Category: Mark

Take Heed! Be on the Alert!

Mark 13

Gone are the days when the majority of households across the United States and Canada left their homes unlocked day and night.  The idyllic scene of a squeaky screen door being pushed open and banging closed, has faded even in small town America.

The first home security system was invented in 1966 and patented in 1969 by Marie Van Brittan Brown.  Marie’s husband often traveled for work, and she didn’t feel secure answering the door in his absence. The system she created consisted of two peepholes, a TV monitor, a two-way microphone and a sliding camera.  Marie could see who was at her door and interact with them from inside the safety of her home.

From that time to the present, home security has been revolutionized.  Wireless technology, video surveillance, integration with smart devices, AI, and cloud -based systems seamlessly work together to provide protection and peace of mind for countless households. 

But what about when you step out your door?  One of the tenets of personal safety, away from your home, is to be aware of your surroundings.  Pay attention when you’re walking down the street, loading packages into your car in the Mall parking lot, or even sitting in a restaurant.  Don’t have your face riveted to your phone.  Look up!  Pay attention!  TAKE HEED! 

The last two-word warning, “TAKE HEED,” was used by Jesus four times in Mark 13, KJV.  Other translations, such as the NIV or the NASB, translate the phrase “watch out,” “see to it,” and “be on guard.”

Mark 13 is known as the Olivet Discourse, (also found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21.)  Jesus begins teaching his disciples after they mention the temple’s majestic buildings, and he answers that these magnificent structures will be destroyed.  Peter, James, John and Andrew ask Jesus when this is going to happen, and what needs to happen first. 

Jesus’ response includes a discourse detailing persecution, and current, continuing and end-time prophecies.  And throughout this dialogue, he warns, “TAKE HEED!” 

“And Jesus began to say to them, ‘TAKE HEED that no one misleads you.’” (Mark 13:5)  Many individuals will claim to be Christ.  Various wars and natural disasters will happen.  This is just the starting point.

In verse 9, Jesus warns the disciples to look out for their personal safety.  “TAKE HEED, for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.”  He reassures the disciples not to be anxious when they are arrested, for the Holy Spirit will speak through them. 

Jesus continues in the succeeding verses, sharing details of a terrible time of trouble and suffering, ending with “TAKE HEED” in verse 23.  “But TAKE HEED; behold, I have told you everything in advance.”

Finally, after unparalleled occurrences in the skies—darkened sun, falling stars and more—Jesus tells his disciples he will return with great power and glory.  No one but God knows when that will happen.  Not the angels, not even Jesus.

“TAKE HEED, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.”  (Mark 13:33)

Jesus expands on this warning by giving an example of a man on a journey, away from his house, who instructed the doorkeeper to stay alert.  The doorkeeper did not know when the man might return.  Perhaps he would be found asleep, not ready for his master’s return. 

Jesus ends his teaching with authority.  “Be on the alert!”  (Mark 13:37b)

Unlike the doorkeeper in Jesus’ example, (verses 34-36), who might not be ready, Marie Van Brittan Brown, the inventor of the first home security system, wanted to be prepared if someone knocked on her door.  She wanted to know who was on the other side. 

You can know who is waiting patiently to enter the door of your heart.  Just listen. 

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”  (Revelation 3:20,21)

Luke 21:28, (also the Olivet Discourse) says, “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Let’s face each day with a head lifted up in praise of our Creator, and a heart prepared and anticipating the return of our Savior.  Come Lord Jesus! 

Reflection Questions

  1. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would speak for the disciples after they were arrested.  How has God’s Spirit spoken through you in times of trial?
  2. Think of a time when you were “on alert” in your life.  How did God help you?
  3. How are you preparing each day for Jesus’ return? 
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Three Areas to Consider Your Conduct

Matthew 17
Mark 9
Luke 9:28-62

Devotion by JJ Fletcher (Minnesota)

Several sections in part of our text today (Mk 9:33-50) stand out to me as timely. The wisdom of Jesus is always timely, but these jumped off the page (screen, really). Contending with our brothers and sisters (think humility), contending with those that are not in our tribe (think bridge building), and our example to those who come up behind us in the faith (think training and discipleship).

Jesus, likely already knowing the answer to his question, asks his disciples what they were discussing on the road to their next stop. The subtext indicates that they were embarrassed, for they were arguing about who was greatest, or who would have the highest standing in the hierarchy under Jesus.  Jesus’ teachings place a lot of value on humility and submission to God. When looking at the Pharisees, we see that they valued their status and relied on that status to give them advantages in their lives. Jesus says in verse 35 that “if anyone would be first, they must be last and a servant of all”. This reminds me a little bit of John F. Kennedy’s line, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. Being a good citizen means that you are not just looking out for your own needs but looking out for the welfare of those around you. How can you help build others up, and how can you protect and advocate for others? Those are questions a good citizen might ask. One might also ask how they can hold themselves accountable as they try to make a difference. 

The disciples clearly cared about what Jesus was doing and teaching, but they seemed to have too much focus on what the benefit of their relationship to Jesus might mean for them and their status. Living as a follower of Jesus has some similarities to living as a citizen in our own contexts, but it has a greater scope and reach. As future citizens of the Kingdom of God, we need to be looking at how to build up other Kingdom citizens. This means that we shouldn’t be squabbling or striving to have the most prominence, status, or influence. We should be striving to do good. In doing good, we may perhaps become influential and be respected, but that should not be our primary goal. We need to work to please God, not to please or appease men. We should not be working to satisfy the needs of our ego, but rather let ourselves decrease, so that Jesus might increase.

We next jump to the disciples telling Jesus that someone who was not in their group was casting out demons in Jesus’ name. This bothered them because they somehow thought it was improper for someone to be doing good works, but not be officially affiliated with Jesus. Good is good, whatever the motivation might be. Unbelievers can do good things. Does that mean we should stop them? There is an opportunity to form coalitions with people that we might not otherwise align with, and in doing so, we might create more opportunities to speak into their lives and influence their thinking. Now, sometimes someone might represent something that we can’t in good conscience join with, but that is not what appears to be happening here. Perhaps the disciples see this as Jesus not getting credit, but that would be a weird take since they were calling out the name of Jesus. Perhaps it ties into their ego thing a little bit; if those who are not with Jesus can do this, it diminishes what we are doing with Jesus. Jesus makes this point that we should take to heart: “the one who is not against us is for us”. We can stand alongside, or leave alone, those who are doing good things that go along with the works that we should be doing, even if they have a different motivation for doing them. We can work with other Christian groups to serve, even if we don’t agree on everything doctrinally. You can take the stand of not sharing in communion over certain differences while still trying to meet the needs of others.

Finally, we get this idea from Jesus: If you become a stumbling block for others, specifically, it seems young believers, it’s a travesty. Essentially, we get the idea that you’d be better off dead than to cause someone to sin. It’s a good reminder that eyes are always watching you. When you serve in public and when you live in your private life…your church is watching. Your kids are watching. Your friends are watching. What are you communicating with your actions? Are you living on the up and up? Are you abusive in some way that might drive someone away from the gospel? Your example or your direct action toward an individual or group can have a lot of influence on how someone grows and lives. You can be salt and flavor the world for the kingdom, or you can be like expired milk and be good for nothing. 

We always need to be mindful of our ego, our behavior, and our influence. We should be examining these things in light of the gospel and the life and teaching of Jesus, and see how we’re doing and where we might need help. We should always aim to learn from mistakes, whether they are our own or made by another.

Reflection Questions:

1.        Do you ever find yourself in the same kind of spot as the disciples, concerned with your status in the church or in another group? What drives that, and how can you combat that trait?

2.        Do you sometimes get the urge to dismiss a person or group that is doing something good simply because they don’t share your motives or affiliations? What is the danger here, and what cautions might one need to take when trying to make inroads with groups that might not share motivations, but do share similar convictions and goals?

3.        What do you think of Jesus’ saying that it would be better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be cast into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to sin? What kind of perspective should that give us when evaluating our conduct and behavior? 

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The Unwritten Rules

Matthew 15, Mark 7

Devotion by J.J. Fletcher (Minnesota)

I’ve been following baseball for around 30 years. My dad was (and still is) a Baltimore Orioles fan, but when the time came for me to pick my team, I pledged my allegiance to the Atlanta Braves. In the late 90s, one of my most despised teams was the Montreal Expos. In 2005, the aforementioned villains moved to Washington, DC and became the Nationals. My dad was also a Senators fan when he was a kid, growing up just outside of DC, so he also began rooting for them after the move brought the nostalgia of baseball back to the nation’s capital. My dad has always given a couple of my brothers guff for being Yankees fans, but I felt similar betrayal.

Baseball is known for its “unwritten rules”. Though these rules are waning as younger players enter the league and the stalwarts retire, they still exist to some degree. Your best player gets hit by a pitch? The next guy up in the opposing lineup is taking one in the ear or back. You don’t celebrate home runs, or you get hit the next time up. You don’t walk over the pitcher’s mound or bring up the fact that a perfect game is going on. The list goes on and on, but you won’t find them written down anywhere official. They have not been codified in the official MLB rule book. But the players expect each other to abide by these traditions that have become known as the Unwritten Rules.

We see some Pharisees confronting Jesus about his disciples not conforming to the “Traditions of the Elders”. Specifically, the disciples are not washing their hands before they eat. Now, there are some regulations in the Torah about washing hands, but they are very specific. They have nothing to do with washing hands before eating. Over time, new “rules” or traditions morphed from the written law into behaviors that were expected, perhaps even viewed as equally important to the codified text of the Torah.

Think of your time attending church. Growing up, there were probably some things you were told not to do (running in the sanctuary) that don’t appear anywhere in scripture, but people were passionate about it (you’d better dress up for church). Some churches have certain ways of doing things: Do you take the Lord’s Supper weekly, monthly, or quarterly? Do you use grape juice or wine? Who can pass out or pray over the emblems? Is it sacrilegious to have a guitar on stage? Maybe you’ve moved from your childhood church, or maybe you’re like me and have moved many times. Things are different at your current church, right? So, who is right and who is wrong? Or are different ways of doing church equally proper? 

Sometimes the way we do things is perfectly fine, but it’s not necessarily “the right way”. We sometimes run into obstacles when someone tries to serve in their church, and the status quo gets in the way. There are times and seasons for various ministries. Often, the reason that something is done a certain way is because the first person who served in a role or started a ministry did things that way. It was a fine way to do it, but was it the right way? Was it the only way? Maybe there’s a better way? Or maybe it just comes down to being a different way, because a different person is leading a ministry or function of the church. It’s ok to have preferences, and it’s ok to do things WAY differently from other churches. The main thing is to make sure that what we are doing is furthering the Kingdom of God and benefiting the body of Christ. Sometimes it will be necessary to restrict things or do things in a particular way because scripture instructs it. The Bible and our faith should never be weaponized to keep us comfortable, but rather our sword and shield should be wielded to fight spiritual battles. We are to fight against darkness, not dwell in or create a new kind of darkness, but I’m afraid that can sometimes happen when we cling to traditions the same way that we cling to the hope of the Risen Savior.  

Back to the Pharisees. They were calling out the disciples for violating the unwritten rules, which had no true basis in the Law, and treating them like lawbreakers. Jesus points out the irony of them making these accusations. By following the tradition of the elders that allows one to declare something as “corban”, to be set apart for use in the temple, they are violating the Law of Moses. By setting aside money that might be used to support their elderly parents to instead go to the temple (where they may then benefit from it due to their roles) they are not honoring their parents, which by the Law is punishable by death. 

Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

Traditions can be valuable. They can be invaluable. They cannot equal or trample the law or instruction that comes from God. 

Reflection Questions

  1. What traditions do you hold dear? How would you approach someone who wanted to do something differently?
  2. How might you deal with a person in a loving way who is clinging to tradition to the detriment of another, to the body at large, or even to themselves?
  3.  Is there an evaluation process in place to think about how and why your church does certain things and considers how things may need to change over time?
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Fruit over Frustration

Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9:1-17

Devotion by J.J. Fletcher (Minnesota)

John the Baptist was a prominent figure in Judea in the time leading up to the ministry of Jesus. We see John as a forerunner to Jesus, preparing his hearers for the one who was to come, who was greater than him. John had a strong following and his own disciples that followed and supported him, not unlike Jesus. John’s following meant that on the day of Jesus’ baptism, there was likely a fair-sized crowd. While we don’t get much backstory on any interactions between  John and Jesus prior to the baptism, we know that they were cousins. John had his enemies as he was unafraid to speak truth to power, and this led to his demise at the hands of Herod. Perhaps Herod was paranoid after what was an unpopular execution of John, but we see a bit of a “conspiracy theory” as Herod attributes or considers the possibility that the power at work in Jesus’ ministry was potentially a resurrected John the Baptist.

We see throughout Jesus’ ministry a habit of going off to spend time in solitude. When Jesus hears the disappointing news of John’s death, this is where Jesus retreats. To solitude and time spent in communion with his father.

As we see Jesus dealing with this news in our reading today, we are shown a window into some of the grief and disappointment that Jesus experiences. Some time later, we’ll see Jesus’ grief and struggle as he begs God for another way to achieve God’s purposes, that doesn’t include his death and abuse. Here, we can see some more relatable moments.

John’s death probably puts a stark focus on the path before Jesus. As a prophet and teacher who will be walking a similar path, he becomes acutely aware of the reality that he is facing. He knows the path ahead, but knowing in theory and seeing in real-time are very different. 

We know through scripture that there will be those who hate us because of Jesus’ name, actually experiencing it or seeing others you know suffer for his name’s sake, stand in contrast to being aware of the possibility. Jesus sees the carnage of wicked men play out early on in his ministry. 

The death of John is not the only discouraging and disappointing thing that Jesus experiences. 

Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth. Now, when there are rumblings of a hometown kid making powerful impressions, there can often be a rallying of excitement. Local kid makes it to the big leagues or finds success in the music scene. There can be a sense of excitement, but that is not what is experienced by Jesus. While those who come to hear him in the synagogue recognize that there is wisdom in his words and that there have been powerful works done by his hands, they resent him rather than embrace him. It’s that son of Joseph and Mary… How is a tradesman going to come in here and teach us about the Law and Prophets? That line about a prophet having no honor among his people communicates a reality that I’m sure was stinging and disappointing. No support from your family or the community that helped raise you.

Jesus, I’d assume disappointed and discouraged, presses on and continues his ministry elsewhere, where people would receive him, and mighty works could be done.

Jesus does not allow discouragement and disappointment to stand in the way of his calling and ministry of the Gospel, and neither should we. When we are called, it is not to a life or ministry of ease. There will he highs and lows. There will be good times and bad times. There is a season for everything, as the Byrds sing (er, as Solomon writes). We need to recognize that the same power that Jesus relied on to support and sustain him (and that ultimately raised him from the grave) lives in us, and that that Spirit of God is capable of far more than we can imagine. Discouragement should not equal defeat, but rather create an opportunity to overcome difficulty and live lives of obedience in the face of discouragement or fear. Victory can be found through reliance on God when our own mettle runs low.

Reflection Questions

  1. What was a difficulty or discouragement that you have faced, and how did you respond? What lessons did you learn from the way that you handled the situation?
  2. How does a glimpse into Jesus’ responses help you? What can we glean from these small, yet powerful details?
  3. Are there things that we can do now to prepare ourselves to respond or cope with disappointment in the future?
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From Death to Life!

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 9 & 10

Poetry: Job 32

New Testament: Mark 16

       Looking at Mark 15 allowed us to consider what Jesus suffered, and why. But the dawn has come, and now we can eagerly seek the news that our savior is raised to life. That transition from death to life is as simple for us as turning a page in our Bibles. Most Christians cannot approach Mark 16 without being aware of what should come next, which may always have been the case. Mark may not have written his Gospel primarily to tell people about Jesus, but to remind and encourage believers in their faith. We might imagine the text being read aloud in a group setting.

       We can envision the early listeners to this passage trying to put themselves in the places of Mary Magdalene, James’ mother Mary, and Salome. Certainly they understood what brought those women to the tomb: love, and mourning, and the wish to offer Jesus what support was possible by caring for his body. But from hindsight it was also clear that the tomb would be found open and empty – what a wonderful surprise for the mourners!

       And so as the account was read the listeners waited to hear of the women’s overcoming joy at learning about Jesus’ new life. It was not to be. Rather the three were left trembling, astonished, and afraid. And upon exiting the tomb they say nothing. (We know that ultimately more happened – particularly in the case of Mary Magdalene – but that is where the text stops.)

       Your Bible version, whatever version you are reading, probably does not cut off after verse 8. Perhaps it offers a footnote discussing what scholars think about the verses that follow (they doubt that the verses are legitimate). In fact different manuscripts contain four endings for the Gospel of Mark – aside from the version that simply cuts off after verse 8. That variety of endings not only shows us that some people were disappointed with the ending they had received, and tried to “fix” the issue, but it also demonstrates that the version which cuts off at verse 8 is from a pretty early date (so if there is a “real” ending of Mark lost due to damage that happened a long time ago).

       The way Mark 16 ends at verse 8 has been compared to how the book of Jonah ends. After God reprimands Jonah we never learn Jonah’s response. In Mark there may be a similar tone of leaving issues hanging at 6:52.

       So, let’s consider the possibilities. Mark may have intended to have a somewhat jarring ending to spur his audience to think about their own situations – each of them had the knowledge of Jesus’ resurrection (and had received sufficient time to get over the shock about it), so would they be silent, or would they proclaim it? Perhaps the closing line of Mark’s book was intended to open a discussion, an interactive lesson plan which is so old we have lost the details for it.

       Or it may be that Mark was unconcerned about how the ending of his book came across, because the middle of his book already set up all the promises that were needed regarding Jesus’ new life, they just need to be believed. Having arrived at the end of Mark’s gospel, we certainly have not arrived at the end of Jesus’ story. To quote from Donald H. Juel, who discussed this idea,

There is every reason to believe that the rest of his promises will be fulfilled: James and John will drink from the cup; the disciples will give testimony; the gospel will be preached to all the Gentiles. Jesus will be enthroned at God’s right hand and will one day come with the clouds of heaven so that ‘all will see’ and will send his angels to gather the elect from the four winds.

(Mark, in the Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament series.) The trust that these promises will be fulfilled is not based on human effort, and neither is the end of the story. “The story is not over and will not be until Jesus returns.” (Juel).

       Knowing if one of these possibilities about Mark is correct is not the most important thing. We know that Jesus is alive. Both of these ways of viewing Mark’s book can be useful ways for us to think about our relationship with our living savior, and to better prepare ourselves to continue serving him. We sometimes approach Resurrection Sunday as a time to think about our own future lives, but there is much to be done in the meantime to be prepared, and to invite others.

       Dear God, on this Resurrection Sunday help me recommit my heart to you and to your son Jesus, the Christ, my savior. Allow me to examine myself through the guidance of your Spirit and to determine both what I need to set aside and what I need to take up for the improvement of my service. You offered me a new life, a resurrection into immortality. Please help me be more responsible in how I live this life, so I can relay your wisdom to those around me. Make me a witness of your grace and mercy and love. In the blessed name of your son Jesus I pray these things, Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you find it strange for a Gospel not to include an appearance of the resurrected Jesus?
  2. Might Mark have stopped where he did because he saw the alternative as a much longer book (perhaps with part of what we know as Acts)?
  3. Over 500 believers saw Jesus alive in his resurrected state (1 Corinthians 15:6), but most have needed to wait to see Jesus, and are blessed for having believed without seeing (John 20:29). What affect do you think it would have had on the church if Jesus had been taken up to heaven without appearing to anyone?
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Crucified for Us

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 7 & 8

Poetry: Job 31

New Testament: Mark 15 – again

In Jesus’ time, crucifixion was reserved for the worst of criminals. The torture a person endured on a cross would last for hours, and killing Jesus in this manner likely appealed to the religious leaders who hated Him so deeply. In an effort to hide their move against Jesus from His many supporters, the Jewish leaders arrested and tried Jesus in the middle of the night. When Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate—the only one with authority to order a crucifixion—it was still early in the morning (Matthew 27:1–2). When Pilate presented Jesus and Barabbas to the people, the chief priests whipped the crowd into a frenzy, encouraging them to call for Barabbas’s release (Mark 15:11). When Pilate asked what they wanted done to Jesus, the crowd, again influenced by the chief priests, shouted, “Crucify Him!” Pilate, the people-pleaser, gave them what they demanded. He had Jesus flogged and then turned Him over for crucifixion. After the scourging, the entire battalion of soldiers gathered around this faint and bleeding man, put a scarlet robe on him, pressed the weight of a scarlet robe onto his torn shoulders, set a reed in his right hand, knelt down before him, and mocked him, “Hail, King of the Jews.” They struck him with their hands. They spit on him. They wove a crown out of thorns—probably not the kind of thorns you see on rose bushes, but the longer kind that are more like needles. Then they not only put the crown on his head, but hit him over the head—to drive the thorns into his skull (Mark 15:17-19).

At the beginning of the week, there was a crowd in Jerusalem celebrating Jesus as the Messiah; by Friday, there was a crowd crying, “Crucify Him!” The incredible change of the people naturally causes some confusion. It’s good to remember that not everyone at the Triumphal Entry was celebrating Jesus. Most of the city was puzzled: “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’” (Matthew 21:10), and the Jewish leaders were resentful (verse 15). Some of the same crowd who shouted, “Hosanna!” may also have been part of the crowd shouting “Crucify Him!” but we can’t be sure. If some people did join both crowds, it may be because they had grown disillusioned with Jesus when they discovered he was not going to set up the kingdom immediately—or perhaps they disliked Jesus’ insistence that they repent. Also, it’s quite possible that the crowd gathered before Pilate at that early hour had been assembled secretly to do an unlawful thing by the Jewish leaders.

In the end, it wasn’t the crowd’s cries of “Crucify Him!” that put Jesus on the cross. Our sin did that. From the very beginning, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the Lord had promised to send a Savior who would crush the reign of sin and death (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the ages God worked His plan to send a Savior, and that plan culminated in Jesus Christ: God’s own Son who became the perfect offering so he could take upon himself the punishment for sin. Although wicked men were involved in Jesus’ death on the cross, His sacrifice was ultimately the will of God (Isaiah 53:10; John 10:18). The shedding of Jesus’ blood fulfilled God’s promise to mankind to provide a Savior and sealed the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). Jesus would then defeat the power of death and the grave by rising again three days later and ascending to His Father’s right hand in heaven.

Do you feel the heaviness of his death? Do you understand that he died for you so you may have a chance at a new life? My hope and prayer for you this morning is that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. That because of his death you live for him. Your sin killed Jesus. But his righteousness saves you. May that truth motivate you and give you peace of mind knowing that God loves you so much that he gave his son to die for you. What will you do with this information?

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you feel the heaviness of his death? Do you understand that he died for you so you may have a chance at a new life?
  2. Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?
  3. What questions do you have for God? What praise and thanks to Him and His Son? Spend some time in prayer today.
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Crowd Pleaser

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 6

Poetry: Job 30

New Testament: Mark 15

We are nearing resurrection Sunday. Before we can talk about his resurrection, we must talk about his death. In our text in Mark 15 we are seeing Jesus facing his death out in the open for all to see. The Sanhedrin brought Jesus before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. He could not find any fault in Jesus, and he said so three times. Late in the trial, Pilate sought a way to free Jesus. It was a Passover festival custom that the governor release a prisoner to the people, so, in a ploy to satisfy the crowd of Jewish leaders who had gathered and to secure Jesus’ release, Pilate allowed them to choose between a convicted criminal named Barabbas and Jesus. Instead of choosing Jesus, as Pilate had hoped, the crowd chose Barabbas for release. Shocked that they would free a hardened criminal, Pilate asked, “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:12). The crowd cried out, “Crucify him!” (verse 13).

Pilate was confused by the crowd’s reaction, for barely a week earlier the people of Jerusalem had welcomed Jesus into the city with the waving of palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!” (Mark 11:1–11). What Pilate may not have known was the extent to which the religious and political leaders hated and opposed Jesus. Not only did Jesus point out their extreme hypocrisy on many occasions (Mark 7:1–14), but He also claimed to be the Son of God, which was blasphemy to the unbelieving teachers of the law (see Mark 14:60–64). The religious leaders wanted to destroy Jesus (Mark 3:6). Only His death would satisfy them. Over the course of Jesus’ ministry, his teachings had angered the Pharisees, the scribes, the Herodians, and the Sadducees.  But not the crowd. Not the ones who saw Jesus’ love. Who saw him heal, support, encourage, teach. Who gave dignity to those who were oppressed. How could they hear the cries of crucify him and betray him like this? How could they hear Pilate offer Barabbas and choose him over a man who has done nothing wrong? Jesus was no longer the crowd pleaser, but the scorned suffering servant spoken about in the Old Testament. They had no idea who was standing before them. They chose Barabbas. We too face the same decision these Jews had to make between Barabbas and Jesus. When I read this story its hard for me to understand why Jesus is even in this predicament. He is the son of God. Save him. Sometimes, I have a hard time understanding God. How could he let his perfect son suffer and die?

Have you ever expected Him to act in a certain way because of what you understood about Him and His nature—but He did not do things the way you thought they should be done? I have. If I were Jesus, I would be angry. All he ever did was follow what God wanted him to do and it got him killed. Have you ever been angry and disappointed in God? I have been all but convinced that He did not live up to His promise, for I was sure that I knew what He was going to do, and God let me down. My heart was filled with rage that God would act that way, even though God has told us all, again and again, ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ (Isaiah 55:8-9). We cannot figure out God. He will be true to Himself, He will never lie, He will never deceive us; but He is more than we can handle. He is bigger than we are. Jesus understood this. He understood the bigger picture. He understood the need for his death. While he did not want to die he gave up his will and took all of the suffering so that we might live. Sometimes I don’t understand God but then I remember God loved us so much that he gave His one and only son for a chance for us to accept his love and have a relationship with Him. Mark 12:10-11  “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, this was the LORD’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.”  All these words to say, I don’t want to be like the crowd who didn’t understand God’s plan. I don’t want to live another life other than the one I can have with Jesus. I know I’m like the crowd more than I care to admit. And like this crowd, when I (we) get angry with God and don’t want to follow his son and turn from Him, there is always another Barabbas waiting in the wings for me (us) to choose. Another crowd pleaser. One that is a murderer. One that I know is not right, but I choose anyway because I don’t want to follow Jesus. But I’m thankful that God is patient and loving and I have his son as a mediator who draws me gently back to him. Who calms my fears. Who alleviates my doubts. One who is the great shepherd and high priest.

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. When have you been upset with or disappointed in God’s plan or ways?
  2. When have you been reminded His ways are higher – and better – than yours?
  3. How does the path laid out for Jesus – and his willingness to walk it – remind us that God can be trusted even when we think it doesn’t make sense or isn’t “right”?
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A Beautiful Thing

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 5

Poetry: Job 29

New Testament: Mark 14

“Leave her alone, said Jesus. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Mark 14:6

In Mark 14 we see the story of Jesus being anointed with  perfume. Jesus takes this beautiful moment and shows us just how great this event truly was. Mary’s actions may signal more than she knows. But, although she may not fully comprehend the messianic significance of her anointing, she appreciates Christ’s worth more than anyone else at the table. But Jesus receives the woman’s gift as a selfless act of love and devotion—an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. Jesus reveals that He will not be with them much longer, which references His soon death and burial.

Jesus says five things about it that mark it as an extremely beautiful act. First, he says, “she has done a beautiful thing to me”. The beauty of it lay in its extravagance. This woman did not spare any of the costly perfume but broke the flask and poured the whole quantity out on him. Judas, with his practical and corrupt mind, counted it up as worth three hundred denarii. A denarius was the day’s wage for a laborer. Three hundred days’ wages would be a tremendous sum. In the eyes of Judas, this woman wasted an enormous amount of money when she poured out the perfume on Jesus. It was such a lavish over the top act, and there lies the beauty of it. When have you done something extravagant and beautiful for Jesus?

Second, He said that it was a timely thing she had done. It was something that could only be done now. Any time you want to do good to the poor you can, because they are always around. And it is right to help the poor. But there are opportunities that come in our life that must be seized at that moment. Mary had sensed this and seized the moment to offer this gift, for such a time would never occur again. It was out of the sensitivity of her heart that she realized that the timing was right, and Jesus recognized this. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase timing is everything. Mary is preparing Jesus for his death. The timing was now.

Third, she did what she could. She could not fix Him a meal; there was no time for that. She could not make a garment for Him; there was no time for that. There was nothing else she could do to show her love but this. She did what she could. I am sure Jesus has called our attention to that because it is so practical for us. Someone said, “I can’t do everything, but I can do something. And what I can do I ought to do. And what I ought to do, I’m available to do”. Are you doing what you can? Or are you doing what’s easy? Are you doing at least what you are capable of for God and his son?

The fourth element of this act was that it was insightful. Jesus says she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. Many times, Jesus said to these disciples that He was going to die. Not one of them believed or understood him–except maybe Mary of Bethany. She could have understood that he was heading for burial. And since she could not be sure she would ever have the opportunity later to find his body and anoint it for burial, she did it now, as a loving act of service. Of all these friends who were around Him at this time, only this one had the sensitivity of heart to understand what was happening.

Finally, what she did was deserving of being remembered. It was memorable. Jesus said, the story of this beautiful act will be told in memory of her wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world. Here we are today, two thousand years later, fulfilling this very word, telling again of the act of Mary of Bethany when she anointed our Lord’s head and feet.

I hope we can be as understanding and extravagant as Mary was. What can you do today to show your love and appreciation of Jesus? Something extravagant. Something with meaning.

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What is Jesus Christ’s worth to you? When have you done something extravagant and beautiful for Jesus? How can you – and will you – honor him?
  2. Are you doing what you can? Or are you doing what’s easy? Are you doing at least what you are capable of for God and his son?
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Are you ready for the day of Christ’s return?

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 4

Poetry: Job 28

New Testament: Mark 13

After Jesus’ death and resurrection Jesus ascends into heaven in Acts 1:11. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

In Mark 13:14–37, Jesus prepared his followers for intense persecution and tribulation in the days ahead and especially during the end times. He gives them hope to endure these trials by describing his glorious return as the conquering King of the universe (verses 24–27). To keep them from despairing in dark times, the Lord wants them to live in readiness for His second coming. “However,” Jesus states, “no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!” (verses 32–33).

“Day” and “hour” are often used in Scripture as references to time in general (see Matthew 7:22; 10:19; 24:42, 44, 50; 25:13; 26:45). But in Mark 13, Jesus focuses on a specific event in the future. Because no one knows the day or the hour of His return, Jesus stresses the need to pay attention, stay awake, and be ready at a moment’s notice. Multiple times in Mark 13, Jesus calls for people to be ready, to be watching: “Be on guard! Stay alert!” (verse 33), “Watch for his return” (verses 34), “You, too, must keep watch!” (verse 35), “Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning” (verse 36), and “Watch for him!” (verse 37).

The disciples wanted to know when the end would come (see Mark 13:3–4). But Jesus told them that even he did not know (verse 33). Jesus acknowledges God as omniscient alone. Since no other mortal knows the time of Jesus’ return, Jesus, as the perfect son of God didn’t know the day or hour of his return, nor did the angels in heaven, only God the Father. It is possible that Jesus, now in his glorified state, knows the day and hour of his return. But at that moment, speaking with his disciples, the information was not at Christ’s disposal. Later, just before His ascension, Jesus would remind them, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). Jesus accepted his human limitations, and so must we. The thing that matters is being ready every day for his return. What is stopping you from being ready?

Believers of every age have experienced persecution, natural disasters, and earthly trials. We all have our cross to bear. We all have our issues to deal with. We know how difficult it can be to live in this world. Genuine disciples must understand that these challenges are a daily reality of life in a fallen world. Yet, believers are not without hope because, in the end, our victorious King will return for us. Romans 8:38-39“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 In the meantime, since no one knows the day or the hour, we are to watch and be ready for Him no matter what we must endure as we continue His mission of spreading the good news of God’s kingdom”. You don’t have to know the day or the hour. You just have to be ready. God has already supplied the victory through his son Jesus Christ

Many have tried to predict the day of Christ’s return, but Scripture is straightforward—no one knows the day or the hour. Jesus said to stay awake because his coming will be a surprise: “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed”. Now we might not know when Christ will return, but we should know when he has come to us and saved us. Do you remember that day? Do you remember that hour that your Lord and savior came to you? The day you accepted him? If not, I hope and pray that you search this day, this hour, to find Christ and know him completely. His day is coming soon. Are you ready?

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Are you ready for the return of Jesus Christ?
  2. What can you do to make preparations?
  3. What should we be looking for? Why did Jesus give us these warnings?
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Are You Asking Good Questions?

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 3

Poetry: Job 27

New Testament: Mark 12

As we look into Mark 12 and prepare our hearts for resurrection Sunday the question that I wanna ask is Are you ready for the Kingdom? Have you put your heart in the right standing with God? Have you asked good questions? One of the questions that comes up that is a good question is from the book of Mark.

In Mark 12:28–34, Jesus has an interaction with a scribe who asked him what the most important commandment in the Old Testament was. Jesus responded by telling him that the most important commandments were to love God and love your neighbor (see Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:18). The scribe understood Jesus’ teaching and recognized that loving God and loving others were far more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices. When he heard his response, Jesus said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).

One reason Jesus told the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” is that the scribe faithfully interpreted Jesus’ words regarding the most important commandment in the law. After hearing Jesus’ answer to his question, the scribe didn’t correct Jesus or even challenge Him more. He simply acknowledged that what Jesus said was right and good. When Jesus heard this response from the scribe, he knew that the man was “not far from the kingdom of God” because his heart reflected God’s.

Isn’t that what we all want. To be able to reflect God perfectly? To know God’s heart and follow in it. This was a great question the scribe asked, and it moved him towards greater understanding. Are you asking good questions?

Another key reason why Jesus said to the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” is found in the last part of the scribe’s response to Jesus. The scribe said that loving God and loving your neighbor are “more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). The scribe here understood that God is more concerned with whether people are loving Him and others than with how well they follow the law’s other requirements. After all, it is possible to go to church and not love God, it is possible for someone to bring a burnt offering and have hatred in his heart toward his brother. It is possible to do the right thing and still be wrong. Such a heart condition is not pleasing to God, no matter how many sacrifices one offers.

By acknowledging the importance of loving God and loving your neighbor, the scribe proved that he was “not far from the kingdom of God.” The only thing he needed to officially enter the kingdom of God was to follow Jesus. Then he would come to truly understand what it means to love God and love your neighbor, for the secret of the kingdom of God is embodied in Jesus Himself. Given the scribe’s response to Jesus, it is entirely possible that the scribe ultimately believed in Jesus after the Lord’s death and resurrection.

Today, many people talk about the importance of loving others. Some will say things like “Love is love” or “Love is all you need” to convey this message. Such beliefs and sayings show that many people understand the importance of loving others. However, until one chooses to follow Jesus—the One who performed the greatest act of love (John 15:13)—he or she will not be able to understand what it means to truly love. More importantly, our love for other people is rooted in our love for God. Jesus taught this by putting these two commands together in Mark 12:30–31.

There may be many people in this world who are “not far from the kingdom of God.” But until believers preach the gospel to them and help such people place their faith in Jesus, these individuals cannot be a part of the kingdom of God. It would be wise for you to ask this question to yourself. Have I put myself in a position to be not far from the Kingdom of God?

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What grade would you give yourself for Loving the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?
  2. What grade would you give yourself for Loving your neighbor as yourself?
  3. Where do you get stuck following the laws/traditions/giving the burnt offerings, but without a heart of love?
  4. What changes can you make to love God and others more and more?
  5. Ask yourself: Have I put myself in a position to be not far from the Kingdom of God? What do I need to get even closer to the Kingdom of God?
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