Mark 15:46-47 - Nothin' Happened on Saturday

"So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid. When the Sabbath was over ..."

- Mark 15:46 - 16:1a (NIV11)

According to the Gospel of Mark, nothin' happened on the Saturday following the crucifixion. Mark ends chapter 15 at the burial site and then nothin' happens until after sunset Saturday, when the women were able to purchase spices to anoint Jesus' corpse the next morning.  Nothin' happened because it was the sabbath and no work could be done. And thus, the disciples of Jesus were forced to slow down, rest and reflect upon what they had just experienced. Each had to enter into their own internal journey through the initial stages of grief: shock, denial, anger, guilt, despair. Alone with their thoughts, they had to enter those dark places of grief that only God can fully heal.  Some were in shock, others were in denial as a means of coping with the pain. Still others were angry Jesus had allowed this to happen, or felt guilty for not being there in Jesus' hour of need. All were in despair as they wondered, "What next?"

This Easter Saturday, let us not be too busy to reflect upon the grief the followed the burial. Take time to allow the reality of the cross and Jesus' death to sink in long enough so that Easter Sunday actually moves you to experience joy as you gaze upon an empty tomb. On this Saturday of Passion Week, take time to slow down, rest and reflect for according to Mark, nothin' happened on Saturday.

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures"

 -  The Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4

Prayer:

God of all compassion, help us to slow down long enough to contemplate the grief that accompanies death and loss. Be present in our brief Saturday season of grief that we might experience true joy as we remember anew and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mark 15:39 - The Way He Died

And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” 

- Mark 15:39 (NIV11)

What was it about Jesus' death that led this centurion to proclaim "Surely this man was the Son of God!" The apostle Matthew, in his account of the crucifixion suggests that it was the centurion's experience of the miraculous - earthquake and all - at the moment of Jesus' death that led him to make this proclamation of faith regarding Jesus: "When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, 'Surely he was the Son of God!'" (Matthew 27:54).

Yet for the evangelist Mark, the centurion's confession arose, not as a result of the miracles surrounding Jesus' death but rather because of "how he died". It was the way Jesus died that convinced this Roman centurion. It was something unseen by most who were gathered at the cross and yet life-changing for this centurion. As a centurion, stationed in Jerusalem he had probably assisted in or overseen many a crucifixions yet this one was different.  Exactly what made this death different for this centurion is the stuff of personal testimonies of faith; professions of faith that flow out of mysterious spiritual encounters we have with God that lead us to faith.

Even before this centurion had experienced the good news of the resurrection of Jesus, he embraced the good news of the cross revealing the Son of God.  Only twice does the evangelist Mark use the title "Son of God". The first is in the opening verse of his Gospel: "The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1). The second is upon the lips of this centurion: "Surely this man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:39b)

According to Mark, the good news was revealed to this centurion, not in the miraculous earthquake nor in the resurrection, but rather in the way Jesus died: a death beyond bravery; far more than a martyr dying well for a cause; but rather as the very embodiment of God, the crucified Messiah bearing our sins.

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."

- The Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 2:2

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, open our eyes and hearts that we might experience in the manner of Jesus' death, the Good News that leads to eternal life through him who is Messiah and Son of God. Amen.

Mark 14:61-65 - The Evil We Do in God's Name

"They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him." 

- Mark 14:64b–65 (NIV11)

Do you remember this biblical scene where Jesus is blindfolded, spit on, beaten, blooded, mocked and taunted by the Roman soldiers who cried out "Prophesy!" O, wait a second, my bad. That wasn't the Romans; that was Jesus' own people, the religious leaders and temple guard, following Jesus' conviction for blasphemy by the Jewish Council. All this happened on the Thursday, following the Last Supper. Friday would be the Roman guards' opportunity to flog and beat and crown Jesus with thorns before his crucifixion. But on the Thursday, it was Jesus' own people who beat him and spit upon him; those whose allegiance was to the God of Abraham, Moses and Jacob; those who claimed to speak on the authority of both Holy Scripture and the Heavenly Father.

O what evil we, the righteous, are capable of inflicting upon others in the name of God, once we convince ourselves that they are "evil". The Christian philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pascal wrote in his Les pensées de Blaise Pascal (1669) that "Men never commit evil so fully and so gaily as when they do so for conscience sake." ("Jamais on ne fait le mal si pleinement et si gaiement, que quand on le fait par un faux principe de conscience") 

Once the Jewish Council had concluded that Jesus was "a blasphemer", an enemy of God, it became acceptable for them and those who had gathered, to dehumanise Jesus and inflict upon him all manner of evil in God's name.

Prayer:

Merciful God, forgive us the evil we do to others in your name: the pain we inflict upon others in defence of our faith in you; the lives we willingly destroy to protect our way of believing; the joy we experience by mocking those who don't serve you like we do. Forgive us, in the name of Jesus, who was beaten and blooded by those who believed they were defending you in doing so. Amen.

Mark 14:1-11 - Judas' Last Straw

"Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over." 

- Mark 14:10–11 (NIV11)

What was it about Jesus that led one of his twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, to betray him?

According to Jesus Christ Superstar lyricist Tim Rice, Judas loved what Jesus was teaching, but he had never quite grasped who Jesus was. In "Judas' Song" from Jesus Christ Superstar, Judas tells Jesus: "You've started to believe the things they say of you. You really do believe this talk of God is true. And all the good you've done will soon get swept away. You've begun to matter more than the things you say."

While Tim Rice's lyrics offer us an intriguing insight into Judas' motivation for betraying Jesus, the only thing we actually do know about Judas from the Gospel of Mark is that there came a point when Judas reached his "last straw". That "last straw" that broke the camel's back. That "last straw" that caused Judas to give up on Jesus. According to both Mark and Matthew, that "last straw" was actually an alabaster jar of expensive perfume. Jesus had allowed this uninvited woman to anoint him with it.  Now maybe Judas, as treasurer (John 12:6), was upset that this donation of precious perfume was being used frivolously instead of feeding the poor. Maybe it was Jesus' suggestion that sometimes the most pragmatic option is not necessarily the best: "The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me" (Mark 14:7). Or maybe, if the lyricist Tim Rice is correct, it was because everything about this act of anointing Jesus was about Jesus rather than his teachings. It was about providing Jesus, with an anointing befitting the Messiah before his death and burial. 

As a Christian and pastor, I have spent the last 42 years of my life seeking to study, understand and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Yet, if Jesus is only my teacher and mentor, then I, like Judas, would be but one disappointment - one last straw - away from rejecting Jesus. But if I follow Jesus because of who he is, as Son of God, Messiah (i.e. Christ), Saviour, and Lord of my life, then my faith can endure, for my faith is sustained by the crucified and risen Christ himself rather than his teachings alone.  He is not only my teacher, my mentor, my friend.  He is the Messiah, the Crucified God, the risen and now enthroned King of heaven and earth, my Saviour and Lord.

Prayer:

Loving God, open our hearts to receive not merely the teachings of Jesus but Jesus himself; for we long to be in relationship with you through him who died on the cross for us that we might live eternally in relationship with him. Amen.

Mark 11:12-18 - No Place for the Riffraff

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” 

- Mark 11:15–17 (NIV11)

Why the angry outburst from Jesus? After all, the moneychangers were there for a reason, to convert money into sacrificial offerings. It was biblically mandated in the Torah. So, why all the fuss and outrage?

Well you see, the temple was divided into four courts: The outermost Court of the Gentiles, the Court of the Women, the Court of Israel, and the Court of the Priests. Yes, the temple of God included a court for the gentile (i.e. the non-Jewish person). A place of prayer for the non-believer and seeker. A sacred place for the riffraff. A place for those who had no other sacred spaces.

Yet, it was in this court of the riffraff that the merchants and moneychangers had chosen to set up their tables. The only area set aside as a house of prayer for the gentiles and riffraff had been turned into "a den of thieves" for the bartering of sacrificial offerings. The one place where the non-believer and the seeker could encounter God in a sacred space had been taken away.  

We need to be careful that our churches and sacred places don't become private "religious" spaces where seekers and unbelievers feel unwelcomed, be they strangers, refugees, sinners, seniors, children, infants, homeless, poor, or riffraff.

Prayer:
Father of all, whose sacred place is no longer restricted to the temple, reveal yourselves to all who seek you. As stewards of your sacred spaces, give us courage to overturn the tables and tear down the barriers that make it difficult for seekers and non-believers to find their place within your sacred spaces. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Mark 11:1-11 - Hosanna! Lord, Save Us!

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 

- Mark 11:9–10 (NIV11)

Hosanna! Lord Save Us! Save us from the Romans, Save us from the Samaritans. Save us from the godless gentiles. Save us from those who have invaded our homesteads and taken the land what is rightfully ours. Come and be the triumphant warrior-king David for us. Take back your earthy kingdom. Reclaim the Judah of old, and Israel as well while you're at it. Jesus, if you are the anointed one of God, then save us and bless us. Be our valiant Messiah, God's anointed King.

Prayer:
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy. Forgive us our shortsightedness. Open our eyes to see the Messiah Jesus who sets aside his sword and kingly armour in order to valiantly bear his cross to save us and reveal his kingdom that in not of this world. Amen

Mark 10:13-16 - Jesus Loves the Worthless Children

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 

- Mark 10:14–15 (NIV11)

What was it about these children that led Jesus to proclaim that "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these"? Was it their innocence, their purity, their simplicity of faith? Let me suggest that it was none of the above. Anyone who has ever spent a day with a toddler will attest to the fact that they are neither innocent nor pure. They are able to disobey, lie, deceive, bully others, steal cookies and toys, and throw temper tantrums. As the psalmist reminds us, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:1). And as for simplicity of faith, surely Jesus is not telling us that ignorance and blind compliance in matters of faith is a virtue. 

So what made these kids so special? The answer is revealed to us in an earlier passage from Mark 9:35-37, where Jesus picks up a child and tells his disciples: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all. ... Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” The parallel account in Luke reads, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” (Luke 9:48)

You see, these children were lifted up as an example for us, not because they or purer, more innocent, or more genuine in their faith, but rather because they were the least among them; they were "the very last".  In Jesus' day, children had no status until they became old enough to be useful. They were worthless in the eyes of society without rights or entitlements; they could be bought, sold, enslaved or married off by parents to honour debts owed and financial arrangements made.

What Jesus is saying is not, that we must come to God in innocence and simplicity of faith but rather as worthless children who have nothing to offer. Unless we set aside everything, including our perceived worth in the eyes of the world, and are willing to be "servants of all," we will not enter the kingdom of God.

Prayer:
Loving God, we confess that we all too often forget the extent to which we were broken and lost before you claimed us as your own. We confess that we deceive ourselves into believing that we are good and worthy people acceptable to you because of what we have done for you. Forgive us our arrogance. Humble us anew that we might enter into your presence as little children, once worthless yet now precious in your sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mark 9:38-41 - The Cup of Water Test

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward." 

- Mark 9:38–41 (NIV11)

There is a special "reward" from God reserved for those who treat the disciples of Jesus well - those willing to offer them a cup of water, an act of kindness, a word of encouragement, an offer of solidarity. Regardless of their age, nationality, culture, religious affiliation, sexual orientation or political leanings, those who seek to build bridges and offer table fellowship to a follower of Jesus Christ are worthy of a Christian's respect and God's blessing.

While we may spend a great deal of time trying to isolate ourselves from those who don't believe as we do, Jesus seems to suggest that our potential circle of friends is far larger than we might have first imagined, for Jesus reminds us that "whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:40)

Prayer:
Gracious God, open our eyes to recognize the many acts of kindness directed to us by others. Thank you for those who know us to be Christians and yet willingly offer us their hospitality and respect. Amen.

Mark 9:30-32 - Unasked Questions

[Jesus] said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it." 

- Mark 9:31–32 (NIV11)

This was not the first time Jesus had announced to his disciples the implications of this final journey to Jerusalem. Just before his transfiguration he had told them he would have to be rejected, die and rise again on the third day (Mark 8:31-33). On that first occassion Peter had tried to rebuke Jesus for his pessimistic diatribe. On this second occasion, the disciples just kept silent.  They didn't understand what he meant but they were afraid to ask.  How many questions do you have, for and about God, running around in your head? Questions you're afraid to ask lest people think less of you or question your faith. One of the difficulties with a faith that is too stringently defined and enforced through detailed creeds and statements of faith is that it can create an environment where asking tough questions is discouraged. Why ask the tough questions if you are only allowed to come to one acceptable conclusion? Such an environment tends to shun questions and praises blind acceptance; It leaves us afraid to ask and keeps us in silent ignorance.

Twice Jesus had tried to prepare his disciples for what lay ahead in Jerusalem and twice they hadn't understood what he was saying, yet they stayed silent and asked no questions for they "were afraid to ask him about it."

Prayer:
O Gracious God, give to us courage to ask our questions no matter how difficult they may seem.  Teach us the courage of Peter to speak, that we may learn and grow in faith. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Mark 9:14-29 - When Doubt Gets in the Way

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” 

“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 

- Mark 9:21–24 (NIV11)

It's not always easy to believe. I'm not talking about believing in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, or believing that he died and rose for our sins. Rather, I mean believing that Jesus, as our Lord, can be trusted to pursue God's will for our lives even if we can't understand the whys and hows of it all. In other words, it can be hard to believe and have faith in the midst of doubt. After all, how can one believe (have faith) and yet doubt at the same time?

Well, let me suggest that "doubt" is not the opposite of "faith" but rather the opposite of "certainty". Faith runs the gamut between doubt and certainty. While we perceive our faith as strong when we have high confidence in what we believe, a faith sustained only by certainty will not survive the painful trials and tribulations of life. It is a faith akin to the seed which is planted on rocky ground,  yet dies away in times of trouble and persecution for it has no roots to sustain it (Mark 4:16-17).

There are times in our lives when, overwhelmed with doubt but deeply longing to trust in God, we cry out "I believe; help me overcome my unbelief?" This is not the sign of a lack of faith but rather a rooted, maturing faith learning to trust in God even when doubt seeks to uproot us.

Prayer:
O merciful God, we confess that we feel disheartened at times. We confess that doubt overwhelms us. Forgive us and help us to overcome our unbelief which hinders our ability to trust in you fully as Lord of our lives through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mark 9:2-13 - Babbling at the Transfiguration

"And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)"  

- Mark 9:4–6 (NIV11)

Jesus led Peter, James and John to a high mountain where Jesus was transfigured before their very eyes. The Jesus whom they had known for the past three years was suddenly, mysteriously, gloriously transfigured in dazzling brilliance as the prophets Elijah and Moses appeared with him. What do you say when the Jesus you have come to know, renders you awestruck once again by revealing himself in a way you have never experienced before?

Well ... Peter babbled. Frightened and unable to process the magnitude of this mystical moment, Peter was trying to do something, anything to feel useful and proactive: "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  Now-a-days we might say, "Let's get a picture or selfie to memorialize this special occasion."

As was the case with Peter, James and John our mystical encounters with Jesus, in prayer and in worship, can also leave us at a loss for words. In those moments of divine revelation our first instinct is to want to do something.  Our brains race to find something to do, something to say, something to make the encounter more meaningful, memorable and productive. And so we busy ourselves ineptly babbling to God about doing this and that, when maybe we should be silent and mindful in his presence, allowing God to transform us anew through a refreshing revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

Loving Father through whom we are introduced to the saving work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, prepare our hearts and minds for the journey set before us, as we travel with Jesus into Jerusalem to face the cross that would make redemption and life eternal possible to all who believe in him. Amen.