October 13, 2014
Mark 8-10
My goodness! Does Mark move quickly! As of today, we’re already more than half-way through his gospel!
Mark zeros in on the key indicators of Jesus true identity. “Who is this man...?” the disciples asked. And we want to know, too.
Mark 8 begins with Jesus’ less famous feeding of the 4000; just as remarkable as the first! He heals the blind man as Bethsaida using some of his own saliva. Then, while traveling through the villages up north of the Sea of Galilee, he asks the disciples to tell him who they think he is. Peter answers: “You are the Christ (that is, the Messiah)!”
In Mark 9, God the Father confirms even more on the Mount of Transfiguration: “This is My Son, whom I love!” And when they come down the mountain to find a demon-possessed boy, Jesus takes authority of the devils, as well!
So, how does one follow this man-who-was-also-God, this Son of God, this Messiah? What would Jesus say? He made it clear, that it wouldn’t be by arguing over who was the greatest (9:33-37; 10:35-45). It wouldn’t be by worrying about what other people do (9:38-41). It wouldn’t be through sinning or causing others to sin (9:42-50). Or by denying the resurrection of the dead (10:1-16).
No, the way to follow Jesus is by welcoming little children (I9:37), by becoming like them in the simple faith (10:15), by simply turning from the distractions (10:23) and giving our lives in service to the one who gave his life as a ransom for us (10:45).
Your fellow pilgrim through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
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