WAIT! WHAT?

MUSINGS - October 30, 2018

WAIT! WHAT?

Mark 9:30-32
They left that place and were passing through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where he was because he was teaching his disciples. He taught them, "The Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over to people. They will kill him, but on the third day he will come back to life." The disciples didn't understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him.

This is the second time that Jesus had explicitly told them that he must suffer and die and then come to life again.  The first time he said this Peter argued with him. He told Peter that he was thinking in human terms not as God thinks.*

This time they didn't ask questions because they are afraid. They are afraid to admit that they don't understand what he meant. Perhaps they kept quiet because they didn't want to thought foolish.

After all, Jesus often spoke in parables and analogies. Perhaps they thought he didn't mean that he would literally die, perhaps it was was a figure of speech.  Maybe they didn't want to accept what he said because of the consequences it would mean for their own lives.

Through the centuries since many have failed to understand or accept Jesus's words at face value. I, though, will ever proclaim Jesus crucified in my place. Jesus rose from the dead that I might live again. He will come again to gather his own to him. I believe Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

*Mark 8:31–32

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BELIEF AND PRAYER

MUSINGS - October 28, 2018

BELIEF AND PRAYER

Mark 9:14-29
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. Some scribes were arguing with them. All the people were very surprised to see Jesus and ran to welcome him. Jesus asked the scribes, "What are you arguing about with them?"

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son. He is possessed by a spirit that won't let him talk. Whenever the spirit brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes exhausted. I asked your disciples to force the spirit out, but they didn't have the power to do it."

Jesus said to them, "You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!" They brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground, rolled around, and foamed at the mouth. Jesus asked his father, "How long has he been like this?" The father replied, "He has been this way since he was a child. The demon has often thrown him into fire or into water to destroy him. If it's possible for you, put yourself in our place, and help us!"

Jesus said to him, "As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes." The child's father cried out at once, "I believe! Help my lack of faith." When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he gave an order to the evil spirit. He said, "You spirit that won't let him talk, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again." The evil spirit screamed, shook the child violently, and came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, and everyone said, "He's dead!" Jesus took his hand and helped him to stand up.

When Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we force the spirit out of the boy?" He told them, "This kind of spirit can be forced out only by prayer."

Let's recall the story. A boy who has seizures is brought to the disciples. They try and fail. An argument ensues been the disciples and the scribes (think lawyer). Jesus arrives and all were surprised.(why? I'll have to explore that later)

Jesus questions the scribes. They don't answer. The boys father did and then said, "If it's possible for you, put yourself in our place, and help us!"

To which Jesus responds, As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes." I have to think that Jesus was staring into each of the disciples eyes when he said it. The boy's father admits how small is his belief, but the disciples say nothing. Jesus was clear upset with them when he said,p"You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?

How much faith do we have and how much do we need? In Matthew 17:20
Jesus told them, "I can guarantee this truth: If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." And in Luke 17:5-6
when the apostles said to the Lord, "Give us more faith." The Lord said, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Pull yourself up by the roots, and plant yourself in the sea!' and it would bobey you."

I have never said to a mountain or a tree, "Move!" However, I have witnessed miracles after much prayer.
" (Matthew 21:22)

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MI CASA ES TU CASA

MUSINGS - October 27, 2018.

MI CASA ES TU CASA

Mark 9:1-8
He said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the kingdom of God arrive with power." After six days Jesus took only Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. Jesus' appearance changed in front of them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them and were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it's good that we're here. Let's put up three tents--one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (Peter didn't know how to respond. He and the others were terrified.) Then a cloud overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Suddenly, as they looked around, they saw no one with them but Jesus.

Peter//, James and John didn't know what to do. You really can't blame them, can you? They suddenly had the entirety of scriptures made real to them: Moses (the Law), Elijah (the Prophets), the voice of God revealed in a cloud (the Old Testament), and Jesus (the New Testament).

Their human minds were overwhelmed. "Let's put up three tents" was their response. Let us make a place to keep them. It will be a place where we can go and be with them. Too many Christians still do that. Our churches are buildings where we house God. We go there to be with him once a week, or once a year, it once in a while. It's almost like visiting a zoo. I enjoy looking at the exotic creatures. But I don't want them in my home.

God should be in our homes, our businesses, our schools, our vehicles, and our lives. Jesus said, "Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them." (Matthew 18:20)

Lord, my home is your home.

Dios, mi hogar es tu hogar".

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THE PRICE AND THE PRIZE

MUSINGS - October 26, 2018

THE PRICE AND THE PRIZE

Mark 8:34-38
Then Jesus called the crowd to himself along with his disciples. He said to them, "Those who want to follow me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me and for the Good News will save them. What good does it do for people to win the whole world yet lose their lives? Or what should a person give in exchange for life? If people are ashamed of me and what I say in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of those people when he comes with the holy angels in his Father's glory."

If you thought being a follower of Christ would be easy, you are delusional. It ain't easy, my friends, but it's doable. Even Jesus's twelve closest friends and first followers suffered greatly. Although the scriptures only tell if the deaths of two of them, early church reports and legends claim that all but one died horrible deaths by crucifixion, stoning, burning, decapitation, and stabbing by knives, swords and spears.

You can't say that they weren't warned of the cost of following him. He told them, "Go! I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves." (Luke 10:3) You must be willing to abandon everything and everyone that is important too you for his sake. It is not always required to give up everything but it's always required that you be willing to do so. Read Luke 9:57-62 for more on the cost of discipleship.

No we are not promised that life will be easy but it will be easier because he will share our burdens and comfort us. There are rewards in this life and the next. Matthew 25:34 "Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world."

Keep you eyes on the prize.

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UNDERSTANDING THE MESSIAH

MUSINGS - October 25, 2018

UNDERSTANDING THE MESSIAH

Mark 8:27-33
Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" They answered him, "Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah!" He ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a lot. He taught them that he would be rejected by the leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes. He would be killed, but after three days he would come back to life. He told them very clearly what he meant. Peter took him aside and objected to this. Jesus turned, looked at his disciples, and objected to what Peter said. Jesus said, "Get out of my way, Satan! You aren't thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think."

Messiah literally means the anointed one.

According to Wikipedia, In Jewish eschatology, the Messiah is a future Jewish king from the Davidic line, who is expected to be anointed with holy anointing oil and rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age and World to come. The Messiah is often referred to as "King Messiah". This is the Messiah the Peter was talking about when he called Jesus Messiah.

Jewish history was full of messiahs. All of their kings had been anointed with oil, much like our presidents take an oath of office. But this future messiah was to be THE MESSIAH. He was expected to usher in a new age where Israel would be the center of power for the entire world.

However, as Jesus explained, that was humanity's expectation and not God's plan.

We have a record of very few of Jesus teachings. Only around 2,000 words. To get that in perspective, a typical article in Wall Street Journal had around 1,000 words. Over the approximately three years of his public ministry he didn't keep a journal and neither did his disciples. The earliest gosples were written around A. D. 70. The earliest followers were expecting an immediate return of the Messiah do they saw no need of a written record. It wasn't until the original witnesses began dieing that things started to be documented from memory, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

I bring that up because I wonder how much our human expectations over the last two thousand years have varied from God's plan?

Let those with ears, hear. It is necessary to pray for understanding and guidence before, during, and after reading those precious few words. And I believe they need to be read over and over. They needed to be read like your life depends on understanding them. Because it does.

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HEAD A MIRACLE

MUSINGS - October 24, 2018

HALF A MIRACLE

Mark 8:22-26
As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged Jesus to touch him. Jesus took the blind man's hand and led him out of the village. He spit into the man's eyes and placed his hands on him. Jesus asked him, "Can you see anything?" The man looked up and said, "I see people. They look like trees walking around." Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes a second time, and the man saw clearly. His sight was normal again. He could see everything clearly even at a distance. Jesus told him when he sent him home, "Don't go into the village."

"Some people brought a blind man to Jesus." And then some people begged Jesus to heal him. The blind man had no voice in nor took any action in his healing. Jesus often said, "Your faith has made you well."* However, to this man he said nothing like that. His friends had faith in Jesus. Perhaps the blind man only had faith in his friends not in Jesus. Maybe that is why Jesus seperated him from the others, so that he would begin to trust Jesus. His faith developed in stages. To begin with, he had no faith. Then he had a little. Finally, he believed.

I was like that blind man. I went to church only because a friend invited me. I wasn't looking for Jesus. I was spiritually blind. Little by little my eyes were opened until at last I could say with the author of Amazing Grace, "I was blind but now I see!"

The blind man in this scripture had to receive half of a miracle before he could be made whole.

How about you? Have you received a partial miracle and are satisfied with that? Or can you agree with the hymn It is Well With My Soul and say, "My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more"?

*Mark 5:34, Luke 17:19, Luke 7:50, Luke 8:48, Luke 18:42, Matthew 9:22, Mark 19:52

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ARE YOU BLIND AND DEAF?

MUSINGS - October 23 2018

ARE YOU BLIND AND DEAF?

Mark 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus warned them, "Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!" They had been discussing with one another that they didn't have any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you don't have any bread? Don't you understand yet? Don't you catch on? Are your minds closed? Are you blind and deaf? Don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They told him, "Twelve." "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They answered him, "Seven." He asked them, "Don't you catch on yet?"

There it's something surreal about this story. There is a lot of talk about bread that isn't really about bread at all. Unfortunately the disciples take it took literally.

Yeast or leaven throughout the old and new testaments is a symbol of sin. Modern bakers use yeast to make the bread rise. In ancient times most bread was what we would call sour dough.

My mother would make sour dough bread. Before you could make the bread, you first had to make the starter. Mom called the starter Herman I don't know why, but it was Herman. This was done by mixing flour and water (no yeast) and letting it sit at room temperature for a day or so. It would start to ferment as yeast and bacteria in the air began to digest the dough and produce carbon dioxide bubbles within it. Herman would need to be fed with new flour for several days until the entire dough was full of the bubbles and spongy. Finally a small portion of the fermented dough could be added to fresh flour and water. Then the dough could be seasoned, shaped, and baked. The remainder of Herman would continue to be fed until she was ready to bake more bread.
The key is that you only need to add a very small amount of fermented dough to make new dough rise. (Leaven/yeast is basically old, fermented dough that is placed in new dough to make it rise. The key is that you only need to add a very small amount of fermented dough to make new dough rise. (Gal 5:9) describes this saying, "a little leaven leavens the whole lump."

So Jesus was warning his disciples to avoid the sin of the religious and political leaders, as in Luke 20:45-47 "Beware of the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces, to have the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at dinners. They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The scribes will receive the most severe punishment." However, the disciples completely missed the point and think that Jesus is actually upset because they set out on this trip with only a single loaf of bread.

He asks then to recall the two times he has fed thousands with just a few loaves. He asks then to think of the excessive abunance leftover. And even then they still miss the point.

How frustrated Jesus was when he said to his disciples, "Are you blind and deaf?" How frustrated he must still be when, those who called themselves by his name, begin to act smug in their supposed righteousness while behaving like the Pharisees if old.

"Are you blind and deaf?

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