Mountaintop experience

 

On this journey with the Lord Jesus, I am learning  of His character and His purpose. Mark chapter  eight  we read of His compassion. Once again He feeds the crowd, using  seven loaves of bread. Following this He gives a warning- "beware of the yeast of the Pharisees (religious extremism)  and of Herod ( political manipulation).  Jesus, in the plan of God was independent of both.  He was serving God and saving people.

          The disciples had been with Him for almost 3 years, and it was time for the most important question:- : " Who do you say that I am?" Peter said "You are the Christ  (Messiah)".  Jesus accepted that confession, and Peter was later martyred for believing that.

At that critical point on the journey, The Lord explained to them the cost of being a disciple (Follower) , along with the eternal reward. I quote:-

" If a person is ashamed of Me and My message in these adulterous and sinful days, I the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when I return in the glory of My Father with the holy angels."  Mark 8:38

This is challenging to me. But it is more important to understand the principle stated – everything  depends on our relationship to HIM.! And then the promise – He will return in glory with the holy angels.

Chapter 9 is a mountaintop experience for three witnesses. They saw a glimpse of the coming kingdom – whiteness, companionship, heavenly approval. Read it for yourself and worship Him.

The journey is nearing the end. He explained to the disciples in detail that He would be killed and the rise to life again. They didn't understand.  The prophet Isaiah had prophesied 600 years earlier that the LORD's servant would suffer death for the purpose of atoning for the sins of the people. It was all happening according to God's plan.

He said "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross and follow Me."  (8:34).

Are we ready to continue with Him?

A journey of the unexpected

 

My journey with Jesus has hit some difficult moments. Reading in Mark 7, He denounced the religious critics as hypocrites. He explained that extreme tradition keeping suppressed the commands of God. To the people, He then explained the deeper problem of the human heart. Instead of affirming the people, He laid bare the common reality of sin in the mind and often pondered in the heart, leading to sinful behaviour. He said " all these vile things come from within: they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God".

 I encourage you to read the list, to recognise the problem; to renounce them as sin; to repent and seek forgiveness. Our God, through Jesus Christ the Lord, can and does forgive. Ours is to walk in the light, not claiming privacy, but openness.

"If we are living in the light of God's presence, as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus Christ  His Son cleanses us from every sin".  (1 John 1: 7).

When Jesus visits the city of Tyre,  the encounter with the Gentile woman is puzzling. He seems to ignore her, until she takes low ground . Then, when she expresses her unworthiness, His response is superlative.

"Good answer, and because you have answered so well, I have healed your daughter."  Mark 7.29

Most of us are unworthy Gentiles. His mercy and grace is not added to our best behaviour. It is freely granted when we admit our need and unworthiness.

The next miracle overcomes a different problem. A man who cannot hear Jesus nor speak to Him.  The mercy of the Saviour again prevails and the people are amazed.

"Everything He does is wonderful , He even heals those who are deaf and mute" Mark 7.37

May you too be amazed at the character and kindness of God's perfect servant.

johnmckee@internode.on.net

Walking with Jesus

 

The Journey with Jesus continues to be encouraging and devastating.

Mark chapter 5 records the deliverance of a man from demon possession. He is so blessed. He becomes a missionary for the Lord.

"He began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him"

The tragedy was that the people of the region asked Jesus to leave them, and being the gentleman He was, He left!

Another moment of need arose – a dying girl. The moment was special and Jesus responded, but seems in no hurry! He does what doctors could not do. A woman with a haemorrhage for twelve years secretly reaches out to touch His garment. She is healed instantly, but Jesus somehow knew she had touched Him in faith. He pauses to affirm her faith in Him. Tragic news arrives – the girl is dead – why had He delayed? This girl could not reach out to touch Him so He reaches out to her and with the command of His voice calls her back to life.

 

Does He need more credentials as evidence of Him being the Son of God, the Saviour of the world?

He arrives at His boyhood town of Nazareth, but instead of receiving Him in His wisdom and power, they despise Him as nothing more than one of themselves.

"He was amazed at their unbelief" (Mark 6:6)

The challenge is for us – are we now suitable for Him to send forth as witnesses for Him?  Or are we choosing unbelief?  The twelve apostles went out in His Name.

But a mystery interrupts the good progress  – Herod executes John the baptiser – why, why did not Jesus intervene? Why did God permit such a tragedy? Why do evil things happen to good people today? One clue is found in Acts 13 – check it out.

The question of 'who' is more important than 'why'. The other records tell of the Lord Jesus taking the apostles aside  with this question "Who do you say that I am?"

Your eternity is determined by your answer!

Travelling around the Galilee

 

Travelling around the Galilee was and is beautiful. For Jesus it involved some problem people – critical people, demon possessed people, blaspheming people and surprisingly his own family.

He was not distracted from His mission. He chose twelve unlikely men to be His apostles. In chapter 4, He presents important teaching and we do well to pause and consider it.

Lesson 1: "If you have ears to hear,  listen and understand". How often people "like" a facebook post without reading it! That was His dilemma. Many did and do enjoy good Bible teaching, but it goes no deeper than the intellect. We need to hear and accept into a good and honest heart, the Word of God. This understanding produces change  such as the fruit of the Spirit.

Lesson 2: He rebuked believers for hiding the light of truth.

Lesson 3: He taught the true secret to knowing God –" Listen, understand, pay attention, be open to my teaching"

Lesson 4:  Another farmer parable that goes to show that it is not the flurry of our activity that achieves a crop. Rather the seed is sown and in God's time a harvest is ready.

Lesson 5: Such small things, as a mustard seed, in God' good design can become quite big and useful.

I was deeply blessed this morning by the incident upon the sea. A serious storm arose and the boat was rocking, ready to sink. He uttered a word – "peace, be still", and the extreme forces of nature obeyed His voice. We, with the disciples ask the important question – "Who is this man, that even the wind and waves obey Him?"

Let us ponder the answer and let it increase our faith in Him.

JRM

An interesting journey

 

To Journey with Jesus has some unusual twist and turns. Reading the record of Mark's Gospel will help to deliver us from creating a Jesus of our own imagination.

I am up to chapters 2 and 3.

The healing of sick people was wonderful. His claim to have authority to forgive sins was unexpected. – read chapter two. Then He chooses one of the tax collectors to be a trusted disciple. Tax collectors were considered traitors and dishonest. How embarrassing for the disciples to have dinner with such persons. The Lord was making an important point – He came into the world, not to call righteous people, but sinners to repentance. (like a doctor healing sick people).

As the journey continued, His contempt for unhelpful religious regulation became clear. Healing on the Sabbath was to Him more important than being bound by a rule. Plucking ears of wheat on the Sabbath invoked criticism. But again He makes a great claim – to be Lord over the Sabbath!

I am sure many wondered what was He about? Was He seeking to reform religion? Was He seeking to save lost sheep? Was He seeking fame?

The more important question was who does He think He is ?  - and that is so important. Little by little He unveiled His true identity.  We hardly know who we are or where we have come from, or why we are here, or where we are going! But He knew His own identity precisely and the purpose of His coming to planet earth.

Read again Mark 1-3 and place yourself in the shoes of Andrew or Peter.  What might they have been thinking?

Keep reading, and let  the Bible speak for itself.

JRM

Bible reading and meditations.

 

I invite you to travel with me through the Gospel of Mark.

This Book in the New Testament is a brief biography of Jesus with particular focus on Him as active in serving God.

The first Adam was given a job to do – care for the garden of Eden – and he failed. Jesus, the last Adam, was given the task of rescuing  lost humanity – and He fulfilled His task which will be finalised soon.

At the beginning He is identified as the Christ, the Son of God.

His commission to serve God was in harmony with the Old Testament prophecies.

He showed His empathy with the people by being baptised by John (although He had  no sin to confess)

His personal worthiness is declared by a voice out of heaven.

He had total victory over the deceiver – Satan

His dominion over wild animals and angels was evident

At the time appropriate He goes public (after thirty years in obscurity).

The anointed Messiah calls others into training, and to assist Him.

His teaching is different – with authority

His rescue work means dispelling demons.

Sickness is dispelled.

A new day begins and Jesus is found alone praying with God in a quiet place .

Please read Mark chapter one again, and catch the beauty of God's servant moving in God's will to save a world of lost people. So far we notice He is teaching the people the truth about God and caring for their present needs. He does not seek to build another religious party, but moves on to other villages, to help more people that need the Lord.

Astounding revelations

 

Book Review – "The book that changed your world"  - Vishal Mangalwadi

This thick book is well written and very enlightening. The author uses extensive history research to show that the Bible is the basis for so many good things which we take as normal. (Not by church, not by religion).

Let me list some of the things he expands upon as being the outcome of the Bible becoming available to the common people.

Humanity – the value of every human as made n the image of God

Rationality – encouragement to think

Technology – inventing to achieve more

Revolution – the world changed by Bible translation

Language and  literacy – the power for democracy

University – to educate and lift the people

Science – discovering what God made

Morality – why some countries are less corrupt

Family – Bound together by the Bible

Compassion – caring develops medical research

Wealth – the responsibilities of stewardship

Liberty – true freedom flows from the Bible

Mission – bringing people together

The future – with or without the Bible

This brilliant book is a must read for every thinking person.  It has, in a different way confirmed my 55years of making the Bible available and known to the masses of humanity.

He finishes the book with a beautiful story from his home country – A 'Johns gospel' got into a headhunting tribe. After only five days of explanation, one convert sent his son into the city to find out more about this Jesus. The result – the tribe was converted and the 'son' who translated the New Testament into the tribal language then went on to create an organisation called

"Bibles for the world"

See the movie on this story on you tube 'Beyond the next mountain'

I recommend the book and pray that it will impact many for the glory of God.