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Mark: The Disciples First Ministry Experience

Read: Mark 6:6b-56

The balance of chapter 6 reads like a quick synopsis of the disciples first ministry experience. The details about  John the Baptist seem like more of an important side note than a part of the story. Another interesting nuance is in verse 30 where Mark refers to the disciples as apostles. In Mark 3:14, some translations include “as apostles,” but otherwise, this is the only reference to His disciples as apostles in Mark’s gospel account. (See Mark 3:14.) Interesting.

Here’s a brief outline:

  • Jesus leaves His home town where He was all but dismissed and begins to preach in each village.
  • Jesus sends the disciples out in pairs to preach.
  • Herod hears about the amazing works of Jesus and is confused, thinking John the Baptist has been resurrected.
  • The apostles (disciples) return with stories from the field.
  • In their excitement, they forgot all about eating, plus there were loads of people following them who were also hungry.
  • Jesus feeds the 5,000. The disciples are confused.
  • Jesus walks on water. The disciples hearts are hardened.

Herod’s confused. The disciples are confused. Wouldn’t we be confused? Perhaps I should search for a different word, but Mark is reporting events that were anything but normal. No doubt we should be scratching our heads and wondering what is going on.

Feeding 5,000 (and many more!)

When Jesus feeds the massive group, it’s interesting to see the level of authority and respect He has earned among the people:

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Mark 6:39-40

Imagine some 10,000+ people (counting spouses, children and relatives) are gathered around the countryside without sound system or any particular formal organization. Jesus directs this entire crowd AND they cooperate. I’ve been in concerts with groups of this size. It’s quite hard to imagine how He managed to direct them in the first place, let alone feed them miraculously.

This significant miracle is included in all four gospel accounts, perhaps because it’s so much greater than the story about Elisha feed 100 men in 2 Kings 4:42-44. Jesus is far superior to the prophets of old, that’s easy to say, but to the Jew in that day, this was huge. They revered the prophets for their great faith–they were the heroes of old. Jesus feeding so many through this miracle was a very big deal.

There’s no attempt to explain what happened here. All we know is they started with five loaves and two fish, fed the mass, then ended up with twelve basketfuls of loaves and fish. The disciples were probably exhausted, so Jesus sent them by boat to Bethsaida while He dismissed the crowd.

Two quick points:

  1. Dealing with so many people is hard work, even with Jesus by their side. Jesus knows this and sends them off to take a break.
  2. Jesus, once again, managed the huge crowd. He dismissed them (somehow), then goes to take a break Himself.

Jesus Walks on Water

In just a handful of verses, Mark covers this amazing event. Jesus is on the mountainside praying after dismissing the crowd and sending His disciples along. Somehow He saw them straining at the oars and felt compassion for them. First of all, how did He see them? This is just slipped into the text like it makes sense! He walks out to them just before dawn, the darkest part of the night. They freaked out! Exhausted from the day, fighting the waves, they’re sure to have lost their minds, but Jesus is making yet another point for them to consider.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. Mark 6:50-52

I’m trying to wrap my mind around the events captured in this chapter, but honestly it’s beyond difficult. The disciples are on mission with Jesus, witnessing firsthand the miracles and amazing teaching, get to preach themselves and watch the crowds swell, watch Jesus handle the masses, walk on water, calm the storm, and simply say, “Don’t be afraid.”

Just a normal week at church.

Not!

When I think about my minor ministry, the smallness of that which I do on a daily basis, and my inability to get much accomplished, I’m lost in my weakness. Oh me of little faith (not Ye). If nothing else, I hope I can see that God is not bound by human limitations or logic.

Lord, may I read these stories and be amazed at Your works, at Your desire to teach, to lead, to care for us. Increase my faith one more degree that I would believe You have a plan for my life for Your greater good. My greatest desire is to see people come to Christ, those who have no idea what that means, inside and outside of the church. Move me out of my comfort zone and into the world where there are those who would welcome Your message and those who refuse to listen.

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Love Each Other

Read: John 15:15-17

This is part of the scripture reference in today’s ODB devotion, so I felt moved to share this incredible quote from Jesus as recorded by John:

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:15-17

If Bible memory verses are a important to you, verse 17 is pretty short! More than just memorizing seven words, my prayer is that we internalize this command from Jesus.

It’s a command, not a suggestion.

Context: This is part of John’s extensive narrative that captures Jesus’ words in the Upper Room just before His betrayal and arrest. Like the Sermon on the Mount, this discourse is an important part of scripture for us to fully understand — so much scripture, so little time! Anyway, I hope you’ll be prompted to read more of John 13-17 with the idea that “love each other” is central to theme as the words are centered in Jesus’ talk with His friends.

Ministry is challenging at times, even difficult, seemingly impossible. We need each other to be effective. My prayer this morning is quite simple: let us learn to love each other as Jesus commanded, lock arms and share the great news of the risen Savior. Jesus promoted His disciples from servants to friends. Go and do likewise!

This is my command: Love each other.

https://odb.org/2017/10/22/love-of-another-kind/

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Mark: A Prophet Without Honor

Read: Mark 6:1-6

“…He was amazed by their lack of faith.”

Just after Jesus brought Jairus’ daughter back to life, he is back in his hometown, the place where people knew him best. The Sabbath rolls around and Jesus enters the synagogue and begins to preach. Mark provides these remarkable observations from Jesus’ relatives, neighbors, etc.:

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Mark 6:3

They were offended, somehow. Where did that come from? Perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised. I’m pretty sure I would be in the doubters group.

We live in a culture that promotes hero worship. I’m not talking about Marvel or DC Comics, I’m talking about people who’ve been blessed with incredible gifts for the building up of the Kingdom on earth who’ve been sucked into accepting a pedestal they’ve been placed upon. Perhaps this isn’t a new concept.

In Jesus’ earthly days, the Pharisees viewed themselves as heroes. They insisted that people look up to them for their vast knowledge and endless faith, but they were, for the most part, lost in their own fame.

In this passage, Jesus’ family and friends are completely confused. They can’t let go of their preconceived ideas of what the coming savior would look like or where He would come from. Though they knew scripture, they couldn’t see that God would do what He said He would do all along. Standing right in front of them, they missed it.

This is a scary thought.

But it’s much worse,

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. Mark 6:5

Their lack of faith is contagious. It spreads among the people and though the miracle worker was there, though they could hear with their own ears and see with their own eyes, the naysayers infected them with doubt. Deep in their hearts I suspect they were troubled, but the moment passed and Jesus left.

Lord, reveal Yourself to us today, in small ways or works of wonder. May we see your fingerprints in the rising sun and hear your voice in the singing birds. Bring tears of joy from those that come to mind, memories of unbounded love that You have placed in our lives that care about us more than pretense or title.

Don’t let us miss you.

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Mark: Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter; Heals A Woman

Read: Mark 5:21-43

Jesus is not happy with the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, and the religious right, but he doesn’t apply that stereotype to everyone who wears the mantle of Jewish leader. This is important for us to grasp. Our version of church has plenty of Pharisees, but there are many inside those organizations that truly love Jesus and are doing their very best to live lives as disciples and disciple makers. I hope we are not too quick to judge!

In this story, Jesus demonstrates his love for one of the synagogue leaders, Jairus, by receiving him and hearing his request:

He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him… Mark 5:23-24

Tears begin to creep into my eyes when I read “my little daughter is dying…” The words are so sincere, they touch my heart. I don’t know how many children Jairus had, but it’s obvious that he is counter culture on several levels. First, he cares about his “little daughter,” his baby girl. My understanding of the culture at that time would dismiss baby girls as a burden, a non-contributor to the family, something necessary for procreation, but not for carrying the family name. Ugh!

Secondly, though Jairus is part of the currently established church, he seeks out Jesus, he’s not your typical Jewish leader. I’m sure there were many who were not dissuaded by the Pharisees and their evil desires to eliminate Jesus.

Hearing his petition to heal his dying daughter, “Jesus went with him…” Isn’t that just like our Lord, our Savior? I know it’s a simple phrase, but it’s amazing to read that Jesus stopped what He was doing, whatever direction He was headed, and went with Jairus. Do you see that? Can you believe that Jesus would walk with you?

Jesus Heals a Woman on the Way

Along the way, as if this weren’t enough, a woman seeks out Jesus for healing. For 12 years her bleeding simply would not stop. Doctors had not clue (I can’t imagine what they tried). She spent everything she had for a remedy, but it only got worse. Then she heard that Jesus would be walking by and knew that He can heal her, but she is “unclean” by definition, so she had to disguise herself and sneak up to touch the hem of His robe. Instantly she is healed and Jesus decides to use this as His preaching point, on the way to Jairus’ daughter.

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Mark 5:32-34

Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter

It took time to make the journey, though it doesn’t seem like it was that far. In whatever time it took, the little girl died. Jairus’ friends and family already began to mourn, but Jesus has a different plan. He and His selected three disciples (Peter, James and John) plus mom and dad went into the room where the little girl laid.

He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. Mark 5:41-42

Beautiful story. Happy ending. Many lessons to draw from these few words. I can’t help but be overwhelmed at the deep demonstration of Jesus’ love for those who would simply reach out to Him. He’s willing to walk with us, to take our hand, to heal our brokenness.

Jesus, we love you! Oh how we love you. You are the one our hearts adore!

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Mark: Vile Man Rid of Legion, Business Ruined

Read: Mark 5:1-20

Dear Dad,

I’m so thankful for the herd of pigs you trusted me with, an amazing, extravagant gift for which I am truly thankful. I just wanted to let you know that, because the strangest thing happened this morning, something you’re going to find hard to believe. Some guy named Jesus came through town today and all the pigs went crazy, ran to the lake and drowned. Seriously. It’s not my fault. Do we have insurance? We insisted that Jesus leave before more damage was done, but I have no idea how to recover from this catastrophe.

Sincerely,

Your Faithful Son

How do you read the story? The herd owners were either Jews or Gentiles, that’s basically all we talk about in the Gospels–you’re either in or out. If the owners were Jewish, they were propagating unclean animals, probably for profit. Destroying the herd would have been seen as disapproval for violating Levitical laws. On the other hand, if they were not Jews, perhaps this demonstrates the power of the one true God and His power in spiritual realms.

Oddly, whichever group was affected, neither of them protested about the incredible loss of revenue. It seems like 2,000 of any animal would be a sizable loss for any farmer, so why was there no uproar? Their only response was to insist that Jesus leave immediately.

What would our response be? Awestruck and dumbfounded are words that come to mind. I hope I would at least be brave enough to tap him on the shoulder and ask, “help me understand…”

Fascinating

This is what I find most fascinating about the miracle:

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Mark 5:18-20

Jesus tells the man (still, no name) to be the voice in his own town, to hang around and show people how he has changed. There’s no doubt that everyone knew this guy, I’m confident he was notorious, that “crazy” man in the tombs. The greatest impact he could have on the kingdom is not to join the professional Christ followers, it was simply to stay in his little town and be the example for others to follow.

The song, If I Have You, comes to mind. When we tear away all the pretense and wrappings of this world, what do we have left? My prayer is that the center of our being is Jesus Christ, that He is so deeply rooted in our lives that we are one of many living out our call in our own towns.

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Mark: If anyone has ears

Read: Mark 4

That day.

You remember.

That day when Jesus spoke to the crowds in pleasing parables that caused us to ponder.

That day.

We learned about scattering seeds, the very Word of God.

When we had to admit we didn’t really understand the depth and breadth of His teaching.

More than pleasant stories to share with children, Jesus taught in ways that no other prophet could.

He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” Mark 4:11-12

He points to Isaiah 6:9-10, just after Isaiah’s call and famous, “Here am I” quote.

Here we are. The secret to the kingdom of God in our hands.

You people who hear me, listen! Think carefully about what you are hearing. God will know how much to give you by how much you understand now. But he will give you more than you deserve. The people who have some understanding will receive more. But those who do not have much will lose even the small amount they have.” Mark 4:23-25

He will give more that we deserve. Amen!

Seeds. It’s all about seeds. Scattering seeds, growing seeds, the mustard seed. Jesus teaches and I suppose few understood, even the disciples were confused:

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. Mark 4:33-34

Thankfully, He explains the meaning and the disciples grow in knowledge and wisdom.

This is what caught my eye today. Just after these great teachings, the day comes to an end. Mark gives us a glimpse of a day in the life of Jesus.

That day when evening came.

That day they learned more in a moment that all of the teaching in parables and sideline explanations as they left the crowds behind and boarded their all familiar boats.

The storm is furious.

Jesus takes a nap.

The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:38-39

That day when we see Jesus with our own eyes and still wonder.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40

Do we still have so little faith?

Make that day this day.

Make this day that day.

Don’t wait for Sunday.

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Mark: Jesus is Not Happy

Read: Mark 3:7-35

As the Pharisees began to plot against Jesus, the crowds are overflowing. Mark quickly lists the 12 disciples, then focuses on accusations about Jesus’ motivation. In my mind, this quickly gets ugly. Jesus has some strong words for those who are completely confused. At the same time, we are challenged to consider the sin for which there is no forgiveness. Think about that.

Side note: A zillion years ago, I was part of a group of men who reacted some parts of the Gospels as Jesus and his disciples. The part I was given was Simon the Zealot. You may be surprised at the casting call, but I was on active duty in the Air Force at the time. In those days, “bull in a china shop” was my moniker. I’ve lost a lot of that edge, but fondly remember having endless energy and boundless faith. Oh how I long for younger days!

Here’s a quick outline for the rest of chapter 3:

Of all those who followed Jesus, there were a select few called to be disciples:

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted… Mark 3:13

Can you imagine? Were others disappointed? Or did it just make sense? I’m not convinced they really knew what they were getting into, but watching this man heal so many, hearing His words of compassion for the least, the lost and the lonely, learning how to serve God with fresh teaching, on and on–that must have been so overwhelming.

Jesus’ family and those who were teachers of the law had a different opinion:

When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” Mark 3:21-22

Oh man, Jesus is not happy with being “handled” for sure, but I think He understands the confusion amongst His earthly family. However, the teachers of the law have just taken this a step too far. He tells a sensible parable to debunk their accusation that He is of Satan, then caps it off with this bold assertion:

Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” Mark 3:28-29

Hear this clearly, teachers of the law, your slanderous words, your sinful desires, your relentless pursuit of knowledge without wisdom can all be forgiven, but calling the Son of God one who is from Satan is a bridge too far–you will not be forgiven if you hold onto this statement.

These men watched Jesus perform miraculous healing, yet their minds are so lost they would suggest this was of Satan. In my wild imagination, I can see the look Jesus gave them when He spoke those words. I see Him say each word carefully and distinctly as He looks at each of them. With that look, Jesus could have vaporized them, but He gives them a chance to withdraw, to change, to recant. Did some? Possibly. Clearly, there were many who were stained by this horrible misperception.

Lord help me to learn to listen without warping Your words. I long to be in that group that hears your voice, that sees your eyes, that watches you gesture and smile.

 

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Mark: Healing on the Sabbath

Read: Mark 3:1-7

God is serious about the Sabbath, the fourth commandment for those with a checklist. Working from home for nearly 20 years has tainted my personal understanding of Sabbath, something I need to figure out how to fix.

In this passage, Jesus challenges the Pharisees to look beyond the stone tablets, but some are hell bent on missing He who was heaven sent:

Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Mark 3:2

First of all, “some of them” knew that Jesus could heal the man. That alone causes me to pause. It’s not like they were whispering amongst themselves, wondering if He could heal the man, they were wondering if He would.

Secondly, who is “the man with the shriveled hand?” I’m confident that he is not a stranger, someone on a business trip that wandered by the synagogue to catch up on his daily prayer time. No, this man was known by the people, likely an outcast because his “defect” made him just a little less of a man that those standing to accuse Jesus. He came to the synagogue knowing he’d be judged and seen as unworthy–yet he came. I’m not sure I would willingly go to a place where the leaders would look down on me as less than worthy.

Lastly, Jesus knows their thoughts. He could have waited a few minutes and suggested they meet around the corner, at a friend’s house, or anywhere other than right in front of those looking for a reason to fight, but that’s not how our Savior acts:

Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Mark 3:3

The stage is set. Time to learn from the Master. Just before this event, Jesus told the Pharisees:

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28

They didn’t get it. They are so focused on their laws that they lost sight of what The Law was created for. Jesus, knowing their hearts, demonstrates His greater compassion for the man who came to the location where people were supposed to find God, the synagogue, the meeting place to learn and share. As we see time and time again, Jesus goes to these places to speak truth, but find stubborn hearts instead.

Here’s the scary part:

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts… Mark 3:5

Anger and distressed.

The last thing in the world I ever want is to have Jesus look at me in anger or be distressed by my stubborn heart! Just glancing through the Old Testament, things did not go well for those who angered God!

The main lesson we draw from this story is to look at the greater meaning of The Law, the rules by which we live. If we miss this lesson, we risk acting like these leaders in the story, a reality that plays out far too often.

Sadly, I’ve seen this before in modern churches. I remember having lunch with the senior pastor of a church where “some of them” decided he was making poor financial churches. They met amongst themselves to stir up dissention and eventually left the church. In the process, my friend lost his position and relocated. Sad. What’s sadder still is this is not unusual.

Lord, help us to learn from the Pharisees that You show us in scripture. Teach us to avoid being so holy that we can’t even see. Help us to help each other and not become “some of them.” Allow us to see the 500-pound gorilla in the room and have the audacity to call it out! None of us wants to be a Pharisee.

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Mark: Pharisees are Confused about Fasting and Lord of the Sabbath

Read: Mark 2:18-28

The Pharisees continue to rack up evidence against Jesus in these two observations: 1) Jesus’ disciples aren’t fasting like they’re supposed to, and 2) Jesus and his disciples broke the law by plucking some heads of grain on the Sabbath.

These two issues are dealt with directly:

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. Mark 2:19-20

He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? Mark 2:25

Both of these answers completely confused the Pharisees. They were so committed to their laws, their rules, their way of life, they were (most of them) unable to see the bigger picture.

Here’s a thought:

  • Why does God highlight the Pharisees in the Gospel record of Jesus’ life?
  • Why do we read so much about the Pharisees?

There is no doubt that Jesus was unhappy with the Pharisees–clearly they have misplaced priorities and have created a system of religion that is centered on their system rather than God. That’s not my question. Why focus so much attention on them?

Some of the reason has to be related to how we have built our version of the church versus the way Jesus intended the church to be built.

Church planting seems to be a big movement, or at least it appears so from my vantage point. Starting a new church when we have some 350,000 churches in this country doesn’t seem to make sense until you look at demographic reports and do the math. But what if 1,000 of these existing churches experienced reformation? This is part of Tom Planck’s vision for Healthy Growing Churches, creating a new culture, a transfusion of sorts, to reenergize the body of Christ by focusing on church health and multiplication. Growing the kingdom on earth today, one church at a time.

Are we willing to say we have become like the Pharisees?

What if we created a Pharisaical Assessment that graded individuals on their tendency toward being like the Pharisees? A score of 100 identifies those found in verses 18 and 24 of the reading above (and many others in the New Testament). This would be a challenging instrument to create for sure. In fact, just creating it would suggest that we have superior knowledge, that we are just a little bit holier than the other guy, so we would get Pharisaical points to start with! But we must ask ourselves the question: are we being like the Pharisees?

Please help me by creating this list of Pharisaical traits. We are acting like the Pharisees when we:

  • inappropriately quote Scripture
  • use scripture to defend our superior wisdom
  • fight about Bible translations
  • insist only paid staff baptize people
  • serve communion by officially ordained pastors
  • (fill in the blank)

Lord, I don’t want to be known as a Pharisee. It’s the least of my desires. How can I be a disciple maker if I tend toward being a Pharisee? How can I effectively share the Gospel, the compelling, crazy, life-changing story of Jesus, if I’m focused on man-made rules? Help me to see clearly when I’m acting proud and haughty, when I’ve elevated myself above others and lost sight of your desire for us to love God and love people more than any other law, commandment, or rule.

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Mark: Dinner with Sinners

Read: Mark 2:13-17

When was the last time you had dinner with sinners? When have I intentionally invited those who are regarded as sinful, shunned by the church, into my home to share a meal? Seriously. Consider the text:

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Mark 2:15-16

This is not a narrative about feeding the homeless, though that’s a good thing to do, instead we see Jesus rubbing shoulders with those who were rejected by the Pharisees, the proverbial well-to-do people in society, business leaders, those with disposable income, titles, prestige, and all the trappings of a successful earthly life.

Jesus, knowing He will only be walking on earth for 1,200 days (or so), chose to invest one evening with this group. I suspect it was way more than one occasion–probably a common occurrence.

My rough calculations suggest I’ve had over 12,000 dinners as an adult. I know that our concept of dinner is much different than that of 2,000 years ago, but still, how many of those were intentionally set with successful people outside of the church? Honestly, I wonder if I know how to make friends with someone outside of church because I spend so much time inside the church.

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17

In our modern society it takes about 10 years to become a medical doctor. Imagine becoming a physician that avoids patients. In an instant the Spirit of God can fill a life, change a person for eternity, no need for 10 years of school! In that same instant we can reach out and share the love of Christ around a dinner table, a cup of coffee, or _____ (fill in the blank).

I’m personally challenged by these few verses because I’m sure this happened frequently for John Mark and the disciples. Jesus, friend of sinners, ate with those who were far from God, who were eternally sick, though physically fine.

Lord, open my eyes to those who are far from You, those who are ill, but don’t know it. Show me how to have a relationship with them that will change their lives for eternity–for their benefit and for your glory!

 

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