Feb. 16th, 2011
Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” Mark 11:20-25
Following the dramatic stories of cursing the fig tree, and driving the moneychangers out of the temple, Jesus adds this dramatic statement: “your faith will allow you to move mountains into the sea.” Now, I’m not sure why anyone would want to move a mountain into the sea, but Jesus is making an equally dramatic statement: “Our faith is Strong!” But…there are conditions.
1) You must really believe. You can’t just pretend to believe. I’m not sure the difference between “real” and “pretend” belief – but my guess is it has something to do with praying with Kingdom results in mind, rather than just personal wants. I bet it has to do with utter and complete dependence, and utter and complete willingness to accept the end result of whatever you are praying for.
2) You must have no doubt in your heart. I have a hard time with this one. I believe there is room in a believer’s life for times of doubt – in fact I think that sometimes doubt is a healthy prerequisite for deeper faith. Apparently I’m wrong – and now it makes sense that I’ve seen so little mountain moving in all my “doubtful” years!
3) You must believe that you’ve received it, and it will be yours. Those big hair channel knuckleheads were right! We must name it and claim it and it will be ours. All we have to do is “really” believe, have “no” doubt, and act like we’ve already received it and --- “poof” --- it will be ours. I’m sorry, but Jesus must have meant something else! The name it claim it exact mantras of faith, and no doubt, and telling God what exactly you want Him to do, expecting and not doubting, and acting like you have already received it is in my opinion a not so subtle form of personal idolatry. You do all the steps right – and God HAS to do what you ask! Nonsense.
4) You must forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against. This is a tough one. Most of us live off the angst we harbor against someone(s). Many of us are motivated by the anger we feel against those who have wronged us. Some of us would rather live in the state of unforgivness and impotent prayers – than do the right thing and make it right with another with whom we “loving” grudge!
This is a hard passage – which seems like it should be easy – have faith and move mountains…sounds good, but seems hard upon further investigation. Lord, help me to grow the faith I have. Help me really believe. Help me allow you to inform and remove my illegitimate doubts. Help me to live like I have received the answers to my prayers – not in some illogical or impractical ways, but in faithful and grateful ways. And help me do the hard, right, work of setting things right with those I must today! Hard!

Feb. 14th, 2011
The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it…The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus has said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!” Mark 11: 12-14 & 20-21
This unusual story baffles me a bit – but I better figure it out – I’m preaching on it this Sunday! Jesus curses a fig tree, and overnight it dies. Not much to go on there. The obvious “application” is that whatever doesn’t produce fruit is “pruned” away. Was this just another obvious metaphor of Israel and the unfruitful religion that had become her benchmark?
The barren fig tree would serve as book ends to another story that happens in the middle of this one: the cleansing of the temple. Upon seeing the temple now transformed into a market place for corrupt retail business in the name of religion – Jesus gets as angry as we see him anywhere in scripture – and runs the thieves out of His Father’s temple. His righteous indignation erupts and he clears the money changers out of church. The fact is missed on the surface, but these merchants knew better than set up their wares in the actual temple, so they erected them in the court of the Gentiles – which left no room for the Gentiles to worship God. The Gentiles were not welcome in the inner Jewish court, their court had been converted into a Wal-Mart, and they were left outside seeking a place at the altar table. Jesus had seen enough and went off on them, for their obvious disregard, and even more egregious prejudice against the faith- seeking Gentiles.
All of that makes some sense, but leaves me still longing for a meaning in the story of the fig tree, which preempts the temple one. And the second half of verse 13 complicates things: But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Maybe I’m looking to deep, and should just accept the story at face value; a prelude for the temple cleansing; but I can’t help but wonder why Jesus would curse a perfectly good fig tree for having no fruit - - when it was not yet “fruit season”? Is God saying that we ought to be producing fruit whether it is “in season or out of season”? Maybe. Is God saying that we ought to be producing “Spiritual Fruit”, even if our natural “season” is past; or not yet come? Probably. Is God saying that fruit which is life sustaining, is more important than leaves which are just pretty to look at, and provide some shade? Yes, certainly. Then why doesn’t he just say that??? Maybe He wants us to figure out for ourselves, and listen to that inner voice with a personal message just for us today. I hope He speaks soon – I have a sermon to write! And more importantly – I’m certain God has a personal message in this just for me!

Feb. 9th, 2011
They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it. Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting. “Praise God!” Mark 11:7-9
We have turned a major corner in the progression of Mark’s gospel. Through the 10th chapter all stories and events have been leading up to and progressing toward what is now about to unfold. This signature event that we call “Palm Sunday” ushers us into the last week of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection – but do you suppose those alongside the palm lined road had any clue what lay ahead? I doubt it.
The story of Jesus securing the services of an innocent donkey from an unsuspecting owner seems pedestrian at first glance. I’m sure the disciples were a bit mystified; they were still expecting Jesus to establish this kingdom he’d been talking about; but naturally assumed he’d establish it like all the other revolutionaries who had preceded him: with force, fanfare, and pomp and circumstance! Nope, he comes riding into town on a donkey, with his feet probably dragging in the dirt! You’d think they’d be getting it by now that Jesus hardly ever does things the way they think he would…or should! They were probably embarrassed to be part of his brigade marching with heads held low as this “King” comes humbly into town.
I don’t think we are vastly different. We have certain expectations about how Jesus “ought” to work in our lives and world…and we’re not afraid to tell him so! We expect that once we accept Jesus, all our health issues, money issues, safety concerns, even our mundane wants and wishes will all be addressed and taken care of. Instead we find faithful people still getting sick, still struggling with disease, still fighting temptations and our human nature. Jesus comes to us in ways we often don’t expect.
What we need to remember is that this entrance into Jerusalem was a direct fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 – and the astute observers would recognize it as such. Unfortunately not many of them cared – they were just looking for ways for Jesus to make their life easier, better, and safer. Their cries of “Praise God” might seem a final realization of Mark’s dream – to reveal the true identity of Jesus – but as we’ll observe in just a few days – those cries turn wicked…stay tuned for the last episodes in this coming to an end drama!

Feb. 8th, 2011
And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see and he followed Jesus down the road. Mark 10:52
I know that Mark’s favorite word is “immediately or instantly”, but I wonder about this “instant” miracle of healing. I’ve not had many of those “instant” miracles in my life – and only a very few times have my prayers for healing been answered in such “instant” ways. Have the times changed so much that miracles only happen occasionally these days? What about healing? We have 9 different people in our church family right now that need a real miracle of healing. 5 dealing with cancer, 1 with a stroke, 1 with a new diagnosis of Parkinson’s, 2 with heart disease, and a number with broken hearts over recently lost loved ones! I feel overwhelmed with these needs, and wonder why we can’t have a miracle (or 9) “instantly”?
Then my more rational mind takes over (maybe that is part of the problem), and I rationalize that Jesus is just more discriminating now than then, or there is a different purpose in recording the miracles as every day occurrences in the NT, or maybe our ability to medically explain away all the intimate details of life has “redefined” the meaning of a miracle. I know God still heals people, and sometime does so instantly – but more so uses Doctors and nurses and hospitals and drugs. I sometimes just wish He’d do so more in keeping with my time than His – and there is the rub! In considering the “instant” nature of this miracle – I overlook or ignore how long Bartimaeus may have been sitting alongside the road waiting for someone to come help him.
The real point of this story is probably not so much the timing of the miracle, but the response to it – “immediately” he got up and followed Jesus down the road! I wish all my responses might be more “instant”! Whether we see instant miracles or gradual ones, whether God heals or responds at all in my timing or His, I wish I could more readily just follow on down the road. Lord help me follow more instantly and immediately and faithfully – today!

Feb. 7th, 2011
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. Mark 10:51-52
I love this story. We don’t know how long the blind man has been sitting beside the road, but we know that he has not “seen” any of Jesus’ miracles. We also surmise by his reaction to the news of Jesus passing by, that he has “heard” of Jesus. Immediately he jumps up and starts making a ruckus – shouting for Jesus to have mercy on him. Jesus tells the crowd to help the man get to Jesus. They do and then Jesus asks this interesting question: [ i]“What do you want me to do for you?” Well…isn’t it obvious? The guys can’t see for heaven’s sake…if not for the physical signs; you are the Son of God who’s supposed to know everything – can’t you “see” what he needs?
Sometimes I think Jesus knows that we need to hear ourselves make our requests to God. Sometimes when we pray, God wants us to hear ourselves saying how dependent we are on Him to meet our needs, and answer our prayers. Sometimes we need to be reminded – from our own lips – that we are fully aware of what exactly we need. God does know everything. God knows the secret longings of our hearts; God knows what we need better than we know what we need – but God wants us to hear ourselves tell Him exactly what we need.
No doubt Mark is also making a point to the Pharisees and anyone else with spiritual “blindness”. There were many in the crowd then, (and alive today), who’ve not only heard of Jesus, but have seen his miracles – who yet refuse to believe. The Pharisees are just the tip of the iceberg. Here, Mark paints this vivid picture of a blind guy, screaming out his desire, jumping up and down, blindly running to Jesus, answering exactly what he needs, and immediately receiving his sight. I know it doesn’t always happen so instantaneously, but it makes me wonder how I’d respond? How would I answer the question? How would you answer? “What do you want me to do for you?” What is it that we need to SEE?
Lord, give me clarity of sight, thought, and intent as I ask, and expect to receive exactly what I need today…I need to rest in you, and for you to remind me that it is not up to me to carry the burdens of my world alone – we share the load. That’s what I need to “see” today.