Tag: Holy Spirit

Red Letter Year: 2/8

Mark 10:17-31

17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”

20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Have you ever heard someone talk about a “Needle’s Eye Gate” in the Jerusalem wall? That’s a myth. Both “camel” and “eye of a needle” mean just what you would expect them to mean.

26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.

29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

Comments

The story of the rich man and Jesus is told in Mark, Matthew, and Luke. Each telling has its own distinctives. The most significant thing Mark has that the others don’t is the part about Jesus loving the man. I have heard sermons impugning the man’s character, arguing that he was full of pride for claiming to have kept the Ten Commandments. But that is a misreading of the story, as Mark makes clear. Jesus does not dispute the man’s claim to have kept the law, instead he loved the man for his sincerity and earnestness. But something was in the way. Despite his sincerity, morality, and genuine desire to learn from Jesus, he is not able to put aside his wealth. In fact, he is shocked (more literal than “face fell”) that Jesus asked such a thing. How could Jesus know his one hangup?

Two things we can learn here: 1. despite our best intentions and sincere desire to follow Jesus, sometimes things get in our way, preventing us from becoming his disciple; 2. Jesus will zero right in on whatever that is and tell us to get rid of it. The Holy Spirit will help us get rid of it, but it will still be hard. (Whoever said this discipleship thing was easy? No one who has tried it.) It won’t always be wealth (though all U.S. citizens reading this need to recognize how incredibly wealthy we are by the world’s standards. It’s kind of obscene really), but it will always be required of us. If you’re like me, there will be more than one of these things and Jesus will let you give them up in stages, as you’re ready for it. But make no mistake. The choice to give it up or keep it is a real one, a deal breaker. The rich man leaves because he can’t be Jesus’ disciple without divesting himself of his wealth. When Jesus tells you to get rid of something (and I promise he will) your choice is a stark one: let it go and follow Jesus or go back home.

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.

Red Letter Year: 1/28

Mark 6:45-56

45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, 52 for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

53 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore 54 and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, 55 and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Comments

The story of the woman who fought through the crowd, touched the hem of Jesus’robe and was healed has gotten around fast. People on the other side of the lake have taken up this same successful strategy. The disciples, meanwhile, are still having a hard time understanding. They have already seen Jesus calm an angry storm, feed thousands with very little food, raise a girl from the dead, and heal many, many people. But they still react with great fear and amazement. But that doesn’t stop Jesus from coming to their aid, filling them with courage and peace, and fixing their predicament. That they were in the middle of a lake didn’t stop Jesus either.

In the same way, nothing will stand in the way of Jesus coming to your rescue. Paul said it like this in Romans 8:38-39: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Think of that statement and picture Jesus walking over whatever is troubling you, walking to get to you. Coming to your rescue. He does that. Because he loves you.

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.