Posts that reference the Gospel of Mark

Drum Lessons

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1

For several years I worked in the performing arts department of a junior college. We had several adjunct instructors who gave music lessons to students from elementary age to adult. We even had a percussion instructor. That means drum lessons. Right down the hallway from my office. When an eight-year-old boy takes drum lessons, it sounds just like you think it would … only more repetitive.

And eight-year-old boys generally do not realize that, while their drumming sounds pretty awesome to them, it’s a little … distracting to the people with offices in that hallway. (Before we go much further, let me clarify a couple of things. First, I love eight-year-old boys. And second, lessons for the high school and college drummers don’t sound much different.)

Here’s the lesson for us, though. If we as believers carry out the gospel of Jesus Christ without love for those we engage, it’s not much better than drum lessons.

If our hearts are full of judgment or condemnation – drum lessons.
If we are concerned with fulfilling an obligation or racking up numbers – drum lessons.
If we are interested in proving we’re right and someone else is wrong – drum lessons.

And it doesn’t matter how skillfully we present things, how well our points are made, how solid our theology is, or how fluid our transitions are. If we don’t love people, as they are, we present them with noise– annoying, repetitive noise.

Remember the rich young ruler in the Gospels? He was an arrogant, self-righteous hypocrite. Well, he was. In Mark’s account, it reads, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him …” (Mark 10:21). Notice “loved him” comes before “said to him.”

Honestly, that may be the root cause for why it’s hard to carry out the gospel in the first place– we don’t have a deep, abiding love for the people around us. Let’s pray that God gives us that love and that the Holy Spirit empowers us to act on it.

The Call

By Paula

[God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 2 Timothy 1:9

It’s easy to dismiss the call of God as something only for preachers or missionaries or other A-list Christians, but God has called each of us. In one sense, answering the call is fulfilling the purpose God had in mind for us when He saved us. In another sense, it’s an expression of our obedience.

The call is unmistakable. (Judges 6:22)
Everyone in Scripture knew they had heard from God. Admittedly they may have been reluctant to answer. They may have stalled or delayed. But they knew it was God calling.

The call is according to God’s purpose. (2 Timothy 1:9)
God never calls us to busywork. Everything He involves us in is fulfilling His kingdom purposes.

The call leads to being sent out. (Mark 6:7)
I’ve yet to find an example of someone God ordained and equipped who was not immediately put to work. There is no orientation period, no job shadowing, no time to research the pros and cons. Part of the reason for this is that we are sent out in His strength, not ours.

The call often comes in answer to prayer, but usually not our own. (Esther 4)
Israel prayed for deliverance, God calls Moses. The people prayed for rescue from Midian, God raised up Gideon. Jesus prayed all night, then called the right guys to be His disciples.

The call comes when God is ready to act. (Exodus 3:7,10)
We don’t have to wait on God’s timing. By the time He has called, it is His timing, and we need to respond.

What has God called you to? How did you respond?

What Do You Want Me to Do for You?

By Paula

So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Mark 10:51a

Jesus was speaking to Bartimaeus. He was leaving Jericho on his way to Jerusalem and the cross. Bartimaeus, undeterred by the crowd and their call for decorum, cried out for mercy. Persistently. Loudly. Jesus heard him and called for him.

What do you want me to do for you?

This is an obvious but yet compelling question. Face to face with the Son of God, how would I answer? How would you answer?

Bartimaeus asked for his eyesight, and Jesus willingly restored it.

Interestingly, James and John were faced with that very same question just a few verses earlier. They had approached Jesus with a request. “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” Then they asked for power and authority, for favor and position and prestige. Jesus deflected their request without granting it.

The differences between the two requests couldn’t be more stark.

One was wrapped in desperate humility. The other was rooted in selfish ambition. One cried out to the promised Messiah. The others hit up the leader of their group. And once again, it was need versus wants.

It won’t be long before I call out to Jesus. He will answer, because He always does, and say, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Needs or wants? Pride or humility? Will I seek His approval for my great plan? Or will I ask for the mercy I so desperately need?

How will you answer?

He Would Have Passed By

By Paula

Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. Mark 6:48

Jesus would have passed them by.

This statement always jarred me. Was Mark saying Jesus intended to leave the disciples struggling and straining, oblivious and unconcerned? I don’t think so.

Did he mean that Jesus had other plans, like going on across the lake, but He had to stop and bail the disciples out again? Like they were a bother or a hindrance? That doesn’t sound like Jesus.

But the Old Testament, I think, sheds some light on Jesus passing by. In Exodus 33 and 34, Moses asks for reassurance and reaffirmation from God and God graciously obliges. Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Exodus 33:19

Then again, for Elijah. Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 1 Kings 19:11

In both cases, the Lord passing by included a glimpse of His glory and power, designed to encourage and empower His people.

What if…

What if … with the disciples frustrated, exhausted and at the end of themselves … Jesus intended to pass by, meaning to show them His glory just like Jehovah had done for Moses and Elijah? What if, in the same way Israel was not ready to recognize Jesus as Messiah, the disciples were not ready to see Him as He truly is? So He didn’t pass by.

The disciples had just watched Jesus create food. The bread and fish from feeding the crowd of five thousand plus hadn’t even digested yet. But as amazing as that miracle was, they didn’t get it. Mark says in verse 52 that their hearts were hard. Too hard to take it in. Their minds were closed. Why?

They were afraid.
They were distracted.
They were unbelieving.

Have there been times when Jesus “would have passed by” but I was too afraid of what was happening around me to take it in? Or too distracted by whatever crisis I was trying to manage on my own? Or too unwilling to believe that He is the great I AM?

I’m not sure I want to know.
Actually, I’m pretty sure I already do.

Ministry Challenges

By Paula

Jesus had some real challenges in His ministry. It’s tempting to think because He was God everything clicked along smoothly. Everything DID click along according to plan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was smooth. In Mark 3, we see a picture of His ministry.

Ministry Snapshot

In verse 20, Jesus couldn’t even grab time to eat.
In verse 21, Jesus’s own people, His family, and friends questioned His sanity.
In verse 22, the religious leaders reasoned that Jesus had to be in league with Beelzebub.

What does that mean for us?

People will take advantage of our time and attention.
People will question everything about our ministry.
People will misattribute our motives.

If ministry wasn’t tough enough, what makes it more difficult is that these very same people . . .

May be part of the respected religious establishment (v. 22)
May believe they have your best interests at heart (v. 21)
May be well-meaning (v. 31)
May be your closest associates, perhaps even family (v. 32)

Facing challenges

When faced with opposition, we typically wonder if we are headed in the right decision. Taking the time to connect with God allows us to gain clarity on our ministry direction and receive confirmation.

Once we receive confirmation, it is important not to second-guess ourselves. It is natural to encounter obstacles. Don’t be discouraged.

A final caution

The flip side is a warning to be careful questioning or criticizing another’s ministry. We can’t presume to know how God is directing someone else. Plus, the challenges (or lack thereof) they face may not have anything to do with whether or not they’re on the right track.

Yes, ministry on any level, in any capacity can be challenging, but nothing else compares to it. In John 16, Jesus gave His take on it:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16

He chose us and appointed that we go bear fruit. How could we refuse?

Our Mission

By Paula

“Your mission, if you choose to accept it . . .”

Most of us don’t consider ourselves special or notable. Changing diapers, doing laundry, or paying the bills are certainly not our typical idea of significant work. We are faces in the crowd, numbers on a list. One of Satan’s great weapons is getting us to forget who we are, to embrace this idea that we are nothing and nobody, incapable of doing much or leaving much of a mark.

The truth is, at the moment of salvation, Christ blessed us with “all spiritual blessings” (Ephesians 1:3) including eternal life! He also gives us the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our familiarity with the fruits may cause us to dismiss them. The fact is, all of these ‘powers’ are supernatural in origin and exercise! They are the proof of the presence and actions of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

God called us as His own and He equipped and empowered us for a Kingdom work, a mission.

So what’s our mission?

Jesus spells it out at least four times in the New Testament.

(Matthew 28:18-20) Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

(Mark 16:15-16) He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

(John 21:15-17) When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

This commission embodies the essence of Christianity, calling us to share the love and message of Christ with others. The charge to Peter to “feed my sheep” underscores our ongoing duty to care for each other.

(Acts 1:8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

A witness is someone who tells what he knows. We don’t need lots of experience or training to tell what we know.

How did Jesus change my life?
Why He matters to me?
How are my daily activities different because of Jesus?
How is my outlook affected?
What difference does He make?

Our great responsibility

(Ezek 33:8) When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

The character of God hasn’t changed. If He held an Old Testament prophet responsible for not doing His job, we can expect He’s going to hold us accountable as well. But it’s extremely important to understand, our responsibility is limited to the “speaking out” part. We ARE NOT held accountable for someone’s rejection of the warning.

We have a tremendous responsibility and privilege to fulfill this mission. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish it. We can rely on God’s guidance, strength, and grace as we spread His love, share His truth, and make a positive impact in the world around us.

Let’s embrace this mission wholeheartedly.