Most of you are getting the hang of this by now, but just in case remember that our scripture readings for this week are Monday - Mark 10, Tuesday - Mark 11, Wednesday - Mark 12, Thursday - Mark 13, and Friday - Mark 14. If you are just starting with us there is still an easy opening here for you to jump in and read the first 9 chapters and join us!
In today's reading my attention is drawn to the account of the Rich man interacting with Jesus in 10:17-31. The man approaches Jesus, and when Jesus engages him in a discussion of keeping all of the law the man says - Been there, done all that! It might have been a great opportunity for Jesus to remind the man of his sins. Jesus could have been specific and embarrassed the man, but instead vs 21 says a neat thing. It says "Jesus, looking at him, loved him..." I really like that! Jesus looks at the man and instead of trying to play gotcha, he let the lie slide (I am presuming the man was a sinner like me)and just love him.
The next thing we see is the man going away grieving because Jesus has instructed him to go and sell all he has and give to the poor and come follow Jesus. My dear friend David Kolassa made an interesting observation and raised a question a few years ago when we studied this account together. David pointed out that the Bible never says the man refused to sell everything - it says he's grieved. Maybe he was grieved because he was leaving to sell everything and he liked his stuff! Just something to consider as you go through your day today.
I am also interested to read the account of Jesus healing a blind man named Bartimaeus. I see that Jesus doesn't follow a formula in the way he deals with people. I like that very much too.
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
6 comments:
I agree that the rich man is an interesting study. The scene of Jesus welcoming the children to come to him has been in my memories since my first days in Sunday school. It is a much loved memory. Jesus predicting his death and resurrection is eerily beautiful and upsetting. James and John sounding like a re-run of The Smothers Brothers is at once annoying and so human. Blind Bartimaeus is a heart-warmimg and inspiration filled episode of which we enjoy the vision.
Why is it we avoid the first twelve verses of this chapter? Do we have the same concerns as the Pharisees? Does it surprise the disciples or the Pharisees that he basically says Moses was human and you bugged the life out of him? Or is this response by Moses a case like Henry VII? Was there political or social pressure to come up with the certificate? What are the "Biblical reasons" under which divorce is allowed? I don't think I got through the last time. Sorry if Ive duplicated.
That was Henry VIII
I have been thinking about Dave's observation. He is right. Just because the rich man was grieved does not mean he didn't follow Christ. Maybe that is exactly the point. Sometimes we must do what Christ asks even when we do not feel like it or understand it. That is what faith is all about. The Christian life is not without grief. The challenge is to just "DO IT " despite our feelings. It's a challenge for me anyway.
The last time I studied the first part of this chapter, I read a commentary that talked about how Jesus' teaching here about divorce was really revolutionary in some senses because Jesus speaks to protect women here, to make it not a one way situation where a man can divorce a woman at will. It is certainly a hard passage because I know people who have been through the pain of divorce already feel guilty and disappointed and anguished enough and feel condemned by this passage. I certainly don't think Jesus would have meant for people to stay in destructive, abusive relationships just to not break the marriage vows. But I think Jesus is offering up the model of what God desires marriage to be - the joining of two into one by God.
I have been bogging other Christian sites. I have been dropping this site onto fellow Christians and inviting them to stop by our little corner of God's universe. I found a site that has the word and is CLEAN. The way it should be. If you are interested in other sites go to kindlings.blogspot.com The more people that visit us the merrier.
I find it interesting that Jesus asks Bartimaeus "What do you want Me to do for you?"
In all of his healings, Jesus teaches us to ask (speak) for our desires of the heart and have faith that it will be done.
Our words, good or bad, can dictate our outcome. Words of doom or negativity will become a self-spoken prophecy.
But positive words, backed by faith, lead the believer to expect healings and/or good things to happen.
I constantly struggle to filter my words.
I had to learn that I am not "starving" before dinner.
I do NOT have a problem remembering names.
My headache is not "killing" me.
I believe in the power of the spoken word.
After all, it's how God created the world.
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