Category: Mark

Mark 14:53-72 – Guilty!

Read Mark 14:53-72

Guilty of what exactly? The religious leaders were floundering to figure out what to charge Jesus with that would convict him of death. Jesus’ visit to the home of the High Priest was certainly not by choice, and the hospitality was seriously lacking. After parading several witnesses through this laughable “trial court” scene, it was clear nobody could collaborate.

And then it happened. After remaining silent for what must have seemed like an eternity, Jesus spoke. He responded to their inquiry about whether he was the Messiah. What was Jesus’ response? He 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.” Continue reading “Mark 14:53-72 – Guilty!”

Mark 14:32-52 – At Gethsemane

Read Mark 14:32-52

Jesus knew what was about to happen. His soul was crushed. He wanted his closest followers near him during this difficult time. Our hearts should start to break, too, as we lament with Jesus. What Jesus endured, he did for you and me. Jesus wanted the suffering removed, and yet he said, “I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Jesus models for us such restraint in surrendering his desires to the will of God. This is one lesson we can learn simply from observing Jesus’ response to his situation. Praying for God’s will to be done should be our “go-to” as well. It’s even a petition in The Lord’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. Continue reading “Mark 14:32-52 – At Gethsemane”

Mark 14:12-31 – The Last Supper

Read Mark 14:12-31

Have you ever attended a retirement or going-away party for yourself or a friend? Then you know the gamut of emotions, the hopes, and the dreams for the future on everyone’s minds. I don’t think Jesus’ disciples realized this dinner with Jesus was one of those occasions. To them, this was sharing the Passover meal with Jesus, which was special by itself. Knowing how the evening carried a much deeper meaning was learned after the fact.

Would the disciples have had an inkling of doom, remembering all of Jesus’ talk lately about death? If there were any doubts going into the Passover meal, Jesus cleared it all up, but then confused the issue again just as quickly. “What was all this talk about the betrayal?” they must have wondered. Continue reading “Mark 14:12-31 – The Last Supper”

Mark 14:1-11 – A Faithful Deed

Read Mark 14:1-11

What’s happening now in Jesus’ life sets the scene for the final act. Jesus continues to teach his apostles, and the teachable moment happens as the woman anoints Jesus for his burial in advance. As you might imagine, perfume of such high quality would remain strong and fragrant for several more days.

However, the point of the story is to understand the motive of this anointing. Its significance lies in the heart’s desire to show tribute and worship King Jesus. The woman was demonstrating her unwavering love and devotion in an extravagant fashion. When is the last time you did such a thing?

Continue reading “Mark 14:1-11 – A Faithful Deed”

Mark 13:24-37 – Jesus is Coming!

Read Mark 13:24-37

As I reflect and write today, I muse that Advent is just around the corner. It strikes me that this is the perfect text for what Advent does for us today. It’s like God just “winked” at us with such profound words. We look to the skies and await Jesus’ return. Here, Jesus is telling us what to expect if we’re still here to witness it.

There’s that fig tree again! But now, we see an even deeper meaning in Jesus’ example just a few verses ago. Jesus saw the signs and knew what to expect of the tree. Jesus has explained the signs we can expect to see when his coming is near. But the fig tree didn’t produce fruit in time for Jesus, and sometimes the signs we see about his coming are just the beginning; the best (fruit) is yet to come. The difference ends in that I’m not going to curse the fact that I haven’t seen Jesus yet. Continue reading “Mark 13:24-37 – Jesus is Coming!”

error

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)