Tag: preach

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Luke: Jesus, the Itinerant Preacher

Read: Luke 8:1-3

Just a short segue between stories, Luke adds some interesting detail about the preaching and teaching tour of Jesus. Back in the old days, even before my time, the idea of circuit-riders or itinerant preachers modeled their ministry based on this idea:

Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Luke 8:1

He traveled with The Twelve, no surprise, but He also traveled with women that supported the ministry:

These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:3

The thought of a band of travelers preaching the Gospel is compelling, challenging, and interesting to imagine. The fact they were supported by women who were able to support themselves is quite intriguing! Apparently, they were not slaves of men, but independent and self-assured adults that they didn’t need to be center stage to be effective.  They enabled the gospel to spread by supporting the men without much fanfare at all. Luke names a few for us to remember, but I’m sure their support was significant–just not the main point. They humbly served behind the scenes. I like that.

It wasn’t, however, a traveling magic show. While Jesus performed miracles all over the place, that was obviously not the crux of His travels. This is significant in my mind because Jesus did not miraculously (or magically) produce shekels, mina, or talents when they needed money to buy food or pay for lodging. He didn’t miraculously make dinner every night. Instead, He and The Twelve relied on the generosity of others, in particular, these women.

I have no doubt He could have chosen a different path, but that would not be reproducible–we could not model His behavior. Jesus leads us by example. He demonstrates how to make disciples, how to invest into people, how to spread the good news even without intervention.

We only get a glimpse, a handful of days and stories to consider, as Luke picks memories that are most helpful for us to consider. Day after day, Jesus and His band traveled about talking to real people about real problems. Just humans loving on humans. He could have come in on a helicopter with loud speakers announcing the end of all time (or else), but He chose to walk from village to village with dusty sandals and dirty hands. Nothing fancy. No private jets or extravagant hotels. Somehow their basic needs were taken care of by friends and relations they created along the way.

Unless I missed something, Jesus never said, “build a 100,000 square foot building here…” or anything that came close to confusing a building with a cause. Not that we don’t need places to meet, I get that, but we must figure out a way to understand the difference between a place of worship and being the church. Please pray that we get a sense of what the Spirit wants us to do in this regard.

Lord, thank you for those who faithfully supported Your earthly ministry and those who support ours. May our faith increase as we attempt to spread the good news, the GREAT news, to those around our towns and villages.

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Luke: What Credit is That to You?

Read: Luke 6:27-49

Love your enemies, don’t judge others, the mouth speaks what the heart is full of, here the words and do what Jesus commanded.

Somewhere there’s a sign for the wall with these short phrases that summarize so much of Jesus’ teaching. The original audience that heard these words for the very first time were amazed at the teaching and very likely confused by the concepts. I’m confident that Jesus unpacked each point carefully with the crowds of people gathered around.

Here’s the main point: The love that Jesus is preaching is a love of action, not merely words. We are to take action and do what He says, not just sit and take notes.

You can stop reading now. That’s the gist of this post.

Love Your Enemies Luke 6:27-36

There are those who love you, who are good to you, and those who you will lend things to — even those who are completely evil. Big deal! Jesus makes it clear: we are to love our enemies.

If He said this just once, or with some caveats, we could walk away from the idea, but Jesus makes it clear that His ministry is about action, about doing things that are uncomfortable by earthly standards.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Luke 6:35

Jesus sets the bar high. It’s no wonder that the number of disciples thinned out as He preached. But to those who heard these edicts and responded, life on earth changed. What if a group of people decided to adopt these principles as they went about their daily routines? Could we change the culture around us?

Judging Others: Luke 6:37-42

Don’t judge or condemn. Practice forgiveness and give generously. Rest assured that your reward is greater than you can appreciate. This is easy to type, much harder to put into action because these are essentially responses to events.

Easy to do if we stay at home, surround ourselves with friends and family, avoid those who are difficult to get along with. That’s the secret, right? Nope. I don’t believe we were called to live the “safe” life. I think we were meant to get dirty, to go out and change the world by getting into the mess, joining the fray, making mistakes, risking too much for the sake of Christ — all based on love of others.

It’s much harder to withhold judgment when we get out into the real world where sinners outnumber the saints. But isn’t this what Jesus expects us to do?

A Tree and Its Fruit: Luke 6:43-45

Right after talking about judging others, Jesus is careful to remind us that our actions reveal our heart:

Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. Luke 6:44

It doesn’t do any good to wear a shirt that says, “I’m not judging you!” What we do will ultimately be seen, the results speak for themselves.

The standard is high, some days too high for me. We sang the song, Seasons, yesterday. It reminds me that we go through times of trial, cold winters that linger far too long. I needed to hear that…well, perhaps not past tense, I need to know that. Winter can be hard. Branches are bare, nothing green in sight. We need to be confident that the roots are being nourished even when the branches are brittle, that spring is sure to come–eventually. Accept this promise, help me to know Jesus is always faithful.

The Wise and Foolish Builders: Luke 6:46-49

There is a way to build a house, to create anything that will last. It requires digging deep and starting with a solid foundation. Sometimes this isn’t as easy to do as we would think. Some people keep digging deeper, looking for the rock, caught up in the effort, but getting nowhere. Perhaps we dig in the wrong place at times. Lord, help me to know when it’s time to relocate the building!

Lots of words. Random thoughts. Now it’s time for action. Lord, help us to be a people of movement, confident You are there to support and guide us. Jesus, we love You. Help us to go and share that with others, especially those who are not like us!

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Luke: When Jesus Saw Their Faith

Read: Luke 5:12-26

Consider two phrases in the passage we read today: Lord if you are willing and when Jesus saw their faith. Both demonstrate an unusual faith in a man they hardly knew.

They had heard about this preacher that was going from village to village, town to town, teaching good news, adding wisdom to wise sayings with a practical message for common people to hear.

Perhaps the most amazing thing they heard was His ability to cast our demons and heal people of sickness. This wasn’t normal by any stretch of the imagination. They seem to say, If Jesus could do that, I’m in! And they showed up in these stories.

My belief is these are just two of the many stories Luke had to consider when writing his narrative to share with others. In my imagination I can see him with a table full of newspaper clippings, reports from villages all over Judea about healing and restoration. Miracle after miracle. All with some common elements: Jesus was the rabbi at the center of all the news and He was trying to keep these incidents quiet.

I believe that Luke intersperses these miraculous events inside the details about calling the disciples to make this point: He wasn’t trying to draw followers, He was looking to make disciples.

Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Luke 5:14

It’s interesting that Jesus points the cured leper back to the priest, that He keeps the focus on God’s system of sacrifice.

In a much more public miracle, the faith of friends is rewarded with healing a lame man.

So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Luke 5:24-25

Right in front of the pharisees and teachers of the law! This troublesome event (for the religious leaders) causes them to stumble and provides another teaching point for Jesus:

Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Luke 5:23-24

Which is easier? Hmm…so I think I’ll just do both! The religious right have no idea how to respond.

The people were filled with awe and wonder (sounds like a song!). But Jesus isn’t trying to create a show, instead He’s trying to demonstrate the love of the Father for His people. In a way, He can’t not heal those who are sick because of His unbounded love and compassion.

It’s this deep-seated heart for people that I long to have, that I pray for consistently. Jesus sees their faith, sees their desire and looks beyond outward appearances — straight to their heart. Perfect discernment that is unencumbered by biased perspective based on human standards. It may be a stretch, but I believe we too can see the hearts of those seeking to know the love of Christ if we would let go of worldly desires.

Yesterday, the word contentment drove me to look for scripture about being content. Now I think I understand why. If I can be content, my own selfish desires disappear and I can see people as Jesus saw them–at least to a greater degree. If I am content, I don’t need anything from any interaction with someone else. My only aim is to point them to Christ.

My desire then becomes one of great compassion. When I see a brother or sister in pain, my prayer is to reach out and help in any way I can. All from a place of love, not from a desire to tell someone else about the wonderful things I have done.

Jesus points them back to God, the source of His power and strength.

Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Luke 5:26

As a result, they gave praise to God. That the result I’m hoping for.

Oh, one other thing:

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

I find it interesting that Jesus withdraws to lonely places to pray. He seeks solitude to quiet His human heart. Seriously. If Jesus needed to do this, how much more should I? No, I’m not advocating seclusion in a monastery, but we all need a place where we can hear from God.

When I searched for images for the featured image on this post, I used the term lonely. Literally hundreds of photos showed up. Yes, I want to find a place of solitude, but the fact that so many photos are tagged “lonely” points to a culture that is seeking what we have to offer. Please don’t get lost in the lonely place — just use this for meditation and prayer, not a hiding place!

I pray you can find your place today. Listen well my friend. God wants to speak to you, I’m sure of it.

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Luke: Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

Read: Luke 4:14-30

Back from the desert temptation experience, Jesus’ ministry is now set for launch. Not surprising, His teaching is exceptional and people are amazed. They were amazed when He taught as a 12-year old (Luke 2:47), I can’t even fathom what another 18 years of life on earth added to His sermon archive!

In this passage, Jesus quotes Isaiah and declares He has come to fulfill the prophesies that begin with five specific proclamations:

  1. proclaim good news to the poor.
  2. proclaim freedom for the prisoners
  3. recovery of sight for the blind,
  4. set the oppressed free,
  5. proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

He does a lot more than that! This is just the beginning.

Soapbox Begins

Forgive me for getting on my soapbox to preach this lesson once again, but I can’t help myself! One thing I want to specifically draw your attention to is #1 on the list. We often think about poor as those who are homeless, financially challenged, etc., but I hope you will consider the term poor in a much broader sense. Those who have not been adopted into the family of Christ are all poor. They might have great earthly wealth, but we all know that passes in a blink. Yes, those who have no earthly possessions, those who struggle day to day for a meal or a place to stay warm know that they are poor. We are obligated to care for the fatherless, the downcast, those who can’t care for themselves.

Somehow we have to learn to look beyond outward appearances and see people the way Jesus sees them. Those who are the pious poor are probably much more challenging to minister to, but that doesn’t let us off the hook. Lord, I pray for discerning eyes and ears to see and hear people they way You see them. Open doors that we might minister to them in ways that please You.

End of Soapbox

You would think that people would hear His teaching and get excited, right?

He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. Luke 4:15

The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:20-21

Everyone praised Him, eyes and ears glued to His teaching. Then some of the pious rich make the observation:

“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:22

Hold everything! The people remember this was the little boy that grew up down the street. Surely He cannot be who He claims.

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. John 1:46

Jesus selects a few examples for the self-righteous to hear. He picks two of the all-time favorite prophets of old: Elijah and Elisha. Those hearing these words would know of the references and we are privileged to have the Old Testament to understand their significance. Here are a few main points to consider:

  • Prophets were rarely welcome in their home towns; their ministry was consistently harsh and not welcomed
  • The examples of Elijah and Elisha pointed to helping Gentiles, not Jews
  • Elijah and Elisha prophesied during some of the worst times in Israel’s horrible history

Their reaction:

They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. Luke 4:29

Miraculously, Jesus simply walked away from the crowd and went on to continue His ministry.

This is a rather troubling text to consider. Those who wanted to throw Jesus off the cliff were the established church of their time. They couldn’t hear His message, though it was obviously presented in a compelling and exciting manner. People got the message. Religious leaders wanted to kill Him.

Jesus was not affected by their misgivings. He walked away and sought those who wanted to learn about adoption into the royal family — His kingdom. Lord, help us to do likewise!

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Luke: John the Baptist and Jesus

Read: Luke 3

We fast-forward to somewhere between A.D. 25 and A.D. 26, when John the Baptist, and his cousin Jesus, were about 30 years old. John preaches the need for repentance through baptism and even baptizes Jesus. Luke covers the story of John the Baptist differently than the other Gospel accounts. His intentional process of identifying key moments and details gives us some interesting insight into John’s ministry, then shifts to Jesus for the rest of the writing. We also get a snapshot of the genealogy of Jesus to affirm His position in history.

John the Baptist

After all, he was born for this role! John announces something the people have been waiting for, someone they have long talk about. This baptism leads to salvation — not just a temporary fix.

He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Luke 3:3

Jews were quite accustomed to repeated acts of sacrifice, but John is pointing to the Messiah. This baptism is part of the preparation for the coming King, the hope that “all people will see God’s salvation” (Luke 3:6; Isaiah 52:10).

John’s ministry is revealed in some detail here. To begin with, John explains that you can’t rely on your ancestry for salvation:

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. Luke 3:8

Just because your father’s father, etc., and you, follow the ordinances of Judaism, you are not guaranteed salvation, your heart must change. We must change our ways and produce fruit.

Tax collectors and soldiers, notoriously wicked people, heard the message and were moved. Their response wasn’t merely to agree, they wanted to know what to do next. John didn’t shy away from giving them direction:

  • Tax Collectors: don’t collect more than required
  • Soldiers: don’t extort money or accuse falsely
  • Herod: you are a sinner.

In these two examples, John calls them out–their actions are visible to God and they will be held accountable. The third bullet will eventually get him beheaded.

The thrust of the message is clear: Jesus, the Messiah, is coming. Get ready!

It’s no surprise that the people think John is the Messiah. His message is unique and fresh, his resolve is unprecedented. He is filled with the Holy Spirit and people can discern the difference in his preaching versus the typical Levitical homilies. John is quick to let them know he is not the One.

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luke 3:16

Jesus Baptized

Luke quickly covers the baptism of Jesus by John. Though He was baptized “when all the people were being baptized,” Luke doesn’t record any reaction from the crowd or John. From Luke’s perspective, it seems there are two main points: Jesus acknowledges John’s ministry and God announces this is indeed His Son.

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22

Jesus’ ministry on earth will now begin!

Genealogy

Luke takes us all the way back to Adam in his recording of the lineage of Jesus. I love the idea here:

Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, Luke 3:23

Luke makes a special note: “so it was thought.” In other words, here’s the Jewish lineage for all those who want to affirm the bloodline of Jesus, but make no mistake, Joseph is not the one who participated in conception of Jesus. The miracle of Jesus’ birth is hard to wrap my mind around and I’m sure it was helpful for the Jews of Luke’s day to have an account through genealogy.

Matthew’s account was quite different (see: Matthew’s Genealogy of Jesus — The Women). The differences are in conflict with one another, but it’s interesting to see how each addresses a different audience in an effort to include as many people as possible.

Luke’s orderly process of covering events and details prepares us for the rest of the story. I especially appreciate the call to action, not just hearing the message. John the Baptist is unafraid to say that something needs to happen, that we need to do something. It’s not about sitting and listening in agreement, though that’s a good start, we actually need to do something in response.

Lord, help us to hear your word and respond appropriately as you have uniquely called us to do. Help us to hear and know what our next steps need to be. Jesus, we want to be walking in your will, doing that which best serves you today. The world would prefer that we get wrapped up in trivial pursuits, but I pray we would hear Your voice beyond the noise!

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Luke: The Boy Jesus at the Temple

Read: Luke 2:41-52

Today we read a story that I’ve read a hundred times. It reveals the incredible truth that Jesus was fully human and, we later appreciate, fully God. Of all the stories, I’m so grateful that Luke was careful about choosing this one.

There are times when I read a verse that my head seems to spin, my thoughts get completely lost and I simply have to stop. This is one of those:

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. Luke 2:41

I’m sure that most will read that verse and continue on to the main point of the story, but when I read the first four words today, I froze.

Every year

This young couple (well, at least Mary was young) invested 30 years into Jesus’ life before His public ministry began. Three-Zero. Something like 11,000 days Mary and Joseph woke up to see Jesus. At first they tended to Him when He was a baby. Feeding, dressing, holding, cleaning. Routine things you do with an infant. Later, getting excited about first steps, walking, talking, playing.

I don’t know when Joseph left the scene, but I can’t help but imagine the looks they gave each other and the conversations that began with, “what do we teach the Son of God?” Seriously!

Jesus’ parents

Jesus’ parents were so faithful, so obedient, completely confident that God would do what He said, that they raised Jesus in a home alongside other families, John the Baptist, His cousin, other children, James. I know I’m rambling a bit because, as I said, I’m lost in the wonder of thousands of days when Jesus called Mary and Joseph–mom and dad.

Perhaps this is the perfect couple. Jesus would later be referred to as the simple one that came from a lowly village, but no words are recorded that belittle Mary and Joseph. Not once do we read something negative about Jesus’ parents.

Thank you Lord for such an example of faithful, loving parents.

And then, the rest of the story. These perfect parents lose Jesus.

Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. Luke 2:44-45

They went back to find Him…oh my! They went back kicking and screaming, hair on fire, holy fill-in-the-blank, weren’t you paying attention, he said, she said–where is Jesus?!?!

I don’t know about you, but I’m sure that most of us have misplaced a child at least once, or maybe it’s just me. Like the Sunday when our oldest two, Miranda and Katrina, decided to walk to church, 12 miles away. Talk about panic! Or they time Alyssa took a nap in the third seat of our 15-passenger van. Oh yes, when we did not find them, we went looking with all kinds of thoughts running through our minds, no doubt. Looking back, knowing the complete story, I can be calm–not in the moment.

When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Luke 2:48

Anxiously searching, to say the least. Jesus was merely sitting with the elders having a conversation. I wonder if some of these same elders would later be early Christians, memories of this time flooding their minds when they heard stories about the preacher on the hillside.

Jesus’ response is amazing:

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Luke 2:49-50

No worries mom and dad, we were just walking to church, I was just taking a nap, or we decided it would be fun to walk in the woods, etc. We weren’t trying to upset you, we were just doing our own thing. Isn’t this what we want? Eventually, our children grow up and become independent of parents. Just not starting at 12!

The Son of God continues to amaze us as He shows His reverence for mom and dad, the earthly parents:

Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. Luke 2:51

As a parent, this chapter tugs and pulls on my heart. You’ve probably figured that out by now. It’s such a challenging task to raise children, constantly wondering if this was the right discipline or if we should just let that slide with a glance and raised eye-brow. It simply amazes me that Jesus was obedient to his parents on earth. He walked and talked with his relatives and friends for many years before His ministry began.

Lord, of all the stories You could tell, all the books You could have inspired, thank you for giving us this insight into the early life of Jesus.

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Mark: Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

Read: Mark 14:53-65

Betrayal complete, now the leaders have their work cut out for them as they prepare their case against Jesus. Meanwhile, Peter is doing his very best not to be the one Jesus called out a few hours earlier:

Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. Mark 14:54

We’ll cover the rest of Peter’s story tomorrow.

Testimony after testimony was brought before them as they did their very best to convict Jesus.

Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. Mark 14:56

There’s no indication of how long the parade of witnesses continued, nor is there any indication that someone provided any defense for Jesus, but in just a few short verses we get to the crux of the matter:

But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:61-62

The direct question with an absolute response, plus a qualifier. Yes, earthly council of men, Jesus is the Messiah, the One you’ve been waiting for, preaching about, teaching others to get excited about. Yes, He is right before your eyes, right in front of you. You’ve heard the stories, but chose not to believe. You know people who have been healed, touched, felt, heard, and seen; yet you chose to turn away.

It’s about choice, isn’t it? If there is a God above others, why is there so much pain and suffering? If this is the Messiah, why not end all of this? Why are we in such a hurry? There are so many opportunities to serve and make disciples of Jesus, I’m no longer in a hurry to see it end so quickly. Instead of gloom and doom, perhaps the question should be: why are we allowed to feel true joy? What makes a person laugh? Even in the hardest of times, in the darkest of places, we see images of children playing. Sure, we can focus on the suffering, but there is another side to the story. This doesn’t erase difficulties in the world, but it’s there to remind us that there is suffering, but there is joy as well.

Yes, Jesus is the Messiah, but more than that, you will see Him again! Jesus doesn’t just break the silences with a short answer the question, He expands it to include His future Second Coming. He knows where this will lead. No doubt.

One day, we will see the Son returning in all His glory. For now, we wait, but that doesn’t imply sitting around and watching the sky light up.

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Mark: Signs of the End of the Age

Read: Mark 13:3-13

As I began to read this section, I simply had to stop and ponder what it must have been like to have a private discussion with Jesus:

And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Mark 13:3

Four of the disciples had the privilege of space and time. Space to be in the presence of Jesus face to face and time to sit and listen with no cell phones or emails begging for attention. No fanfare here, just four guys who were sold out to Jesus asking for a private conversation — Jesus answers them without delay.

Four Phrases

There are four phrases in particular that jumped out at me as I read this morning, perhaps they might speak to you today: watch out, be on your guard, whenever you are arrested, and everyone will hate you. As we look at these, remember this is an intimate setting, not a sermon to 5,000+. It’s important for us to surround ourselves with those who are devoted to Christ, who know His voice, who can help us discern His will in a world that seeks to deceive and destroy.

Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Mark 13:5

In their time, no one spoke like Jesus did. They didn’t have the Bible, the New Testament, seminaries, books, Google, etc., no one to lean on for clarification. They were standing at the edge of the wood, Fangorn Forest if you must, about to enter a land where no one dared to go, let alone thrive. To say there were naysayers around them puts it lightly. They weren’t to be merely ridiculed for this new found faith, they would literally be beaten by the very foundational elements of what was known as the chosen people.

“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. Mark 13:9

Flogged in synagogues, the center of Jewish local leadership. I’m thinking one of them raised their hand at this point and asked for some clarification. They were Jews. Devout. Regular working men who dropped their nets and followed Jesus. I have to believe He explained a bit more to the handful of those who heard these words.

Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:11

Whenever you are arrested, not “if” you are arrested. This is going to happen, you will be put on trial, you will suffer. It’s not a badge of honor. They were not going about trying to pick a fight to see how the Spirit would bail them out. Not at all! They would merely go about there way preaching the amazing good news that the Messiah came, that the leaders killed Him, and that God, the One true God, resurrected Him and we must all acknowledge Jesus above all others. That statement would provoke arrest, torture and death. Now that you know, go and spread the gospel!

Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Mark 13:13

And this is your reward: everyone will hate you. Sign me up! This is Holy discontent at its best.

I wonder if we have what it takes to be called a disciple of Jesus, let alone refer to ourselves as disciple makers. Jesus did not compromise. He did not paint a rosy picture of a two-car garage and steady income. It’s pretty clear that being on mission for Christ has little to do with creature comforts we enjoy.

It’s hard to navigate each day with this thought in mind. Lord, teach us to pray and understand. Help us to look to You for direction, to hear Your voice above the chatter, to advance Your kingdom here on earth.

The featured image I chose for this post is a field with a broken down tractor. It appears that the crops are thriving around the tractor, but the vehicle is useless, impotent, ineffective. That tractor will contribute nothing toward the harvest. In light of yesterday’s post, may we commit to being the people who will serve in the field without relying on broken tractors.

The fields are ripe. Where are the workers?

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Mark: The Awesome Temple

Read: Mark 13:1-2

As I began to process chapter 13, The Olivet Discourse, I simply had to stop and observe the first few verses through the eyes of the disciples, with a bent toward the current state of so many churches in this country.

As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Mark 13:1-2

I had the privilege of meeting with disciples downtown on Tuesday and Wednesday morning this week. As I drove past multiple church properties, I couldn’t help but notice those that were gigantic structures, along with empty parking lots. I’m not judging the pastors, ministers, staff, etc., I’m making a statement about the system that led to this phenomena we refer to as “church.” What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!

It is my belief that these will be relics of the next generation. The new church will be much more organic, much more difficult to identify, and hardly recognizable by today’s standards. The next generation of churches has yet to be defined, but I’m confident it will not include hefty senior pastor salaries and designated parking. Giant buildings with monthly utility bills that could provide for dozens of families that don’t even have the means to have electricity will be replaced, repurposed, redesigned, redesignated, re____.

The disciples, after spending hours in the temple courts with Jesus, are excited about those who heard the preaching and teaching. Their comments about the temple come from a place of joy. Jesus has just debunked leading teachers and Pharisees, upset many who were full of pride, and supported those who humbly came to the temple to offer what they could. This was an amazing day! Walking out, they make a simple observation, but Jesus, as He does so often, turns the tables.

Historically, we have the privilege of knowing that those massive structures were indeed destroyed, but that was inconceivable by those walking out of the temple courts 2,000+ years ago. Completely unheard of.

My angst against the large church model in America is not to see them fail; rather, I want more than anything to see thriving churches, filled with disciple-making disciplers that serve their communities and pour the gospel out to everyone. No, I’m not against these entities, but I know that most are unable to be the effective church because they compromise the gospel over the system they have built, the salaries they must pay, and the infrastructure that drives the stewardship campaigns.

My prayer is for churches to wake up to their original calling, to look at large gatherings (typically on Sunday) as celebrations of the week of working in the harvest field, spreading the gospel, pouring into disciples, reaching into the workplace with hundreds of ministers (every Christian is a minister of the gospel), and building each other up as we talk about success and failures during the week.

There is much work to do. We need healthy churches and healthy leaders. We need people to work together with a common understanding of the direction that Jesus set for us, to go and make disciples. Lord, help us!

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Mark: The Rich and the Kingdom of God

Read: Mark 10:17-31

The reward for following Jesus cannot be understated.

The risk associated with putting Jesus first might require all we have on earth.

Am I willing to let go of everything? I know the right answer, but I have to wonder as I read through the encounter with this man of great wealth.

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Mark 10:21-22

I’ve read this many times. Most of the time I focused on the last sentence; today I’m focused on the first.

He was on His way somewhere when this man intercepted Him and begged for his attention. Jesus stopped, asked the a preparatory question about the commandments, then read the man’s heart, and He looked at him and loved him.

Today’s Seth Godin blog ended with this:

People might hear what you say, but they always remember what you do.Seth Godin

John Mark made a point to tells us what Jesus did, the love and compassion with which He spoke the words. Those who witnessed the interaction just out of earshot could see by the look on the faces what was happening. Jesus wanted so much for this man to let go of earthly possessions. He wasn’t taunting him, just pointing out the anchor in his heart.

The disciples were amazed and even more amazed at Jesus’s teaching here. They wondered if anyone could be saved. When we stop and think for a moment, it’s easy to understand their confusion. All their lives they’ve been taught to follow the rules, keep the commandments and a hundred other rules to please God. They honored and respected their elders, saw the apparent blessings God had bestowed on those who strictly kept the law.

Jesus changes everything and challenges us to a level that’s beyond our ability, outside our reach. It is, in fact, impossible for us to attain. We cannot work our way to heaven.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

When we let go of all that ties us to this world and rely on God, all things are possible.

My friend, Travis Watson, sent me a quote from a book last night that provides a rather modern example of this ancient truth. This is the last paragraph of the letter found from a young pastor in Zimbabwe who was martyred for his faith in Jesus:

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And, when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me…my banner will be clear!

With those words, this young pastor left his mortal presence on earth. I’m confident he received a hundreds times more than this present age has to offer, even more, he received Jesus.

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