Nov. 24th, 2010
Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. They were completely amazed and said again and again, “everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.” Mark 7:36-37
What an amazing testimony – “everything he does is wonderful”… that would change in a few months, but for now at least the crowds are overwhelmed with Jesus and his miracle working power.
We could get sidetracked on some of the interesting details of this story like why did Jesus take this guy away from the crowd to do him a miracle? Why did Jesus use spit on his fingers to touch the man’s tongue – that seems a bit unsanitary? Why did Jesus tell the crowd not to tell anyone about what he was doing – like they didn’t already know? These are some of the questions that arose as I read this morning.
But I can’t get away from their testimony – “everything he does is wonderful” – really? Yes, I have to believe so. Even things that don’t make sense to me, even things that initially seem harmful to me, even things I can’t understand or accept – are all wonderful? I wonder if the guy with spit on his tongue thought so? Yes, I have to believe so. I have to believe that whatever Jesus is doing in my life and in our world is really wonderful. Though it may not seem like it at the time – if we put ourselves in a position to determine what is good and what is not – well, I’m afraid we are in for a heap of trouble. I don’t have to blindly believe everything is fine – I just have to believe that Jesus knows better than me what he is doing in my life and in our world! I don’t always have the ability to figure out God’s grander purpose – but I do have the ability to always believe that everything Jesus does is wonderful! And to that end I will choose to live my life today. I’m glad Jesus has touched my heart, mind, soul and tongue – even with spit or mud! I’m grateful God has saved me. I’m glad I don’t have to figure out all the details – I’m glad my job is just to trust. Lord make me equal to the that task today – and thank you that everything you do is wonderful! AMEN

Nov. 23rd, 2010
Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children – my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.” Mark 7:26-28
This is one of my favorite NT stories. An innocent Gentile woman asks Jesus to heal her possessed daughter. She does so from a humbled position of worship; she fell at his feet …yet she is rebuffed by her redeemer who in essence calls her a dog. She might have sulked away, mumbling obscenities about an insensitive savior; but instead turns his rebuff into a gentle and remarkable rebuke! Yes, she calls him Lord, which is significant; but the real genius is her reminder that the dogs are getting the scraps the “children” (Jews) are carelessly dropping or throwing (intentionally) under the table.
This interaction changes Jesus’ ministry. Prior to this encounter he has been primarily focused on ministering to the Jews, reaching the Jews, saving the Jews. When he is brought face to face with the reality that they are not getting it, they are rejecting instead of receiving the “bread” He is bringing them…He begins to include, even focus on the Gentiles, along with the Jews. The constant squabbling with the hard headed and hearted Pharisees has numbed him to the fact that “dogs” at the fringe are already accepting and receiving His good news, and His new life!
This simple encounter changes Jesus’ life…and the woman’s daughter is delivered too. We could get lost trying to figure out how an “all-knowing” Savior might have missed this detail, but rather I’d like to think, believe, act today like this humble woman. Recognizing that my sin and faithlessness often keep me under the table if not on the fringes of life; will I still accept what Jesus has to deliver to me? Am I willing to humble myself on my face at his feet, and insist that He give me what I need? Am I willing even to confront the Savior with things I may not understand or even believe to be true, in order to secure what others I love really need? Can I stand before Jesus, and accept whatever He thinks or says of me…and still insist that my intentions are pure, my hope is unmoved, my mind is made up, my resolve is unshaken…I will get from Jesus what I need to live – even if it kills me! What a brave woman! Help me be half as brave.

Nov. 22nd, 2010
Sorry for the absence…deer hunting this beautiful fall has pleasantly consumed much of my recent time.
Jesus replied, “You hypocrite! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘these people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own traditions.” Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.” Mark 7:6-9
What makes traditions so seductive that we so often fall under their spell? Traditions are familiar representations of certain activities or reminders of by-gone events that kindle in us emotional fondness. Traditions are good most of the time. But when they become the object of our worship instead of the God they represent…they become idols which lead us away from the God they are intended to draw us toward.
I know it is easy to justify our personal traditions as right or legitimate, and demonize others and their preferred traditions when we dislike or disagree with them; but we all ought to hear again these scathing words from Jesus to the Pharisees. No matter what tradition we love; when we revere it more than God – it has to go. This is a significant problem in many churches and with many Christians. I hope that my disregard for so many traditions has been properly motivated by trying to honor this word from Jesus; and not just my personal preference over another’s. I hope I preserve and maintain all the traditions I do, because of their merit in increasing my joy, and increasing my love for God. I hope that I might never substitute any tradition or idol over God Himself! God teach me to know the difference, and prefer You alone!

10th, 2010
Wherever he went – in villages, cities, or the countryside – they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed. Mark 6:56
Still no rest for the weary disciples…and weary Savior. As soon as they land, the crowds recognized Jesus, and immediately they set out to round up all the sick people for him to heal. I wonder why it was so easy for them to recognize Jesus then, and so hard for people to recognize “Him” now. Maybe because now the best representation we have of Jesus is his followers (us), and maybe we’re not doing a very good job representing!
I had a thought this morning. This roundup of the sick seems rather forced. Normally we think this probably involved friends or family members bringing their loved ones to meet Jesus and be healed by him; but this verse makes me think that the round-up may have had a more sensational motive. I don’t know, but as I read it I thought that these people were more interested in seeing the ‘miracle side show’ than really caring about the needs of the sick and infirmed. I’m probably wrong about that, but it made me think about my motivation for ministry.
Do I do what I do because I really care about the people God has blessed me to serve, or do I serve them because it meets some underlying need within me? Do I love people because they pay my salary, or because Jesus lives in me and I’m called to love them? Did these people really want all these sick strangers to be healed, or were they unintentional pawns used to provide entertainment for a bunch of bored onlookers and tag alongs? I’m sure Jesus was happy to heal all who needed healing, and was too much a gentleman to question their motives – but I’m left wondering today…not so much about their motive…but my own.
Lord, please help me do all I can to love and serve the people you place in my path today. I know you know that I grow weary of the load sometimes, but please match my attitude to the grace you have given me to do what you called me to do. Give me a good attitude and right motivation to bring all I can to Jesus. And remind me it’s YOU who does the healing, I just do the bringing! AMEN

Nov. 8th, 2010
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
Don’t worry, I’m not abandoning my progress through Mark, but I have a funeral this afternoon, and this is the text the family has chosen for me to preach from today. Actually the first 7 verses from this 14th chapter. I want to spend a bit of time with this verse.
We typically love this verse because it is set in the context of Jesus’ last words to his disciples. They come following the last supper and include the promise that many rooms exist in our Father’s house, and Jesus is going there to prepare a place for each of us to later join him. There is great comfort in knowing and believing that Jesus goes ahead of us and prepares a special place for us to spend eternity. It is not really a matter of the size of the house, or the location of the house, but who are the “hosts” in the house – Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. I can’t wait to get to heaven…but I’m not all that excited about the dying part that seems to be the essential prerequisite to getting there!
But this verse causes me some questions. I think I get the “way, truth, and life” part. Jesus is the way to heaven because he embodies, contains, and emits the truth; which when accepted and believed and incorporated into our lives; produces eternal life within us. I think I get that part. The part that causes me pause is the last phrase: “no one can come to the Father except through me.” What then do we make of the multiple religions in the world that claim to be worshipping the same God we do, but who make no allowance for Jesus? What do we make of the new cultural emphasis on “Spirituality” that makes little room for Jesus? How can anyone be saved who lived prior to Jesus if he is the only way to get to these prepared places?
I don’t know all the answers; but I do believe this: any honest search for truth and meaning in life will eventually lead such honest seeking to smack head long into Jesus. All truth is God’s truth, and no matter the beginning point – any person seeking to discover and know real truth will eventually have to deal with Jesus.
Can a person go to heaven and occupy one of these rooms without believing in Jesus – “hmmm” - I’m glad I don’t have to be the judge – just glad it lies within each of us to accept or reject this universal offer to know Jesus, the way to heaven, the ultimate source of all truth, and the giver of life; eternal and abundant.