a burden I have carried at times, and that is that if they were to proclaim the gospel and it fall on deaf ears, to “shake off the dust” and move on. We carry the burden of sharing the gospel with others, and I know that each of us do this differently and more than just on Sunday’s, as I have witnessed this in many of you. But I know at times if I share my faith, and someone rejects it, I struggle with what I may have done wrong. To me, Jesus is encouraging his closest to teach, work, share, love, heal, admonish, and live the gospel, and if the “ground is hard”, there are many more who need to hear. Ultimately I draw back to this parable of the sower, and the fact that Jesus wants us to spread the gospel seed, and sometimes it will not take, but that seed remains and may someday take hold.
Are we ready to be sent the way Jesus sent his disciples?
Hey guys, it’s Philip this week. Wow, life is busy, but if you are like me, this blog certainly holds me accountable to being in the word more consistently. I am so proud to be a part of this team!
We have a really long chapter this week, and some great stories: Jesus walking on the water, feeding of the 5,000, Jesus healing the sick with only the touch of his garment, AMAZING POWER! With all these powerful stories, I was struck by some of the language yet again, and specifically in what I want to point out, vs. 7-13, when Jesus sends out His disciples.
Up to this point, Jesus called these men and had them travelling with Him, but it was clearly the right time, they had seen enough and heard his teachings enough to be sent out on their own. I noticed He sent them out in pairs, for strength and support, and I would argue in parallel with our lesson this week, for fellowship. Knowing the hearts of these men, and seeing them even in this chapter become frightened of situations, Jesus was intentional about setting them up to work together. He also sent them with nothing except a staff. This was to push them to place all of their trust and faith in God’s ability to sustain their earthly needs such as food, water, etc. It seems a bit extreme, but what about this mission wasn’t extreme? Remember, though Jesus was becoming increasingly famous, there was certain danger everywhere they went as this teaching was challenging the norm.
The last point that struck me, was a burden I have carried at times, and that is that if they were to proclaim the gospel and it fall on deaf ears, to “shake off the dust” and move on. We carry the burden of sharing the gospel with others, and I know that each of us do this differently and more than just on Sunday’s, as I have witnessed this in many of you. But I know at times if I share my faith, and someone rejects it, I struggle with what I may have done wrong. To me, Jesus is encouraging his closest to teach, work, share, love, heal, admonish, and live the gospel, and if the “ground is hard”, there are many more who need to hear. Ultimately I draw back to this parable of the sower, and the fact that Jesus wants us to spread the gospel seed, and sometimes it will not take, but that seed remains and may someday take hold.
Are we ready to be sent the way Jesus sent his disciples?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Mark 5
Mark 5
This is going to be a short post by me. LOL! I know, right? Me not talking long? HA!
I will say this though: Giant of a man, possessed by a multitude of demons, chained up on the side of a mountain, crazy and violent. You gotta be either out of your mind to go near this dude, or the Son of God, on a mission to show people the power He was able to wield! Just sayin!
But seriously, this is a great chapter with many cool miracles in it. It just goes to show how Jesus had compassion on people and was willing to heal, or even bring back from the dead. Why aren't we willing to get outside our comfort zones to help people. Here's my question though. Don't be afraid to answer, thinking someone's gonna try and trap you! I honestly just want to know your thoughts.
Why do you think Jesus told so many that he healed not to say anything?
-Robbie
This is going to be a short post by me. LOL! I know, right? Me not talking long? HA!
I will say this though: Giant of a man, possessed by a multitude of demons, chained up on the side of a mountain, crazy and violent. You gotta be either out of your mind to go near this dude, or the Son of God, on a mission to show people the power He was able to wield! Just sayin!
But seriously, this is a great chapter with many cool miracles in it. It just goes to show how Jesus had compassion on people and was willing to heal, or even bring back from the dead. Why aren't we willing to get outside our comfort zones to help people. Here's my question though. Don't be afraid to answer, thinking someone's gonna try and trap you! I honestly just want to know your thoughts.
Why do you think Jesus told so many that he healed not to say anything?
-Robbie
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