Month: January 2013

Red Letter Year: 1/14

Mark 3:1.19

Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” 4 Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.

5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.

Crowds Follow Jesus

7 Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.

9 Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. 10 He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him. 11 And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

13 Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. 14 Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, 15 giving them authority to cast out demons. 16 These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter), 17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), 19 Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

Comments

I want to recommend something to you. I have set this daily reading up to run five days a week, which gives you the weekend if you miss a day. But, we are not doing this just so we can say we did it. I’m not giving merit badges out at the end of the year. So whatever happened last week, let it go. Just pick up here and read today. Stressing out about being “behind” will only rob you of the benefit of reading. There is no such thing (here at least) as getting behind. The beauty of reading all four Gospels is even if you miss something, chances are it will come around again later, and knowing God like I do, it will probably come around just when you need it most.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Saved by grace, not by works, BUT…

It is true, true, true that we are saved by grace not by works – but that is not the whole story.

Eph. 2.8-9 says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

We usually stop the quote there, but the next verse is important too:

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Take Peter for example. Jesus called him to be a disciple while he was (in his own estimation, see Lk. 5.8) a “sinful” man. Peter followed Jesus for three years. Peter healed people, cast out demons, walked on water. Then at the Last Supper, Jesus went around washing everyone’s feet. (John 13) When he got to Peter, Peter refused, telling Jesus, “you will never wash my feet.” To which Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash your feet, you have no part in me.”

We are saved by grace, but to remain with Jesus, we have to give in to what he requires of us. Which will make us uncomfortable. Press us. Kill our pride. Expose our vanities, our quirks, all the things we want to hide. Pretty much the way any intimate, loving relationship will. Being in relationship with Jesus will change us. Radically.

We all get like Peter sometimes. We all say to Jesus, you can’t have this, you are not washing that – I am too proud (or pseudo-humble, same thing) to let you do that. Whatever “that” is for you, the sooner you give in, the better. A lot better.

Whatever Jesus asks for – say yes. And I do mean what he personally asks you for – not what someone presuming to speak in his name asks for or thinks you should do. Jesus will make it clear to you directly. He may use others to help, but he will speak directly to you. When in doubt, ask for clarification. Because God speaks. Listen. Do what God says.