No Scheduled Reading

On Discipleship Journal’s “Book-at-a-Time Bible Reading Plan” there are no assigned readings after the 28th of each month. Use this time to meditate more deeply on something that was significant in the past month, to catch up on any missed readings, or to revisit favorite or recently read passages.

I’m going to see if I can get ahead a little and will post again on the first of next month.

Grace and peace to you!

Begging for a Blessing

Scripture

During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” (Exodus 12:31-32)

Observation

And also bless me! ? ! What?

How does Pharaoh have the gall to ask such a question? He has brutally enslaved the Israelites, has refused to let them go to worship – and now that he’s backed into a corner, he asks for a blessing! I don’t think he should be able to have it both ways.

It is possible that Moses and Aaron feel the same way – there is no indication that they did bless Pharaoh here. And, later on, God hardens Pharaoh’s heart and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops pursued the Israelites – and die doing so. I don’t think he was blessed.

Application

The application I see here is that I can not stand opposed to God’s working in the world and still expect to be blessed. To that end, I will strive to listen to God – to discern where he is at work around me, and where I can join him in what he’s already doing. I do not dare to knowingly stand in God’s way and still presume to ask for a blessing.

Prayer

Again, God, convict me of my pride – show me where I am standing in opposition to your will. I don’t want to be there. I want to work alongside where you’re already working. I do ask that you would bless me – but not for my glory, only for yours! Amen.

Yes or No – Which is it?

Scripture

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.”

    Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.” (Exodus 9:27-30)

Observation

There are people who know the right things to say – but the discerning know what is true. Pharaoh knew what he had to say to get the plagues to stop, but he did not intend to follow his words with action. He says that he and his people are in the wrong – but I doubt that he meant it. It is clear that Moses had his doubts. Pharaoh’s previous actions gave insight to what he might do, and he did live up to his reputation. He did go back on his word, and at this point the Israelites were not free to go. 

One thing I’d love to know is if Pharaoh had already planned to be decietful; if he knew that he wasn’t going to let the people go, why did he say that he would? Here, I know that God hardening Pharaoh’s heart has an influence – but I still don’t understand.

Application

I don’t want to be the kind of person who says one thing and does another. Especially when it’s the “right” thing to say – but seems too difficult at the time. I want to be a person who does what is right (in God’s eyes) even if it is difficult or unpopular. Pharaoh’s decision looked good at the time – but his recalcitrance ended up causing him and the country greater suffering than they could have imagined.

So, today, I will let my ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and my ‘No,’ ‘No’

Prayer

Dear God, help me to be honest, and not seeking approval from anyone but you. I want my “yes” to be “yes” and my “no” to be “no” – even when that decision is difficult or the outcome seems undesirable. Amen.

His Hard Heart was Hardened

Scripture

But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go (Exodus 8:32)

Observation

I feel so bad for the Egyptians when I read that Pharaoh hardened his heart, that his heart was hard, or that his heart was hardened. It all means the same thing – more suffering for the people of his country. Each time that Moses and Aaron make their request and repeat what God has told them it comes true – but Pharaoh doesn’t realize who he’s dealing with. God ends up making his point (and on his terms) that he is the LORD – and beside him there is none other. But, seriously, Pharaoh made all of this so much more difficult on himself and those around him because of his stubborn, hard heart.

Application

I want my heart to be soft – not hard, like Pharaoh’s. It looks like pride got in the way of Pharaoh and was the cause of his hard heart. I know that this can be a downfall for me, too. As I see how much suffering could have been avoided if Pharaoh just realized who was lord of the situation, I see the same need in my life. God is God and I am not. God will lead and direct and I will follow. Pride must fall or all that I have built (better: God has built) will crumble.

Prayer

Holy, powerful Lord, forgive my pride. There are times when I want to call the shots, and times when I want to take credit for your work in my life. But I know that all that I have comes from you ~ and for that I am humbly grateful. Make me into a person who hears you well, and gives you all the glory and honor rather than wanting it for myself. Amen.

A Leader’s Prayer

Scripture

Surely you have granted him unending blessings 

and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

For the king trusts in the LORD; 

through the unfailing love of the Most High

he will not be shaken. (Psalm 21:6-7)

Observation

Here, the psalmist makes clear why he is happy (or joyful) – it is because of God’s goodness, his loving kindness, and his unending blessings. These are good reasons to rejoice! Some psalms have a much darker tone – but this royal psalm, is bright. Later on in the psalm, it is clear that the psalmist knows that God is the one who fights – the one who wins the victories. Because of this, David sings God’s praises.

Having witnessed an historic transition of power this past week, with the first African American president of the U.S., I can’t help but notice the difference between style of governance. Whereas President Obama had a couple prayers in the inaugural ceremony, and confesses a personal faith in Jesus – I am not so naive as to think that our Commander-In-Chief expects God to fight battles for him or our country. Israel was to be a theocracy, not a democracy – it looks like King David (part of a monarchy) trusts God to do much more than do our leaders today.

Application

I don’t have to be a king to apply this text to my life – although this was a challenging psalm to find much in for me today. I have been called and gifted by God as a leader, and ordained by the Evangelical Covenant Church as a pastor – I need to trust God like David did to provide my blessings, and knowing that my deepest joy comes from God. When I trust like this, I am reminded of who God is, and who I am – and through the unfailing love of God, I will not be shaken!

Prayer

Holy God, I ask that you would give me the faith of David – that as a leader I would look to you to fight my battles, to be the source of my joy. Because of your unfailing love I know that I will not be shaken. I will praise you for your goodness, your unfailing love, and your power! Amen. 

A Fitting End

Scripture

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. (Mark 16:20)

Observation

This, to me, is a fitting end to the Gospel of Mark – just like Jesus had said earlier in Mark, he had come to preach – andhis preaching also included healing and casting out demons.  So, after Jesus had accomplished his task we see the disciples doing what Jesus had done. Preaching, along with signs and wonders – this is a powerful combination! And it would have been unthinkable without the resurrection. It is Jesus’s resurrection that gives hope, and the reason for the continuation of Christianity to this day. It is like Paul says in his letter to the Corinthian believers, “ if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Jesus’s conquering of death, resurrection to life, and ascension to the right hand of the throne of God is the culmination of the gospel – and it is where the Gospel of Mark leads us. The good news is that Jesus came to save us – that God through Christ forgives us our sin, removes our guilt, and restores our relationship with God that we broke when we sinned. This is good news – and this is the reason we preach!

Application

A friend of mine uses the question, “did Jesus have to die for this sermon?” in his evaluation of messages that he’s preached. This is a good question. It is clear that for Mark’s gospel, Jesus’s death and resurrection are not just an interesting point to include in the story. Everything in the Gospel takes deeper meaning and greater significance when read in light of the end of the story. As we continue to preach through the Bible this year, I will strive to bring in the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus – and the good news of what this means for us in each sermon.

The disciples’ response to the end of the story was to go out and to share the good news. I need to apply this, too, in my life. It’s not easy when most of my life is in church and around other Christians, and a major emphasis in my calling is to equip Christians for service according to their gifts, talents, and passion – but this is no excuse! I need to go out and preach everywhere, and pray that God will confirm these words of life and hope with signs and wonders for those who hear.

Prayer

Saving Lord Jesus, thank you for what you did for me on the cross: the forgiving of my sins, the removal of my guilt, and the restoration of my relationship with you. I pray that this reality would spur me on to action, and I ask that when I preach your good news, there would be signs that accompany this message that verify its truthfulness. Let my life be different because I have read the end of the Gospel of Mark – and know the whole story! Amen.

How Hard Is It?

Scripture

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”    ”The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)

Observation

When Jesus responds to the teacher’s question and declares these the most important commandments, we should listen. We can often get carried away and distracted by focusing on things that do not matter, or on secondary issues. Here, Jesus has laid out which commandments are greatest. We should, then, live these out if we call ourselves by his name!

• God is one – Trinitarian orthodoxy
• Love God with all my being
• Love my neighbor as I love myself

How simple this is – and if I really hold to these, I won’t violate the 10 Commandments, I will honor the mandates of the Prophets, and I will live like a follower of Jesus should live. As Coach Copple used to ask me, “Greg, How hard is it?!”

Application

So, there it is laid out quite clearly – who God is, how I am to respond to him, and how I am to treat everyone around me. Now the trick is to live it out – consistently.

Prayer

Holy God, through Jesus you have made it possible to have a relationship with you, and you don’t ask much in return – all things considered. Help me to remember who you are, how I need to respond to you, and how I am to treat those around me. And by the power of your Holy Spirit, enable me to do this consistently – all for your glory! Amen.

Time Apart to Teach

Scripture

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. (Mark 9:30-31)

Observation

I don’t remember seeing this verse before; it seems to be tucked away – but I think it is instructive. Even though Jesus’s mission was to come and pronounce the good news, heal, and cast out demons he took time to also teach his disciples well. Jesus knew that they would learn as they watched, but he also took time to answer their questions.

One of the things about the Gospel of Mark that I love is that the disciples are portrayed as being pretty dull. They repeatedly don’t make the extrapolation from what Jesus said to what it means on a deeper level. These ones that Jesus chose and called are slow to learn, but Jesus makes time to teach them and answer their questions – even dispite their lack of understanding.

Application

As a teacher and coach it was easy to want to focus on the best and the brightest; as a pastor, it’s also easy to find those people who already ‘get it’ and only teach or spend time with them. In Jesus’s example I see the importance of teaching well those who are willing to be taught. Some may get it, like Peter while others don’t. And these may even show a lack of understanding just moments later.

More than anything, I see the importance here of Jesus focusing on the important rather than the urgent. There are crowds of people clamboring for his attention and presence, but he takes the time to do what is right – he takes the time to do what is necessary – he teaches those who are committed to following him.

Prayer

Great Teacher, give me the wisdom to teach like you. Help me to know the difference between the important and the urgent, and to take the time to do the right thing – and to do it well. I want to follow your example as I lead the people under my care. Amen.

Day of Rest

There is no assigned reading for the Book-at-a-Time Bible Reading Plan.

Each seventh day, and some days at the end of the month the plan has provided a day of reflection. Please use these days to meditate more deeply on something that was significant in the past week, to catch up on any missed readings, or to revist favorite or recently read passages.

I pray that God will bless you today – even if you don’t use SOAP.

Greg

No Miracles Here

Scripture

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.  He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mark 6:5-6)

Observation

So far in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus has done many seemingly impossible things; he healed a woman who had spent all she had on medical care but continued to get worse, he cast demons out of a man who was so strong he would break through the chains that held him, he even restored a dead girl to life! But here, in this town, he could do no miracles. Just as the woman’s faith healed the one who had been bleeding for all those years, the lack of faith precluded Jesus from accomplishing much that was miraculous. But the problem was not in Jesus – it was in the people’s faith. The residents of Nazareth had known Jesus as a young boy; they knew his family, his humble beginnings. This knowledge and experience prevented them from seeing who Jesus truly was, and they missed out on the miracles that Jesus wanted to do there for them.

It is as if the residents said, “there will be no miracles here today!” and Jesus acquiesced to their demand.

Application

So, is it my lack of faith that leads to a paucity of miracles?

I confess that Jesus is Lord, and believe in my heart that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead is available to us today in the power of the Holy Spirit. So, if this is the case, why don’t I see more miracles?

I want to.

Not for the sensational nature of these events, but I want to see God break in and do what people say can’t be done. I want to see the blind see, the deaf hear, the paralyzed walk, the chronically ill completely well, and hardened hearts softened. These are things that I can’t do on my own. I won’t harden my heart just because I’ve not seen these things before. I will trust that God has done these things in the past and can and will do them again today!

Prayer

Powerful Lord Jesus, break into my world today in miraculous ways! I don’t want to be like the people of Nazareth who were denied seeing your greatness because of their lack of faith. Increase my faith – work in ways that astound me, and I will give you all the praise and glory that you are due. Amen.