Calming the Storm Mark 35-41

This is a pretty common piece of scripture, but basically Jesus has been preaching on a boat, and now he says "Let's cross to the other side of the lake".  What I find interesting is that the scripture doesn't say why Jesus wanted to cross to the other side of the lake, but we get an idea of why by the end of the account.   Maybe it was because Jesus knew that there was work to be done on the other side, but it could also of been because he wanted to test the faith of his disciples.    Or it could of been because he was just tired, and needed a nap.

Either way, we have a storm that brews up, the disciples wake up Jesus because they're terrified, and Jesus calms the storm, while saying "Why are you afraid?  Do you still have no faith?"

The disciples experienced miracles .. miracles of healing, driving out demons from people etc.  But this was the first time that they experienced a miracle that controls the PHYSICAL world.   They thought they knew who Jesus was, a good teacher, a good man, miracle worker, but they're eyes were beginning to open to see Jesus as who he is.   Yes this was a test of faith, but this was also an eye-opener for them.

We need to reflect on who Christ is.   In this short account we see Christ as fully man (needing to take a nap), and fully God (calming a storm with 3words 'Silence! Be Still').   Reflect on what that means for us... God fully human took on the cross, and fully God he took away our sins.  All at the same time.   His disciples were starting to get it by the end of the passage, but how about us?

The disciples were terrified at what they saw Jesus do, and today we have people that are scared of what becoming a follow of Christ would mean.    Sometimes I think that the Bible should have a warning label on it ... "Warning: The truth enclosed may change your life".   Expect things to happen to your life when you ask the God of creation, the God of everything seen and unseen to take hold of you, and use you.

Listening Questionaire ...

Yesterday I went to a one day training seminar for my work for Community Living, and it's amazing how many things relate to just everyday life, and things that active Church workers can learn from the same thing.   Interacting with people doesn't change.  The message may be different, but the lessons are the same.  One of the things we looked on was how to actively and Faithfully listen to someone.   In a bible study, group discussion, or even in your marriage, some of these questions are very applicable.   Hopefully this will challenge you, as it challenges me.

1. I interact with a person so that I understand both the facts about what is being communicated and also the feelings that are being communicated to get the whole picture
2. I have a true interest and desire to hear and understand what the person is trying to communicate.
3. I am very much aware of the possible effects of my own attitudes, beliefs, feelings and needs  when I am listening to a person.
4. I pay very close attention to non verbal behaviour, gestures and expressions when listening to someone to help me understand the person.
5. When I become unclear about what is being communicated I immediately ask for clarification INSTEAD of pretending to know and/or responding quickly. (such a guy thing eh?)
6. I confirm my understanding of what I have heard or interpreted by summarizing, paraphrasing or stating back to the person my understanding and seeking  their confirmation.
7. I keep an open mind, suspending  my judgments  or preconceived ideas and feelings about a person when I am called to listen.  (never in the Church  *ahem*)
8. I am able to put myself in the "shoes of the person" when asked to listen.  I can easily empathize with people.
9. I make sure the person knows I am listening by making eye contact, affirming what they are saying by nodding or making an appropriate gesture
10. I first seek to understand what a person is communicating, before I express myself.
11. I allow people to complete what they are trying to communicate, giving enough time, space and sometimes silence so that the person can be heard.

Each of these you can rate on your own, but there may be a couple that you would like to improve upon, and take some actions on how to improve them.

This list was compiled by Community Living Ontario for the "Examining The Purpose of Our Work" seminar.  Er .. with occasional commentary by me. :)

In toady's devotional, we looked at the importance of Listing to the Word of God, hopefully these things can help us reflect on our ability and willingness to listen to God and to others.

Mark 4:21-34

Here we have 3 parables, and after they were taught, scripture says "In fact, in his public ministry he (Jesus) never taught without using parables" (vs. 34a)  Parables really are an unintrusive way to spread the good news, and  it's a way that all of us can use to spread the gospel.

With these 3 parables, there's a few things we need to learn.  

First, the parable of the lamp.   Jesus talks about what is hidden will be brought to light, and considering it's smack dab in the middle of his parables, THAT's probably what he means.  But check this out.  He says in vs. 24-25 "Pay close attention to what you hear.  The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given--and you will receive even more.   To those who listen to my teaching more understanding will be given.  But for those who are not listening even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them."

Listening is so important in relationships, and not IDLE listening, but purposeful listening, listening with the intent that there is something to be learned, and grasped, and embraced.   We in the Church are so guilty of NOT listening to others, but ready to condemn or to judge before we listen.  Aren't we?   But take a look at what Jesus says to those who don't listen .. the knowledge will be taken away!!   Do we know of people who used to be in Church leadership ... or Leaders of the Christian faith, that have fallen away?  

I think it's because they have forgotten to listen to the scripture, find new things in its pages, and in turn, God has withdrawn our understanding of them.   Deep stuff eh?

This leads to the Second parable, the Growing Seed.   The farmer sows the seed, he doesn't know how it grows, but it does, and when the grain is ready, it is harvested.   The farmer I believe is the us who seed God's word into people.   As farmers of the word, we must not forget to harvest what is ready.   Don't be sleeping, and then find out that winter's come and you can't get your crop out of the field!   Look for a harvest that is ripe ... look for the opportunities to show people who our Saviour is.

The third parable ...as time is slipping away, talks about this Kingdom of God.  The spread of the kingdom of God.  I believe that this is the church, that starts off small, and then spreads throughout the earth, like the mustard seed that becomes the largest tree in the garden.   Even birds make nests in it!    Are people able to take rest in our Churches?  Comfort?  I'm not talking about the pews, but what we do.    How we are seen by everyday people.

Time to head to work .. so much to take in.

Blessings

Seeding time Mk 4:1-20

This is the first Parable that we see in Mark (the previous story with the wine skins was and illustration, not a story) and it's about the 3 different types of ground that the seeds fall down into, representing peoples response to the gospel.

First, we have the seed that falls on the footpath,  birds come and pick them up -- representing Satan taking them away, right away.

Second, we have the seed that falls on shallow soil, with underlying rock.   Plants grow quickly, but then soon wither and fade.   This represents "those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long.   They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced."   This is the reason we have Sunday messages.   There are alot of people we know that have gone to Church, experienced a spiritual 'high', but as soon as something happens, they fall away from God.   Really this is where the Church tries to build the strong roots in its people.

Thirdly, the seed that falls on the good soil "represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"   See the main difference between the third and second .. the second one "receives" (the message) "with joy"  .. the Third one "who hear and accept God's word"  there's a difference between being excited about something, and actually accepting it.   It's the difference between being excited about the new "Spicey burger" at A&W restaurants, and actually working and making it.

You will always have the 2nd and 3rd type of soil at Church.   But is our focus on the 2nd type ignoring the potential of the 3rd type ... the good soil.?   Are our Churches more equipped for those that have the joy, or those that know the word?  Is our life and church more excited about the good soil, rather than spending time in the shallowness of fleeting momentary 'spiritual highes?'

I strive for being like that good soil, not tossed by the waves and currents of this world, or the problems I encounter.   I want my roots to go deeper, and I find the more I live this fleeting life, the more I want to grow.   It's not easy, but so worth it.

Blessings

Jesus' Family Mark 3:31-34

Jesus' mother and brother came to see him, Jesus was inside a crowded house talking to the people.   When He heard that his mother and brother were outside wanting to talk to Him, his response was that His brother, mother, sister were those who did the will of God.

In Luke's version of the event says that "my mother and my brothers are those that hear God's word and obey it. 

In Mark's version, Jesus was in a house, and not so in Luke's version (at least the house wasn't mentioned).   In Mark's version Jesus' mother and brother came, in Luke's .. his mother and brothers came.   I'm thinking that these could be two different accounts, but hey, I'm not a scholar, I just read the word.

But the message is the same, to be part of the family of God, is to do His will (basically hear God's word and obey it).

This wasn't a put down on his mother and brother that were waiting to talk to Jesus, I think it was more that Jesus was using this opportunity to tell people what they must do to be a part of God's family.

This is what we need to do .. hear God's word and obey it.   A simple thing to read, but hard to practice sometimes isn't it?

Remember the hymn, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey"    May we do this today, and everyday.

Blessings.

Mark 3:20-30 Unforgivable Sin

How would it be to have Jesus come into your house?   Every time he goes to a house, there's a crowd gathering outside  trying to get inside.   The same thing is happening now, and He never has time to eat.   I like this part when His family tries to take him away saying "He's out of his mind".   His family was concerned about his welfare, and health.  

The in comes the teachers of the religious law, all the way from Jerusalem, and try to accuse Jesus of being possessed by Satan.   Jesus tells them a parable about "How can Satan drive out Satan", and a house divided will fall.  

He also says something interested "I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.   This is a with eternal consequences."  He told them this because they were saying, "He's possessed by an evil spirit."    

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the one sin that can never be forgiven ... basically the religious teachers came all the way from Jerusalem, not to talk to Jesus, they new the truth of His words, and really ... I think they knew that  He wasn't possessed by demons, they were just trying to persecute Him because were afraid of his teachings, and the people that were starting to pay attention to him.

In short .. They were calling the work of God a work of Satan... and they knew that.

Let that be a  warning to us.

Missing the obvious Mark 3:7-19

In this reading, we have Jesus being swamped from all sides, and people from all over the coming to see Him do miracles.   So much so that He and His disciples had to get a boat ready to escape the amount of people coming to see Him.

Check this out, people possessed by evil spirits would throw themselves onto the ground, and proclaim, "You are the Son of God!"  But Jesus commanded the spirits not to reveal who He was."

Even the possessed acknowledged who Jesus was, but no one in the crowd seemed to catch on.  

In the later versus, we have Jesus choosing his apostles, and they "were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons."

Even Jesus needed some help with preaching and doing miracles.   One of the neatest things that you read was in vs. 17 were Jesus gives James and John the nickname "Sons of Thunder"  very cool ... but I wonder why?   Was it their ability to speak with power?  Were they built like Arnold Schwarzenegger??  A neat little thing in scripture that we can speculate on.

If Jesus needed to have help with His ministry, what does that say about us?   Are we the type of person that we like to do everything on our own?  Or do we tackle a task that is big, with help from others?