Mark

True to Kind

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” 2 Timothy 2:13

This must be one of the most comforting verses in the Bible for the one who knows the heart of God and knows his own heart. It is one of the reasons why Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. We are prone to wander from the truth back into worldly ways of thinking but the Good Shepherd keeps steering us into ‘green pastures.’

We are told in the Bible that there are two things God cannot do; He cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18) and He cannot “deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). These relate to His Person. In contrast there are passages that tell us that nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37) but these relate to His activity in the world.

The very origin and root of sin is that Satan provoked Adam and Eve to doubt both of these aspects of God’s nature that He cannot do. He cannot lie and He cannot think, speak or act contrary to His Divine Nature. The combination of these two is where the true believer finds their assurance, comfort and peace.

When we read God’s word we are sure that He is not telling lies or trying to hide things from us. We know that he does not speak with hypocrisy and will not set a trap for us. When we have doubts about this it is easy to know who is behind those doubts. Satan has been doing this ever since he spoke with Eve in the Garden of Eden. He is well practiced by now but we have the whole Bible that will expose his lie.

In the Bible we also discover that there are many ways in which we may think that God is not faithful to His word. Again, our sinful hearts have a bias to consider God unfaithful but as we read the Bible and reflect on our own lives we will discover that He is and always has been faithful to who He is. The world does not see it that way but that is because their idea of godly traits is different to the revelation of God in the Bible.

One of the most common of complaints is used in other relationships as well. Essentially it is that if you don’t give me what I want, you don’t love me. This is a form of manipulation and no one should allow themselves to be manipulated in this way. That would not be love at all and it destroys the relationship. God will not be manipulated.

Love is sacrificially giving what the other persons needs. This is what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. “For God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Wow! Aren’t we glad that God will always love us in that way?

Differing Values

“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Judas, Matthew 27:4)

Why do people respond or react in different ways when faced with the same or similar circumstances and situations? The answer to this question may have a lot to do with what we believe and what we value.

The twelve disciples of Jesus all spent about three years with Him observing all that He did and listening to what He had to say.

They had previously been taught by the Rabbis that when Israel’s Messiah came He would deliver Israel from oppression and domination by Gentile nations. In their lifetime the Gentile nation that ruled Israel was the Roman Empire. The disciples therefore would have an expectation that the Messiah would deliver them from Roman rule and Roman oppression.

Along with many other people in Jerusalem at the time when Jesus rode the colt into the city (Matthew 21:1-11) the disciples believed that Jesus was that Messiah. Their expectation therefore was that Jesus would extinguish Roman rule and dominion and establish His own earthly kingdom as promised to King David (2 Samuel 7:16). The disciples were so sure of this that they argued among themselves regarding their position in that kingdom (Mark 10:35-41).

Jesus had told His disciples on several occasions that He would die and rise again but they apparently dismissed this as impossible. After all, they believed that Jesus was God and He confirmed that fact by miracles on many occasions.

Judas betrayed Jesus in what may have been an attempt to force Jesus’ hand. He accepted money in payment for this betrayal. He was a thief. He sought power, prestige and wealth for himself. As the current “treasurer” his expectation was that he would be treasurer in the kingdom. Remember that the disciples had recently been arguing about their positions in the kingdom.

After heroically defending Jesus on the Mount of Olives, Peter later denied knowing Jesus. He was grieved in his heart that he had done such a thing and so he wept bitterly.

The different responses to Jesus being taken into custody were not in what each believed. Both Judas and Peter believed that Jesus was Israel’s long awaited Messiah and that He would establish His own kingdom at that time. The difference was in their values. Judas valued position, power and prestige. Peter was grieved and wept not because he had lost the opportunity for position, power and prestige but because he knew he had severely damaged his relationship with Jesus. Judas had no intimate relationship with Jesus. His sorrow was over his personal loss. Peter grieved over the loss in his relationship with Jesus.

The question for each of us is whether we are seeking high position in Christ’s kingdom or seeking a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. If we serve Jesus to gain merit it is clear that we are seeking position in His kingdom and that will lead us to betray or deny Him at some time. On the other hand if our desire is an intimate relationship with Jesus we will always be grieved and repentant when we damage that relationship by sin. Like Peter we will look with aching heart for Him to come and reconcile us to Himself. He will come.

Faith of a Child

“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14)

Although we know the above verse of Scripture and wholeheartedly agree with these words of Jesus there are times we are inclined to act as though young children cannot grasp the Gospel. Jesus goes on to exclaim that the opposite is true: children more readily grasp and receive the Gospel than older people. Jesus said, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (v 15).

It is faith in Jesus Christ of the same kind that a child has toward his/her parents that brings salvation. Just as a young child implicitly trusts its parents so will the child of God trust his/her Heavenly Father. Indeed, it is this child-like faith that allows one to trust the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

Since this kind of faith is inherent in a child it only stands to reason that children are more likely to put their trust in the Lord Jesus. It isn’t uncommon for children raised in a godly Christian home to respond to Christ’s invitation as young as four or five. Consequently we would be wise to give considerably more effort and prayer for children to receive Jesus Christ in their early years. It’s always better to pour water on the fires of hell before they take hold and begin destroying the young soul than to wait until the flames are beyond quenching. The signs and consequences of children left to burn in sin are all around us and seen daily.

We count it a privilege to be able to present our children with an infinitely better option but we must never become complacent. This is a joint responsibility of all who belong to Jesus Christ. In addition, there are hundreds of children in our community with whom Jesus wants to enter into a personal relationship. We could make a difference if we all shared in this wonderful privilege and responsibility. There is not much better than looking into the eyes of a young child who has just put their trust in the Lord Jesus.

Today we give thanks to the Lord and rejoice as the children we have grow in their knowledge and understanding of our Saviour. We rejoice in the Lord because our children are hearing and believing the Gospel of Christ. Their life and destiny will be infinitely better for it.

Family Resemblance

“Whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister and mother” (Mark 3:35)

In times when being a Christian does not attract persecution there is no risk to a person who makes the declaration that they are a Christian. In Australia at present we live in that kind of religious climate. The result has been that many claim to be Christian when in fact they are not. It isn’t that they are being deceptive or untruthful but that they do not know how to become a Christian or what it means to be a Christian as the Bible defines the name. As Jesus has said (Matthew 7:22) there are going to be some extremely disappointed people.

The Gospel is clear that salvation is the result of faith in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ but it is just as clear that when one has done so there will be a change of life from within. James addresses this in his letter. Jesus calls it “born from above” and Paul and Peter as a new creation.

In another place where people call Jesus “Lord, Lord” (Luke 6:46) these people mark themselves as not being Christians because they do not do the will of God. This is in contrast to the words of Jesus quoted above where those who are Christians do the will of God. A person who is not a Christian can not do the will of God and neither can they until they are born from above. It isn’t that doing the will of God makes someone a Christian but it is a means by which they reveal that they are a Christian and can discern for themselves that they are genuine.

Surely this is a matter in which we do not want to be deceived or get it wrong. Our eternal destiny hangs in the balance. If we have no desire to do the will of God or we attempt to do so for personal or commercial gain then we can be sure we are not born of God. On the other hand, if it is our desire and delight to please God by doing His will, whatever the personal cost to us, then we have assurance that we are children of God.

Even though Jesus’ siblings and mother were present He affirmed that spiritual kinship is more intimate than bodily relationship.

Jesus always did the will of the Father and those who are in His family will display a family resemblance by also doing the will of the Father. Anyone can say they are a Christian but the one who truly is will show a definite resemblance to the Lord Jesus Christ and one of those characteristics is doing the will of God.

Making the Connection

“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat” Mark 8:2

Multitudes of people had come to Jesus possibly out of curiosity regarding His teaching or His miracles. Why they came isn’t so important but rather how they leave. This is always the case when people encounter Jesus and this has not changed through time.

For three days this crowd had listened to Jesus’ teaching and observed miracles but their provisions depleted to the point that Jesus observed that they had no food remaining and there was no opportunity for them to acquire more.

Jesus said that His compassion came from the fact that He was about to end this assembly and the large number of people would be returning to their homes. Some would have a long way to travel on their return journey without food and there was a risk they might not make it in good health.

Once again the disciples express their total inability to do anything about the situation. There was not enough food for them let alone anyone else. Only Jesus would be able to meet this need.

The disciples may have remembered intellectually that God had provided Israel with manna in the wilderness but that they had not made the connection that it was Jesus who provided that manna. Even the recent feeding of 5,000 men plus women and children seems to have fallen from memory.

They appear to be just like us. We read and think we understand the Bible yet do not make the connection between the Jesus of the Bible and the Jesus with whom we relate. It takes circumstances in our lives, usually difficult or impossible ones, to bring the two to be as one.

Jesus is not at all unmindful of our physical needs. We always have and always will require provision for our physical being. God demonstrates His faithfulness daily in providing us with what we need. When He saw people in need He had compassion and met the need as He was able.

If we really believe that Jesus will provide all we require for eternity it is an easy matter to believe He will provide all we need now. If we doubt His ability or willingness to provide now we show the same lack of faith that the disciples did and reveal that we have doubts about His providing for us in eternity. Jesus’ intervention in impossible situations will increase our faith.

Jesus may not ask us to feed such a large crowd but He will present impossible situations in our lives in order that we may call upon Him and see His response. When these times come James gives us an appropriate response: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting…. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man” (James 1:5-8).

Faithful Father

“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Mark 10:15

The actions of the disciples that provoked these words (Mark 10:14, 15) from Jesus are helpful to us. The parents of the children wanted Jesus to ‘touch them.’ The disciples thought the children would only distract Jesus and be a pest. How wrong they were!

In His gentle rebuke of the disciples and correction of the parents Jesus reveals that the kind of faith that results in salvation is the same kind of faith that a child has. In fact no adult can be saved without this kind of faith.

What kind of faith is it? It is the kind of faith that expects to be loved and cared for because of the relationship with the one who is the object of faith.

For a child, the object of faith is their parents. Children expect their parents to love them and demonstrate that love by providing for and protecting them. Of course some parents do not live up to these expectations and a child may cease to have faith in its parents.

When we come to our heavenly Father with this same kind of faith, He is faithful and justified in providing all our need. What is our need? We need to be delivered from the power of sin, death and the devil.

We come to Him with this kind of faith because we realise that He loves us and has sent His Son to take our sin upon Himself.

Children will find it easier to have this kind of faith while they are young and have not been let down by adults so often. Our heavenly Father will never let us down. He is faithful and true to His word. The first word of faith is, “Thankyou.”

“Monumental Blunder”

“[Saul has] set up a monument for himself” (1 Samuel 15:12)

There is no ambiguity in the Lord’s command to Saul to kill everything of the Amalekites that has breath. Had Saul disobeyed on compassionate grounds it would still have been disobedience but he may have gained some sympathy from us. However, his reason was not compassion which can be seen in that he did kill everything except that “Saul and the people (they were with Saul in this) spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them” (v 9). They did manage to kill the women and children as commanded by the Lord so compassion was not in their reasoning.

Saul claimed that the reason for keeping king Agag alive and the animals was for a sacrifice to the Lord but the Lord saw through this deception. He knew that Saul wanted the glory for himself; hence the monument Saul had set up. Rather than admit he had succumbed to pride Saul tried to justify disobedience by putting a spiritual spin to it. He has had many disciples throughout history even to this day.

Jesus said that the great commandment is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). It appears He said this on at least three separate occasions and it is recorded by three of the Gospel writers. There is nothing ambiguous about this command so why do we settle for mediocrity?

Jesus also commanded that we “make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19) and to be witnesses to Him all over the world (Acts 1:8). Again, this command is not ambiguous yet we comply reluctantly and half-heartedly which is in reality disobedience.

God in his grace has placed us where we are able to obtain material and spiritual wealth in varying degrees but like Saul we give into the temptation of using both for our own pleasure, to gain praise from others and glory to ourselves. Instead God intends that we use it in obedience to Him for His glory. Also like Saul we put one of the numerous spiritual spins to our disobedience to the Lord’s commands to make it appear spiritual. Others go along with it because they are doing the same.

Let us stop making monuments to ourselves of what the Lord has graciously given us for His own use and glory. There is nothing we are or have that He did not give. Repent, have a change of heart and serve the Lord in obedience with all our heart.