Pray To Stay

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
  -- Mark 7:6-7

This response from Jesus comes out of a story of washing, as in traditional washing handed down and policed by the Pharisees and scribes. The Pharisees had asked why the disciples following Jesus had not washed their hands before eating bread. The disciples were not dirty in the way of sanitation, but unclean by the traditions. Jesus named them hypocrites and told of a fulfilled prophecy of Isaiah, vain worship and man-made traditions for doctrine. How did they accomplish this? Lip service to God and hearts that were far from Him. 

Pray to stay with Jesus,

Bucky

The Healer

Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well. Mark 6:56

By this point in His ministry, Jesus can no longer slip into a place unnoticed. The people of every place had heard of His healing and they ran to bring to Him all of their sick and lame. That certainly is a need for the moment in this life, but what did they hear from Him? Did anyone accept the words of life that He brought? Are we any better? Or do we run to Jesus in prayer when something hurts only to forget about Him when things go well for us.

I wonder sometimes if it was easier for those people to see Jesus as SuperNurse, healer of all who touch the hem of His garment, than as the Savior of the sinners or even Messiah. We desire His instant healing today, but what we need is His salvation.

Rejoice in patience, He returns,

Bucky

Walk The Storm

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. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Mark 6:48-50

It is a famous little story of walking the waters of the Sea of Galilee. Just the Son of Man out for a stroll on a dark and stormy night on top of the water. In such a circumstance, one can see how easy it would be to cause a mass panic with just one word, "ghost!" Storm outside, storm inside, and Jesus speaks a word or two, "Be of good cheer!" Did that ghost just say to be of good cheer? And some think there is no humor in Jesus. The words we want to hear from Him are there too, "It is I, do not be afraid." There are times in life when we look and a+b+c adds up to 'Aaaugh!' And then our Lord tells us to not be afraid. And invites us to walk the storm with Him.

So, take His hand and walk the storm!

Bucky

Prayer Priority

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Mark 6:45-46

In the scriptural now of our verses today, Jesus has performed the signs set for Him by the Father, and He has a priority that requires some alone time. What was so important that Jesus must get alone? He had a prayer priority, as the words of the scripture tell us. The thousands that Jesus fed with a couple of fishes and five little loaves were sent home. His precious disciples chosen out of the world were sent across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had an important meeting, and one we should take note of. Jesus sets for us an example to follow.

But, we may protest, the pastor prayed yesterday, the song leader said a prayer over the offering, the altar assistant prayed to start the communion, and a kid named Bubba came in from the street and prayed to start the fellowship dinner. Now you say we need to get alone for a special prayer? Oh yeah we do! Praying together in the fellowship does its thing, but Jesus showed and told us to pray alone with God. You, me, Bubba, and even the pastor, each need our alone time with God in prayer. Therefore, by divine command:

Enjoy a little prayer time today!

Bucky

Send Them Away?

But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”
And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?” Mark 6:37

Sometimes we, like the disciples of Jesus in our verse today, have an idea of what Jesus can do for us. In verse 36, the disciples tell their rabbi to send them away, the easier solution to the problem. Nevermind that this multitude at least five thousand strong had just journeyed far to get there and they were nearly famished right then. "Send them away," was their solution. Jesus had a different option for His disciples, you guys feed them. Has a leader ever given you or I a more difficult task on the spot? It would be a different matter entirely if they were standing in a commercial kitchen with well-stocked walk-in refrigerators and freezers. But they were out in the lonely wilderness. What to do?

The disciples examine a couple of options, 200 denarii worth of bread, a couple of fishes and a few loaves, but they are each inadequate to the task at hand. And that is where we stand before the Lord Jesus too, inadequate. Fortunately for the disciples and for us, Jesus already had provision from His Father on the line and ready to roll. Like the disciples, once our inadequacy has been shown to us, and we believe in Him, then we get to help with the distribution of His provision. For the disciples it was food that day, for us it is the good news of the salvation of Jesus Christ.

Have a wonderful weekend with Jesus!

Bucky

Let's Take A Break

Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. Mark 6:30-32

This small portion of the disciples journey seems right out of our lives today - busy, busy, busy. Jesus invites them to go to a deserted place for a little break. As we often run into, the next line after this scripture passage for today tells of their success. But the multitudes saw them departing...(v33). Oh dear, and yes those multitudes run, not walk, run to meet Jesus and His disciples in the formerly deserted place. This attempted break from their busy lives is of course the set up for the feeding of the 5,000. This event is memorable enough for the disciples that all four gospel accounts tell the story for us. The miracle of feeding thousands from a boy's lunch causes us to marvel to this day over the Lord's provision in that deserted place.

So, look to Jesus and keep on marvelin'!

Bucky

Dear Ol' Murderous Mum

He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”
And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”
Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 
Mark 6:23-25

The young woman performed so well that she earned a great reward from the king, But, she didn't know what to ask. However, upon consultation with her mother, dear ol' murderous Mum, she knew just what to ask for - the head of John the Baptizer. She may have added a platter to avoid needing to handle the head when it was brought to her. A smart move, because the story tells us that Herod in his hasty magnanimity caught himself in a pickle. He didn't want to fulfill their request, but he had made that oath in front of everyone. So who will suffer the judgment for this murder of one of God's holy prophets? 

Jesus did not condemn any of them. So, does that mean they could receive the forgiveness Jesus earned on the cross? Certainly, even murder was not off the table for salvation. All they needed to do was believe in Jesus the Christ... and confess to the murder of His voice of one crying in the wilderness. Woof! And I once thought my sins were hard to confess. 

Rejoice in the Christ, we have His forgiveness available to us all!

Bucky

Held Against Him

Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Mark 6:19-20

An illegitimately married couple, and she wants to kill the messenger while he wants to keep the man around. That should cause a bit of tension in the household.

In between the recording of the miracles and teachings of Jesus, we get how things are in the world. A queen who saw the easier way out was to murder a man. A king who could be easily outmaneuvered by his lust. A daughter who was a willing tool to her mother's ends. And, a just and holy man who was such a refreshing change for the time that the king liked having him around. When the good news of Jesus meets the way of the world, there will be a resounding clash. Some will hear it gladly, but may never believe. Others want to kill the messenger.

To God be the glory!

Bucky

A More Tolerable Judgment

Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”  Mark 6:10-11

In Sunday School it was taught how Abraham did some dickering with the Lord and got Him down to ten righteous men found in Sodom could avoid the destruction coming upon it. Even ten did not work out as all the men of the wicked city demanded to know the two angels of the Lord in a carnal manner. That we would agree is some serious wickedness. So when a town in Israel rejected the two disciples and their message sent by Jesus, Sodom and Gomorrah would receive a more tolerable judgment? That places so wicked would have less to fear in judgment than a place that rejected the words of Jesus tells us of a surpassingly important message. 

Maybe it's good news! 

Bucky

The Not-So-Triumphant Return

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.  Mark 6:4-6

A few people leave their town after graduating high school and their intention is to return triumphantly at some future date with fame, fortune, and family well-earned and in hand. Okay, maybe more than a few. However, if the intention included a career as a prophet, their triumphant return was doomed before it even began. Apparently no one offered to name any streets after local boys turned prophets.

Jesus had returned to His hometown and found not even honor amongst His fellow Nazarenes. Unbelief in Him ran to a marvelous amount in Nazareth, such that Jesus could only do a few healings, Mark tells us. But wait, the Son of God could do no mighty work? Yes, because it seems that faith in the Christ is not forced on anyone. So, only works of personal healing, no big signs, and no triumphant return. 

At least, not yet, on the triumphant return. We know one is coming!

Bucky

His Command

Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.  Mark 5:41-42

Without the translation someone would surely look at what Jesus said as magic words. Talitha, cumi! Didn't work, must have got the pronunciation wrong. But no, the words are the commanding words of the Christ, who comes with God's authority. The Roman centurion got it; he knew authority and that Jesus spoke it. The Pharisees refused His authority. The professional mourners for the girl laughed at His authority. The girl's parents saw that authority in action as their dearly departed daughter was returned to them. It's a miracle! And they were strictly commanded to keep silent about it.

I wonder what their startled expression for that was? 

Bucky

And They Ridiculed Him

Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed Him.
-- Mark 5:38-40

The sincerity of the mourners fell apart with one reaction to a man they did not know. Sure, His statement was unusual, even extraordinary, but for ridicule to come so quickly shows a lack of engagement with the mourning. They were in it for the money, a show of mourning that did not touch their hearts. They were hired noise. And along comes Jesus answering a plea for help. And they ridiculed Him. Is it any wonder that the next time He comes will be in His full glory?

Love and joy to you in Christ our Lord,

Bucky

But Death Does Trouble Him

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” John 5:35

Through several incidents such as this one, and that most famous one, Lazarus, Jesus served notice to all of us that death is not so final as we might think. Someone left watching over the young girl in Jairus' house, came to tell him not to trouble the Teacher further. But death does trouble our Teacher, and He was not willing to just stop and toss the girl's life away. Two powerful words of our Lord come from this, "Do not be afraid" and "only believe". The woman with the issue of blood had believed. Jairus had believed. That thing we greatly fear, death, was not the end of belief in Jesus. The command of our Lord still holds true for each of us.

When the time of dying comes: do not be afraid, only believe!

Bucky

Who Touched Me?

Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” Mark 5:29-30

As His disciples will quickly point out, Jesus was in a crowd. How could anyone know which touch among so many? And yet, Jesus had felt the touch of faith and the rush of God's power going out of Him. Could Jesus have just gone on to Jairus' house? Sure, but more healing was needed. As a part of this healing it was essential that this woman come forward.

As a 'bloody' woman for twelve years, she knew well by this time how to slip in and out of towns and crowds, being as little noticed as possible. To be noticed would be to have someone shout, "Unclean!" at the top of their lungs. Humiliation was always at her door looking to get in. So she slipped through the crowd and touched Jesus' garments in faith. But so much for her stealthy plans. Instead of the usual shout, Jesus stops to make a big deal out of it. Ah, but she needed those words, His words.

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” (v34)

Go in peace, my beloved!

Bucky

Chronic And Acute

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. Mark 5:25-26

Twelve years brings out the sympathy from us, especially for a problem so serious. This woman's problem was chronic in nature, meaning it was long-lasting, persistent, and frequently recurring. But in the same crowd was an acute problem with Jairus, who wanted help for his daughter who was dying right that moment. Right now, as we would say, meaning suddenly coming on with severity, and usually short in nature. Then, the woman reaches out to touch the robe of Jesus. And almost as soon as Jesus lets her know it is alright with Him, the servants of Jairus tell of the acute condition passing. As in, passed away, the daughter along with the problem. Well, that wasn't the resolution we wanted to hear from short and severe! But this is Jesus the man came to, and He will not leave it like that.

Praise God for the miracles available to both chronic and acute suffering,

Bucky

A Refused Opportunity

Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.  Mark 5:15-17

When the time of judgment comes for us, we do not want to be among those who saw Jesus, knew of His work, and responded with a 'go away!'. The evidence sits before them clothed and now in his right mind. They knew well the man's former condition. Jesus brings healing and release of the captives. Their response is to plead with Jesus to depart. Was this for the loss of their pigs? Perhaps it was from all that was new too suddenly? They had their large herd of pigs and their demoniac. Then suddenly they didn't. And Jesus stood there asking for just a little faith in what was new to them. They got together and refused Him. 

Pray that those who refuse Jesus once will get another chance to believe.

Bucky

Knowing Who To Go To

...a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. Mark 5:2-5

As we read in our scripture today, an unclean spirit is no joke. This thing is mean to the man. We can take a peek ahead in the story and see that it is not just one unclean spirit. So between the spirits the man is forced to cut himself with stones, live among tombs, travel between mountains and tombs, cry out, and break apart shackles and chains. The last might sound like a benefit, but human bones, ligaments, tendons and skin do not do well against iron. And though the mean spirits may have lent a bit of strength, they probably didn't help with the cutting, tearing, and possibly breaking of bones that went on with breaking up the iron. The man was a mess, but he knew who to go to for help.

May we always see Jesus as our first help,

Bucky

Immediate Meeting

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Mark 5:1-2

Jesus hardly has time for a deep breath after another trip across the sea before He is met by the enemy. But, the enemy has a prisoner. For combat, we were trained to kill the enemy if met upon our landings. Training to go in guns blazing back in the day would not have prepared us for the enemy holding our beloved hostage on the beach. It presents a problem where simply blowing the enemy away does not work. What will Jesus do? This introduction begins the famous tale of Jesus and a gang of evil thugs going by the name of Legion. The difficulty comes from this gang inhabiting one of our Lord's beloved humans. As there is much to be analyzed and said about this meeting, I will not pile it all on you today.

Rejoice in the Lord and pray for one another,

Bucky

Have Faith, The Kingdom of God Grows

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how."  Mark 4:26-27

Some years I can recall where farmers in these parts may have contemplated planting rice seeds in paddies. This year they may be looking for cactus seeds to plant. Whatever combination of soil temperature and composition, sunlight, type of seed, depth in the soil, and of course moisture, causes a seed to burst open and send up a plant has been studied by many sharp people for a long time. I'm sure they are still surprised at times. Any farmer or gardener might tell us that for all the years of consistency, seeds can still have a mind of their own. Like the year I planted a bunch of marigolds in a tub and carrots grew on the roots. Still not sure what happened there. I have been offered several explanations, and I resemble some of them. 

I am completely with the man in the parable today. When my seeds sprout, I rejoice. When they don't? Well, that just shows the level of my gardening ignorance. That same year of my uh, carrotgolds, I planted several rows of leaf lettuce in a raised bed. None of the seeds sprouted. I think the yard windmill must have frightened the seeds. By the parable, I know the same about the kingdom of God. Seeds are scattered and somehow they grow and thrive. I'll just put my faith in God and let it come!

Bucky

Take Heed, And Get More

Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” Mark 4:24-25

Believing in Jesus for our salvation was not the end of our journey but the beginning. As we read and learn from Him, we get more to learn. As we learn more from Him, we gain more understanding in His word. It tells us of a life-long journey with treasures in the word of God to be found all along the way. The second verse for today also warns us of the danger of the dusty Bible.

A frightening concept even for those who believe in Jesus. We see that those who do not have (That is, have never believed in Jesus) face an eternity without what they could have had in Him. Frightening as it should be, it tells of a time when the decision to believe in Jesus will no longer be available.

May God grant all those we love, who do not yet believe, a little more time.

Bucky

Let Us Hear And Heed

"If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given." Mark 4:23-24

Jesus said that a lot. Of course those with ears would hear, wouldn't they? Unless there might be something preventing that hearing? Jesus issued the divine command, "Let him hear." He would not have said it if it were not necessary. And to those who would hear, there was a further command to take heed, also known as pay attention, to what they had heard. And then a promise that with usage, our response to His word, we will be measured out some more of His word. It tells us of a progression. We do not hear His word one day and then we're done. No, we hear what we are able, and then come back for more. The word of God is that food we must eat and then return to for more of His sustaining word.

May our ears hear and heed His beautiful Word!

Bucky

Secret Secrets Coming To Light

Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:21-23

Jesus here makes a promise about hidden and secret things. We might think He means our national capital and the so-called leaks that happen from time to time. Probably not though, since legislative bodies and secret keepers have been at odds since ancient Rome and before. On the other hand, those with ears to hear might recall a time when Daniel was told some prophecies that were closed up and sealed for the time of the end. So have the secret secrets come to light yet?

Treading the ground of the end times may be what we are doing right now. However, that difficult ground tends to make the most experienced of eschatologists feel a bit uncertain, I think. For those of us with less experience, we just, to borrow a favorite expression of my boss, feel stupid. Don't feel too badly though, we are all in it with Jesus when we believe in Him!

Bucky

Trying To Be Good Ground

But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.  Mark 4:20

A person named Christian repents and believes in Jesus, and then reads this parable. Christian of course wants to be the good ground producing much for the kingdom of God. All prepared to go forth and produce, Christian meets the world, and it wants something. The boss wants eight hours of five days, sleep wants eight hours of seven days, the pastor loves his volunteers, and didn't Jesus say something about visiting the sick and prisoners? How many hours do they need?!  "I wanna go see this movie," Christian thinks with a bit of the ol' rebellion.  Christian looks inside and wonders how saved one might be when clearly thinking of the pastor as a thorn. The ground of new faith does not look as good as it did this morning, and those bills in the mailbox definitely look like thorny ground to tread. Christian feels a bit wilted in the heat of life, does the soil feel a bit thin here? Was that the shadow of the evil one passing over? 

We can sympathize with Christian. It seems at times as if the Lord Sower planted us at once in all three bad soils. We try to be a good ground plant, but - phew! - life seems out to get us all around and every day. There is a lot of pastoral metaphor going on here, but just hear and accept the word, little sheep, and the Good Shepherd will bring forth the fruit in us! 

Bucky

Ceding Control

Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  Mark 4:18-19

The butter cuts a little harder and the eggs take a bit longer to fry up this morning. Yes, it's a return to winter for us with single digit temperatures this morning. Wait, the weather commentary, could that be a thorn choking the word just now? While I do believe this parable from our Lord could also refer to seasons of life in our journey with Christ, I'm not sure that worrying over every moment of every day will increase fruit production. Some would shoot the bullets at me right now - faithful in the little things, be a good steward of time, and others - but does such intense fretting produce more fruit or just more worry? Am I to walk with Jesus or to try appointing every one of His minutes? How much time do I schedule for listening to Him? Gosh, what happens if I leave the control of this thing to the One who redeemed me? 

Interesting questions from an interesting parable!

Bucky

Sowing The Word

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word.  Mark 4:13-14

Not all of the parables Jesus will tell in Mark's gospel get such a full explanation as this one of the sower. In this parable neither the disciples nor those of us reading these many years later need to guess over the meaning. "The sower sows the word." (v14) And so it is not left to us to wonder whether a farmer with the latest planter and GPS technology could do a better job of it. We know from our Lord that this is His desire that all the seed be spread throughout all the world. The seed of His word falls on people. And these people have cares in this world, stony hearts, and of course that enemy who steals the word. However, we also have the chance to be that good soil and produce the bountiful harvest. Want to be good soil? Follow the Good Shepherd! 

Soil following a shepherd? And I thought Jesus made it hard to understand. 

Bucky

The Aim Of The Sower

Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.  Mark 4:3-8

A farmer today might read this and criticize the waste of inputs as it appears that 75% of the seed was unproductive. As readers of the word, we might wonder over the aim of this sower. Can the sower be this inaccurate? But what if the aim of the sower was to offer the seed to all soils, no matter what challenges they faced that day? 

Have a critique to offer to one of the Lord's parables? No problem! Remember His invitation given through Isaiah:

"Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the LORD,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool."
  -- Isaiah 1:18

Bucky

Them Parables

And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching. Mark 4:1-2

Parables have been mentioned before in Mark's gospel. But here on the shores by the sea, Jesus begins that ministry in parables for which He became famous. Or, was it the miracles that made His name known throughout the world? Here we see the great multitude listening to the parables from that boat in the sea. Did the multitude come to hear the teaching or did they want to see a miracle? For whatever reason they came, parable teaching is what they received.

You or I may have come to the Lord by way of some amazing story we heard. And like this multitude in Mark, we may get a teaching by parable. A person might go to the Red Sea and tell the Lord that he is waiting to cross, but he may wait there and never see the waves divide and stand like walls to either side of the pathway through the sea. Instead, someone may show up in a boat and tell that man a little parable story.

Rejoice in the Lord, and learn from Him!

Bucky

How We Became Family

But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” Mark 3:33-35

In our scripture passage for today we have that most important time when we became family. All those who do the will of God first come to believe in Jesus His Son. And we are named family - brothers, sisters, and mothers - by our Lord Jesus. You come from every nation, people, tribe, and tongue, and you are all family. You may find me offensive, but as long as you believe in Jesus, then we are family. You may despise the spring time change this morning, and we agree on that, but with faith in Jesus the Christ, we are family. So, brothers, sisters, and mothers in the family of Christ, let us rejoice in Him!

After we wake up later, we can rejoice even more,

Bucky

Loving His Spirit

“Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:28-30

When someone you love is called an awful name or accused wrongly, you will react strongly to it. Here we see Jesus reacting to His dear Spirit being called 'unclean' by the scribes. We might say in our day that He came out swinging. He certainly did because for the Spirit of God to be called the opposite of what He is by ignorant creatures of His was fightin' words! So strong is the love of Jesus that He does not allow such blasphemy go unanswered. And if a human or other fallen creature should maintain that opposition to the Lord's Spirit, there can be no forgiveness.

Rejoice in the Lord always,

Bucky

Called To Himself

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan?
-- Mark 3:22-23

After His family had called into question His mental stability, Jesus also had to face the scribes from Jerusalem who never missed an opportunity to say a crazy thing or two. The scribes proposed that the method Jesus used to cast out demons was along the lines of a quarterback going to the defense's line coach and having him remove that defensive end that is causing his offense so much difficulty. We can imagine the reaction a request such as that would cause. So Jesus called the scribes to Himself for some instruction. 

The world has some crazy things to say to the Christ, and He calls them to Himself. Let us pray for them and help them to come for instruction with us. 

Bucky

An Interesting Fellow

Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”  Mark 3:20-21

To have a crowd come together just as you are sitting down for a meal can be deeply irritating. But then your own people, also referred to as 'family', make excuses for you that may not be entirely complimentary...well that can just ruin your day. Of course your family may not actually mean to levy a mental health diagnosis on you, but when it is put into print it does look bad. Does 'out of his mind' count as a term of affection? 

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus and the chosen twelve disciples faced this sort of opportunity and opposition at the same time. A multitude to hear His word and be healed by Him, and a teaching time if they could just get a bit of elbow room at the dining room table. And someone send the publicist out to restrain the family's kidnapping urge and commentary, please! We settle down with the disciples to marvel that at this time the demons proclaim Him the Son of God (He shushes them), while His family calls Him 'out of His mind' (He doesn't silence them). Even to the unbeliever Jesus presents an interesting case. 

Follow Jesus, our most interesting Master!

Bucky

The Twelve He Wanted

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.  Mark 3:13-15

Many questions rise up at this passage. Why twelve? And many others that come to mind in the other gospels where we learn more about the individuals chosen by Jesus. We can only trust our Lord's selection in faith, but then He does something more! Heal the sick? Just like He did with a word of authority or a touch? Plus the authority to cast out demons. Most of us do not even want to meet a demoniac. Uh oh, then there's that 'send them out' bit. Yes, with gifts such as these, the twelve special disciples probably didn't get to go home for the weekend. And preach? The pastor makes it look easy, but public speaking ranks as one of the great fears in our time. No, these twelve may be special, but easy will not be their way. 

Let us have a faithful week in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

The Current Big Thing

But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  Mark 3:7-8

From all over the region they came to see the current big thing. It seems almost disrespectful to refer to Jesus like that, but most of that great multitude did not know Him as the Son of God. We read that John did baptisms and spoke forth, but not miracles. Before John, a prophet had not been seen in the land once known as Israel for four hundred years or more. They grew up on the stories of Moses in Egypt, Elijah and Elisha, and the great wonders of the Lord God. Yet, the stories of wonders were becoming ancient, perhaps a bit dusty to the multitude. Suddenly, a whole new batch of stories has sprung up in Galilee. And people with all manner of awful conditions had a hope, or perhaps just a sense of maybe it could be hope if the stories are true. 

In our time, those stories of the gospels and the Acts are getting a bit ancient and dusty too. Are we getting close then to another appearance of our Lord? Keep the watch! The next big thing could be one who has been here before. 

Love and peace to you in Jesus our Lord and Savior! 

Bucky

Synagogue and Sabbath, Oh My!

And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. Mark 3:1-4

Jesus came with compassion and love, able to heal a man in need. On the other side sat the Pharisees ready to write Him up, to use a phrase from back a few years. Their interpretation of the law was more important to the Pharisees than the mercy of the Word of God. Also, they were using the law as an excuse to gain power over this man, this Jesus of Nazareth. The withered hand man just wanted to be healed. Tomorrow the healer might not be available. But it was in the synagogue and on the Sabbath! We can 'burn him' the Pharisees thought in their plotting hearts. From our point of view many years later, we are like, "Um, guys, miracle, right there in front of you!" Would it be the same Pharisees who would later demand a sign?

Jesus came on a mission of salvation. He had a time constraint, and He was not going to let some legalistic Pharisees get in His way. However, Jesus was not afraid to try for their repentance if they would listen to Him and learn. Didn't happen though, the Pharisees go out and conspire with the Herodians in the next verses of the story.

Such a stark difference between the legalists and the Healer,

Bucky

The Lawful Sabbath

But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?” Mark 2:25-26

The Pharisees called the disciples of Jesus not lawful. Jesus points out an example from scripture where David did a not lawful deed. And both involve eating. Clearly the problem is men and our eating. Wait, no, that's not where I want to go! Note that Jesus also points out an exception in the Law, seen by the words following 'except' in our verses for today. Priests also worked on the Sabbath. But if we read the big ten, those commandments Moses brought down from the mountain, we find no such exceptions. Not even the cattles were allowed to work. So how did we get to arguing over this?

I would imagine from the first reading there were lawyers among the children of Israel who asked, "How do you define work or labor?" Is putting together a cold sandwich work? How about cooking a hot meal? Is a person to remain in bed starving and thirsty all day? It is interesting that the law is established and immediately raises all manner of questions. So, how do we answer these questions?

In our age, we do faith, and prayer, and the word of God. We ask of Jesus who fulfilled the law. We seek out His answers. He is the Lord of the Sabbath, therefore He seems like the one to ask!

Love and peace to you in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Bucky

Lord of the Sabbath

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”  Mark 2:27-28

The Pharisees had cornered Jesus, or so they thought, and caught His disciples violating the Sabbath. In response, Jesus went there, yes right to one of the heroes of Israel, David. First the Pharisees' scriptural knowledge was thumped, "Have you never read...", then one of their religious and national heroes testified against them from scripture. And finally, Jesus gives these Pharisees a chance to believe in Him, saying that He, the Son of Man, is also Lord of the Sabbath, which is God. From the Pharisee stories to come in the gospels, I guess they didn't repent and follow Him. 

However, Jesus also tried to turn around the Pharisees' concept of the Sabbath. But wait, isn't the Sabbath one of the big ten commandments? It is, and it has what looks like the longest explanation with it. Long enough to take up this another day.

To the Lord's Word we go!

Bucky

Something Teachable

Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” Mark 2:23-24

Have you ever had someone who made it their mission to find something wrong with you? Of course you have. Jesus had a whole troop of them, scribes, priests, and those Pharisees. Even out in a grain field, Jesus had them waiting to pounce on the slightest infraction by Him or His disciples. The Pharisees prided themselves on their scriptural knowledge, and Jesus met them there. In the next verse, Jesus asks them, "Have you never read...?" And Jesus proceeds to teach the Pharisees about the Law.

The Pharisees must have felt a bit of an earthquake as this worker from Nazareth tried to lead them to the righteous path.

Love to you in Christ our Lord,

Bucky

Ruined Wineskins

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins. Mark 2:21-22

New, but do we understand how new? Jesus brought His good news, and it quickly ran into old and established views. The Law wasn't enough for the Pharisees and they had added hundreds of traditions to it. Jesus was about to ruin some old wineskins. The Pharisees had set themselves to be strict Sabbath police. Which would seem to be a kind of work...but anyway. Jesus challenged them to apply the law with mercy and love, in place of the mean and cruel they liked. He was about to tear some old garments. The Pharisees thought themselves guardians against false prophecy and heralds of the coming Messiah. Instead they guarded against the Messiah and acted as false prophets. Garments torn, wineskins ruined.

Act in love and mercy, rejoice in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Something New

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”  Mark 2:18

Fasting was a thing of 'must do' for the Pharisees, but they used the implied criticism trick of asking a question of Jesus. As in, we do this and we are always right, therefore you must be wrong and why don't you get on board with us? Jesus gave His answer, and what an answer it is! In His answer is the new cloth on old garments and the new wine in old wineskins illustrations familiar to most everyone by now. Something new had arrived and the first group of chosen disciples did new things with the Teacher. Fasting has become a 'can do' in place of the former way. 

As today is Ash Wednesday, we will see many starting a Lenten fast. Hopefully no modern-day Pharisees are putting a 'must do' on anyone today. If the Spirit has placed a desire on your heart to hold a fast, then do it with joy. That would be something new.

In Christ Jesus our Lord,

Bucky

We The Sick

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Mark 2:16-17

So Jesus went along and called a tax collector. And then the Pharisees questioned it when He dined with the tax collector and his friends. We the sick are glad that Jesus dined with the sinners since the time the Holy Spirit came upon us and showed to us our sin. Those with Pharisee wellness can stand outside and question; we rather like being with Him. Those who think of themselves as lawful and good can stand far off and do their criticism. We the sick will repent and dine with our Savior.

It's a privilege to be with Jesus!

Bucky

Compassion Enough For 5,000-plus

But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.  Mark 6:33-34

In Mark's gospel, the disciples had just returned from their first mission trips and Jesus led them to a deserted place to rest up a bit. However, multitudes saw them leaving, word spread quickly, and people ran from cities to get to where Jesus was going. The Lord Jesus steps out to minister to His twelve...and finds the eyeballs of five thousand men, plus their wives and children, looking back at Him. Adapting quickly to the circumstance, Jesus had compassion enough for the 5,000-plus and began teaching them all. And as people will do, they were hungry for His word but soon became hungry in body as well. Jesus had an answer for that hunger too. 

The story has become famous wherever the gospel has been told. The disciples were tested, 200 denarii of bread would not be enough. Today we figure conservatively that 5,000 men would also have a wife and children, or a minimum of 16,000 persons who would need a Swiss Mushroom Runza® each for a mere $105,440 at the current Sidney price on their online menu. No, no, these people were hungry! Double cheeseburger combo meal for sure, plus most of them wouldn't know a Runza® from a loaf of bread! Okay, big burger combo makes it $188,640 plus the Sidney 'good grief!' tax on hungry travelers, and a generous tip for the Runza crew who is even now weeping in the back, "He wants sixteen thousand of them?!!" 

I've been following the beginning of the start of our Lord Jesus' ministry for a bit now, and suddenly I skipped ahead a little to the feeding of the five thousand. There is a reason to share with you of course. Today, as soon as this is posted on Blogspot, will be the 5,000th posting from this little devotional message you read and share! 

Have a great big day in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

Sins Forgiven, He Walks

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  Mark 2:5-7

The faith of those men gave Jesus a moment to teach a lesson to the scribes sitting there. He could have said other things as Jesus will point out later. He chose instead words that announced who He was. And the scribes knew it, and refused to believe it. Refusing to believe allowed them to say the 'B' word - blasphemy. Had the homeowner kept a bucket of rocks in the house, the scribes would have reached for them to stone Jesus, the Son of God. 

Watching this scene, you may be thinking, "Wait, miracle!" Exactly right. In their refusal, they missed the miracle of God right there in front of them. Paralyzed dude, picks up his bed and walks out. No months in rehab working to build muscle and coordination, sins forgiven by the authority of the Son, he walks. Authority, the born rebel in the fallen wants to refuse the authority of God's Son. And the scribes were all too ready to refuse to believe. Don't be like the scribes. 

Love and joy to you in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Bucky

Breaking Through

And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.  Mark 2:4

Faith, a strange thing that comes upon us at times, while at other times it seems to desert us. Here five people, one of them paralyzed, had enough faith to begin the demolition of a house that was not theirs in the hope of getting this paralytic a chance at a new life. However, their faith faced a test when they arrived, a crowd large enough to block all normal ways into the house. Faith found a way around and over the crowd. Faith faced another test in that Jesus might have refused, or maybe an angry homeowner was on the way to knock them all off his roof. Faith in Jesus has its result though, as Jesus forgave the paralyzed man his sins. 

Oh yes, it seems that Jesus had to break through the unbelief all around Him too. Some it seems would go away still not believing in Him, even as they exclaimed, "We never saw anything like this!"

Faith in Jesus, not easy but so rewarding!

Bucky

Say Nothing, Go Your Way

As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Mark 1:42-44

The former leper had a startling message to tell, but Jesus strictly warned him to say nothing. Actions were to be his testimony for the time being. This man would not be the only one Jesus told to keep silent. Sometimes Jesus was obeyed in this, other times they went out and spread the news far and wide. This former leper was one of the latter, and it hindered Jesus. Soon He had to stay outside of towns and still the people found Him in the wilderness.

Easily we can see that to obey the man who had cleansed us of such a terrible affliction would be the way to follow. But from the day Eve first reached out to take that forbidden fruit and gave some to Adam, we have been a race of disobedient folk. Keep quiet, obey the law, get back to work are simple instructions, but like the leper we have probably mucked it up too. Fortunately for us and that former leper, a day will soon come in scripture where a risen Savior will issue a command to tell everyone of Him and His good news.

Great is the day of our Lord Jesus!

Bucky

Moved With Compassion

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Mark 1:40-41

No judgment from the Lord Jesus, just a moving of His compassion to heal a leper who came to Him in faith. The question was not whether the Lord could, but a matter of willingness to do what faith said He certainly could do. And Jesus touched the leper. "Wait," the Pharisees would have cried had they been there, "Unclean!" But Jesus had the healing touch in His compassion. "Keep your distance," the disciples might have cried, "the Law!" Jesus reached for the man to relieve the hurting of loneliness a leper would know too well. From the first moments of His ministry, Jesus turned things upside down.

Happy Monday to you in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

Going Forth

But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Mark 1:38-39

After all the healings and casting outs, Capernaum really wanted Jesus to hang around for a bit. Simon and the gang had searched for and found Jesus alone out of town, but Jesus did not go back where everyone was looking for Him. His purpose was to preach in the next towns. And by now they would have heard of Jesus and His healing. All of Galilee received the Good News in their synagogues and benefitted from the reduction in demoniacs. 

Imagine the confusion among the census takers the next year when no one showed up to register as a demoniac. The tax collectors were happy though, all those former demoniacs had to go out and get paying jobs. Next thing ya know, Jesus will be cleansing the lepers too. Everyone will be getting back to work.

Have a great weekend in Christ the Lord!

Bucky

He Did Much More

Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. Mark 1:29-31

So, tra la la, He just lifts her up and off she goes to serve? As the miracles of Jesus go this one is stated quite simply, as they usually are. We know from a couple thousand years of further learning and discovery that a fever is but one of the body's reactions to an infection. Therefore Jesus didn't just lower the woman's temperature, but also cast out the infection, probably cleared up a runny nose or a nasty cough, and gave her the strength, suddenly and immediately, to get up and do work. And as we can imagine, with tremendous relief and gratitude, she serves Jesus and His disciples as honored guests. Which means that God's provision of food and drink was already in place as well.

The Lord our God has prepared the way for us too!

Bucky

What Is This?

Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.  Mark 1:26-28

The unclean spirits had to obey, but Jesus began His ministry to a group that could be unbelieving, unfaithful, ignorant, foolish, opposing, and even murderous to new prophets. The stones were seldom far from the hands of the Jewish people of Galilee and Judea. The unclean spirits knew who He was, but Jesus didn't want their testimony. Instead for about three years, Jesus would face humanity at its worst, and in time He would lay down His life for them. For all that the Jews of this time will do, at this moment in scripture the Lord Jesus comes to them as a big question: What is this? 

Asking is a good start, but believing in Him is a better finish,

Bucky

They Knew Who He Was

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” Mark 1:23-24

Last night I watched a drone swoop and spin over a neighborhood to the north of my house. The LED lights on it were visible in the evening light from several blocks away. A few moments later, I had the thought that 50 years ago this same performance would have had people snapping out-of-focus photos and taking grainy video footage while their spouses were on the phone with the police and US Air Force. Some of that media might have even made it to a congressional hearing in Washington D.C. Technology advances and we take what was once a sensation with nonchalance.

As Jesus began His ministry in Capernaum of Galilee, one of the sensations in that time was people with unclean spirits, or demon-possessed persons. The Pharisees and scribes of the synagogue were apparently ineffective in dealing with the problem as the man sat right in the synagogue as Jesus spoke His word. However the unclean spirit did have something to say, and it testified of its special knowledge of Jesus. Aaannd... it had some shade to cast on our Lord's mission on earth, "Did You come to destroy us?" Not us as in to wipe out its kind, but us as in to destroy the people/town of Capernaum or even all of Israel. Since, with evil help such as that, everyone knew that God had it in for Israel.

The story for those who believe in Jesus though turns quickly to victory. As we know that in a hot scriptural minute that unclean spirit goin' be tossed right out o' there!

Praise God for His sovereign authority!

Bucky

Crank Up The Start

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:21-22

A person may have enjoyed the privilege of jumping onboard an organization or company at or near the start of things. How a thing begins often affects its history for years and decades. People may talk of the old times and how things were back in the day. And if things go wonky, those memories may be tinged with longing and a regret for how changes have made what was beloved into something begrudged. They may even feel betrayed. {Oy, you with the 'be' words - behave!}

Jesus seems in Mark's good news to begin His ministry at a place least likely to need it, a synagogue. And yet, the people in the synagogue at Capernaum that Sabbath received a special privilege and a teaching by an authority. So much different from the normal was our Lord's teaching that they were astonished. It would appear that one with authority can strike an organization suddenly and with great effect.

Praise God for Jesus striking our lives for good!

Bucky

Leaving The Nest

When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.  Mark 1:19-20

With a prosperous and cheerfully-named father, the sons of Zebedee probably saw their future lined out before them until that day. Mending nets may not have been their favorite part of the job, but equipment maintenance must be done or the equipment fails when it's needed most. However, their mending net days were about to go on a long pause. Did they look down the coast and see Jesus call Andrew and Simon? Maybe, but the calling of James and John came next, and they dropped the nets to follow this new rabbi. 

We can see from the gospels - and the Revelation (heh, look out below, John!) - the amount that the brothers did not know that day was huge. They left the nest to follow not just any rabbi, but the messiah foretold in a host of prophecies. The brothers would come to believe in Him, while most of their nation would remain hardened of heart and unbelieving. Oh, but the signs they would see on this journey and the words they would hear from the Christ!

Love and joy to you in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Bucky

That's What You Want?

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Mark 1:16-18

Baptized by John, acknowledged by God, tempted by Satan, and now Jesus begins the ministry of a rabbi by selecting some disciples. Fishermen...that's what you want? Smelly, sweaty, swearing, fishermen for your students of the word? We know from the scripture that Jesus took two pairs of brothers from the fishing trade, no word on sending them to the showers first, and began His ministry. Before His selection one might have expected scribes from Jerusalem, young Pharisees just out of Pharisee U, and maybe even a Sadducee or two to resurrect once or twice just for fun. Jesus made His own selections in obedience of the Father, and they were pretty much like you and me. Working folks and people in need of His salvation.

Praise God for that!

Bucky

They Had Expectations; He Began A Kingdom

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” John 1:35-36

John gave Jesus an introduction. Immediately faith is tested by Jesus. Lamb of God?

"Sir, we were rather hoping for a lion to drive the tax collectors away," the Jerusalem dwellers indicated to the newly heralded Lamb of God by way of their expectations.

Two of John's disciples were listening though, and they followed Jesus. The kingdom of God had arrived and now had its first two subjects, plus John. It may seem to be a small start for something that will in time have a multitude which no one can number coming out of the great tribulation. Even John would soon decrease to the point of being gone when Herod had him executed. The number Jesus was looking for at the start was small though, and His presence guaranteed a certain quality. One of these disciples would come to betray the Lord Jesus just a short time later. The newly born kingdom had its setbacks, all of which fulfilled prophecy.

He began a small but growing kingdom that day!

Bucky

Good News Time

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”  Mark 1:14-15

Mark tells us that Jesus took up where John the Baptizer left off, preaching the kingdom of God and repentance. But the big question across the states this morning is: Did Jesus have winter? Circumstances can intrude and lead us away from the message of our Lord. In Galilee as Jesus took up the good news, some likely looked around at their circumstance and wondered what good news there was to believe in. Occupying Roman soldiers still around, greedy tax collectors still in place, and maybe it was the season of not-summer too. Good news, did you say? Of course a little study in the word reminds us that His good news wasn't worldly good news but a forgiveness of sin and a propitiation arriving to save us. 

Blessed by the Son of God!

Bucky

From Temptation To Celebration?

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” John 2:1-3

A problem for a celebration, and Jesus had just refused to turn rocks into bread at the temptation of the devil. The temptation was to use power to serve himself. The celebration had a problem that needed solving, and the mother of Jesus turned it over to him. Jesus had a choice, and doing nothing was an option. Or was it? In many instances during His ministry our Lord could have done nothing, but didn't. Compassion seemed to be a primary characteristic of our Lord's journey through the lands of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. People needed help and the Lord Jesus gave it. But not just the minimum. Jesus might have sent the disciples out to purchase enough wine to get by, but He didn't. Instead we get to read of a miracle. Water became wine, and it was good wine too according to the experienced master of the feast.

Sometimes we accept the raising of Lazarus, the healing of blind Bartimaeus, but then struggle to believe this wine miracle. According to John, this was the beginning of the signs. We dare not let the devil take away the beginning, lest we find ourselves unbelieving at the ending.

Bucky

Enduring Temptation

Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. Mark 1:12-13

Forty days seems a rather long time to endure temptation to me, but let's see how long some others endured. Eve and then Adam made it less than a minute; it appears, when the Serpent cunningly came along to tempt them in Genesis 3. In 2 Samuel 11, David holds out against temptation for even less time before having Bathsheba brought to his bed. And the story of his fall did not even require the Serpent's direct hand. The Adversary entered into Judas Iscariot when Jesus gave the word, and he took off immediately; a sort of record no one should strive to achieve. So, forty days in the wilderness enduring the temptation of this same deceiver would be about 57,600 times longer than any of us if we held out for even as long as 1 minute? Our resistance to temptation is rather paltry compared to our Lord's. Which is why we all need to place our faith in Jesus, right now!

Rejoice in Jesus and live in Him!

Bucky

Hearts Of Darkness

But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.  John 2:24-25

As a fellow human, I'm going to guess that this was not our finest moments shining through to Jesus our Lord. In another scripture Jesus tells what comes out of the heart of us humans, and that is not a complimentary list either. This is the sort of thing Jesus faces as He begins His ministry in Galilee and Judea. A bunch of lost and sin-fouled humans looking at Him to be king and save them from the Romans. That He didn't, shows to us that He knew where the real salvation needed to be placed. Born with hearts of sinful darkness, we have no basis for pride but wear it proudly. How did Jesus even manage to start saving us? He sent a fellow from the wilderness in a camel hair suit with a few bug legs in his beard to tell us to repent and get washed. And that was only to prepare the way for His salvation. 

Love to you in Christ our Lord,

Bucky

Forgiving Sins

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Mark 2:5

Last week, we saw how Jesus began His ministry, which, if He were just another preacher, would not have caused the commotion that it did. Some say that Jesus never declared Himself to be God, but the Pharisees knew immediately when He said, "Son, your sins are forgiven you," that He was either blaspheming or God was there before them. We know from the scripture that they chose the one that let them pick up the stoning stones. They didn't do it this time, but later in the ministry of the Christ, the stones would fly. Here we read of a choice to not believe, and one where Jesus saw faith and a man was healed.

Healing faith and forgiving sins, praise Jesus!

Bucky

Hear The Word

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

The wind blew up this morning wanting to be heard. Another influencer on social media tells of science supporting his opinion and wants to be heard. A politician complains and wants to be heard. And I realize that everyone wants to matter and to have their voice heard above the din of everyone else. 

A few years ago, a voice cried in the wilderness to prepare the way for a greater voice about to be heard. At the baptism of Jesus, God spoke from Heaven, and He was heard. A message of good news was about to be heard in the dark world, and it would be delivered by Him who spoke as one having authority. Some in Judea would be astonished, others would be angered, but according to John the disciple, the voice spoke grace and truth. Today, some still ask, "What is truth?" while others accept the Word and believe. 

It's your choice: do you want to be heard, or do you want to hear the Word and believe? 

Bucky

A Baptismal Recognition

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  Matthew 3:16-17

Now we would like a pile of our efforts at goodness to cause God to say something like this of us. A baptismal recognition reward, if you will. However, as the Holy Spirit shows to us the mountain of our sin with its dark slopes, we know that this lifetime will by no means be enough to save ourselves no matter how many good works we do. And of course good works done to save the self has a rather selfish bent to it. Jesus selflessly set out to redeem us from our sin. And His ministry to spread the good news began all dripping wet beside the Jordan River. Humble, obedient to God, and worthy of His baptismal recognition. 

Praise to the Lord our God and Savior!

Bucky

Prevent Jesus?

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”  Matthew 3:13-14

Imagine for a moment that you are a knight in jolly old England during those armor clangin' and bangin' times. For some reason there is a sudden need for more knights, and you are doing your best to knight all the squires you can find. No word on who is going to pay for all that armor, but there you are knighting away. You look up one day and there is the king of England, waiting in the crowd to be knighted. No one else knows him, but you have some secret knowledge. You would likely do as John the Baptizer does here in our scripture for today. 

Prevent Jesus? Can it be that the Baptizer was confused? Certainly, but we would be in a similar situation. With our commission in mind, we lower our Lord into the water, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, uh, Yourself, and the Holy Spirit!" It would seem just a bit out of order to us. However, Jesus gently and lovingly got John on the right track, and He does the same for us in all circumstances...when we listen to Him that is. 

Be in prayer, and don't try to prevent Jesus from speaking to you,

Bucky

How It Began

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:

​​“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
​​Who will prepare Your way before You.”
  -- Mark 1:1-2

For about a month we have been learning of the beginning of the gospel with the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. But one of the gospels tells us of the beginning being back in the prophets. We knew that of course from the many prophecies pointed out in Matthew and Luke, but it's nice to see it stated as well. John takes it a step further by showing the beginning was before the Creation, but this isn't a contest of gospellers. All four accounts agree that the one to kick off the preaching of the gospel was that relative of Jesus, John the Baptizer; the messenger who went before the face of Jesus.

John was a wilderness man living a simple life on a simple diet of locusts and wild honey, and wearing a simple wardrobe that didn't require a lot of thought each morning. But why did John live out there in the first place? Born to elderly parents, John probably lost them to old age when he was not even come of age himself. It is quite possible that John went out to the wilderness to grieve, and then just stayed there with God, learning the message he would soon preach. And that message hit like the proverbial bombshell. "You, yes you, Jews of the Law of Moses, with your priests and sacrifices in the temple: Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand."

Repent means that they were doing something wrong. We can well imagine how that message went over the religious authorities.

Rejoice in the Good News of Jesus,

Bucky

A Prayer Multitude

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

​​“Hosanna!
​‘​Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
​​The King of Israel!”
  -- John 12:12-13

On this day the multitude was indeed great, but soon, within the week even, the multitude would not act so great. A multitude of people can be a dangerous thing rampaging through a city. Or, a multitude could be a thing glorious to God, such as the multitude which no one could number in Revelation 7. This morning I think we need a multitude of us to call upon Jesus for His help in Minneapolis. Yes, a prayer multitude. And we must pray that His will is done.

Let us pray to the One who saves,

Bucky

The Start Of The Ministry

John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”  John 1:26-27

The two first met as unborn babies, and then again in the river. There may have been other times as they were relatives. When the time came, John started his ministry calling for repentance and baptizing. He made a big splash. The answer John gives in our verses today was for the Pharisees, who didn't like to get wet. As those Pharisees stood looking to John for a satisfactory answer to their questions, John told them they were in the presence of one greater than he. Jesus was there! We know from the scripture picture, but surely the Pharisees must have looked around with even more questions on their suspicious minds. After an important baptism, they would get their chance as Jesus began His ministry with some mighty signs. 

Praise God the Father for the ministry of John and Jesus,

Bucky

The Child Time

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40

The small family had escaped to Egypt, and then after another dream visitation had come back to Nazareth. There, Jesus got to do what was likely an enjoyable time in his life; he got to be a child. While part of his childhood was spent in Egypt, Jesus did much of his growing up in Nazareth. During that time there is but one story of a Passover trip to Jerusalem. All the other time was spent likely in the usual way of kids and teens growing up and learning. No crowds, no Pharisees, and no readers from the future poking around in the life of the young Jesus. The birth of our Lord's brothers and sisters, the passing of Joseph, all done in privacy. In a time when each of us can easily know more about the life of the latest celebrity than we probably should, we can be grateful that Jesus had this time of just growing up with his earthly family.

May your day be joyous by faith in Jesus Christ!

Bucky

On This Journey

All things are full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.
  -- Ecclesiastes 1:8

By this time in life most of us have seen a great many things. It would be bad news for the tourism, movie, and social media industries if our eyes were satisfied with seeing. Those touring artists putting on the big concerts would have to take up something else for a living if our ears were filled with hearing just one concert. And yet there is a compulsion we may not like in the struggle to see or hear that next thing. How many hours will a person have to work to earn enough to purchase the next ticket to the show? That sounds like a thing full of labor.

We read what Solomon wrote just a bit less than 3,000 years ago and have to wonder just how far the human race has progressed. We labor to feed ourselves and to go to the show on Saturday night, much like they did in Solomon's time. We just celebrated a season of something entirely new though. This new man didn't look like much according to the prophet Isaiah, but he certainly went on about hearing and he who has ears to hear. And seeing? He put on quite a show of miracles, didn't he? Imagine being there to see Lazarus stumble from the tomb all tied up in his grave clothes.

On this journey, there is much to see with the eyes that believe in Jesus, and plenty to hear from His word!

Bucky

Another Silence, Then The Show Begins

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  John 1:29

The subject for this morning message has been easy to decide for about the last month since Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus our Lord. But we have ended one year and started a new one, so what is the subject now? Of course you will easily see that the subject does not need to change. The great birth events had passed and some years went by when all seemed quiet again in Judea and Galilee. But that was about to change as Jesus came of age and His ministry was set to begin. Joseph was gone, leaving only John and Mary the mother of Jesus to await all those things that would start with a baptism. Twelve unsuspecting men would soon take up the life of disciples of a new rabbi. A wedding would be blessed with the best wine a professional host had ever tasted. Blind eyes would see, dead people would be raised, and many other miracles would turn lives over in a short time. But, it wasn't for nothing that Isaiah had foretold of a great light shining in a land of darkness. Soon the word of God would be preached like it had not been heard before. And John's notice in our verse today would be fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. 

So get ready for a new year of blessings from our Lord and Savior!

Bucky