Saturday Morning: 01 Jun 2019 – Mark 15:16-41 ~ Were you there?

Saturday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Mark 15:16-41 (NLT)

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

The Crucifixion

A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.) And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.

Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice to decide who would get each piece. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.” Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

The Death of Jesus

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”

Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there.
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Morning Reflection:

Were you there?

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.
Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” – Mark 15:33-34

Situational irony occurs when there is a discrepancy between what a character naively expects to happen and what actually happens, or between what a character blindly thinks to be the case and what the real situation is. . . .

In situational irony the speaker is confident that what he or she says or expects is true, but is unaware that the real situation is, in fact, the opposite. The characters in the story are blind victims of the irony of the situation, while the reader sees the contrast between what the speaker says and the way things really are.

Notice the irony in today’s reading –

+ The soldiers mocked Jesus – “Hail, King of the Jews.” They repeatedly beat, spit on, knelt as if in worship, and bowed as before a great person. They had no idea that one day every knee on heaven and earth would bow before Him, and every tongue declare Jesus is Lord.

+ The unbelieving crowd mocked Jesus – They focused on His predictions about destroying and raising the temple as proof Jesus could not be their Messiah. Earlier the high priest had charged Jesus with blasphemy of which He was innocent. Now the people did truly blaspheme God.

+ The religious leaders mocked Jesus – Their title for Jesus, “King of Israel,” focused on the apparent irony of His being the leader not only of the Jews but of their nation. They were the leaders of the nation, not Jesus. The fact that Jesus was apparently helpless on the cross was the supreme irony from their viewpoint.

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” – Mark 15:34

Jesus expressed His agony of separation as a rhetorical question, quoting Psalm 22:1. This expression conveys a sense of desolation from the horror of sin that Jesus felt so deeply – a horror that for a time obscured the closeness of His communion with the Father.

Even though the physical sufferings that Jesus experienced were great, the spiritual agony that He underwent as the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world was infinitely greater.

Question for consideration:

Consider the sin in your life – past, present, and even future. Ponder it in detail for a while. And then consider how it contributed to Jesus’ agony on the cross.

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Morning Prayer:

The Persecuted Church: Prayer for the practical needs of persecuted believers:

Heavenly Father, our provider and sustainer: Attend to the needs of your family suffering great hardship and persecution, especially –

+ That they would have access to a Bible…
+ That they would have the courage to remain in their homelands…
+ That those rejected by their family and friends would be welcomed into your family where they are loved and supported emotionally and physically…
+ That socially vulnerable women and those who have lost custody of their children would be protected and their children returned…
+ That those who are destitute would find jobs and safe places to live…

Heavenly Father, you know each one of your children by name: Have mercy on them and attend to their needs according to your perfect will. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Prayer: A Reaffirmation of Faith

Heavenly Father: Today I renew and reaffirm the promises I made in baptism –

+ I renounce the devil and all spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against you.
+ I renounce the sinful desires of the flesh that draw me away from your love.
+ I turn to Jesus Christ and confess Him as my Lord and Savior.
+ I joyfully receive your Word and Spirit as my only guide for faith and practice.
+ I will obediently seek your will and walk in your ways until my life’s end.

Heavenly Father: I cannot keep these promises on my own; my track record speaks for itself. Fill me continually with your Spirit and help me become the person you envisioned me being, even before I was born. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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“Were you there” – Andrea Thomas

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning: 25 May 2019 – Mark 14:1-16 ~ on the sacrifice of worship

Saturday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Morning Reading – Mark 14:1-16 (NLT)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

The Last Supper

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
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Morning Reflection:

on the sacrifice of worship

“I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” – Mark 14:9

This story of Jesus’ anointing contrasts with the hatred of the religious leaders, the disciples shock at the woman’s waste, the betrayal of Judas, and the preparations being made for Passover.

The woman’s selfless act of devotion teaches us that Jesus is worthy of giving our all for Him, because He gave his all for us – as remembered in the Lord’s Supper.

“The intent of the Good News is that people should come to Jesus and waste themselves on Him, i.e. to bring each one of us to a true estimate of His worth.” – Watchman Nee

Questions for consideration: Is Jesus worth the waste?

Financially: The woman gave expensive perfume worth a years wages. What does it cost you financially to worship Jesus? Do you give sacrificially? Please explain.
Socially: The woman risked embarrassment and ostracism in the middle of a dinner party. What does it cost you socially? Do you give away your pride? Please explain.
Reputationally: The woman received immediate criticism from everyone except Jesus. What does it cost your reputation, your loss of friends? Are you willing to face public criticism? Please explain.
Is there something you need to give up, in order to worship and/or serve Jesus sacrificially?

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Morning Prayer:

The Persecuted Church: Prayer for the practical needs of persecuted believers:

Heavenly Father, our provider and sustainer: Attend to the needs of your family suffering great hardship and persecution, especially –

Heavenly Father, you know each one of your children by name: Have mercy on them and attend to their needs according to your perfect will. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Nothing that I can give or do can ever match your sacrifice for me on the cross. Fill me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude, love, and devotion – that I may waste myself on you in the sacrifice of worship to the glory of your name. Amen.
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“All To Jesus I Surrender” – Robin Mark

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning: 18 May 2019 – Mark 11:15-33 ~ By what authority?

Saturday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Morning Reading – Mark 11:15-33 (NLT)

Jesus Clears the Temple

When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.

That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.

The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”
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Morning Reflection:

By what authority?

“By what authority are you doing all these things?
Who gave you the right to do them?” – Mark 11:28

The religious leaders ask the key question: “Who gave you the right to do [these things]? What things are they talking about?

deliverance from the demonic
forgiveness of sins
supremacy over Torah and temple
speech about God as Father
teaching about matters in which God is sovereign

Jesus exercised an authority that was God’s sole prerogative. But their question was not asked in good faith, rather it was another attempt at entrapment.

In regard to Jesus’ authority, note two things –

+ Worship Space: Jesus overturned the prevailing religious practice in order to make the Temple a place of prayer for everyone. God had provided a place in the Temple area for gentiles to worship and pray. But the religious leaders had turned that space into a market. The people of all nations had no place to pray.

+ Answered Prayer: God is the source of the power to change; and God’s will is sovereign over all our prayer requests. The condition from our perspective is an undivided heart – belief that God can do anything; belief that the request is God’s will; confidence that God will do it, since it’s his will; and purity of heart through forgiveness of those who have sinned against us.

Questions for consideration:

Where do you worship in public with others? Is it a welcoming space and place? Would you consider it a place of prayer? Please explain.
Think for a moment, is there there anything that Jesus might change to make your public worship place more welcoming to people from “all nations?” Please explain.
Are you a person of prayer? Do you believe that God can do anything? How do you know if you are praying according to God’s will? Please explain.
Are you holding on to unforgiveness? What would it take to let that go? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

The Persecuted Church: Prayer for the practical needs of persecuted believers:

Heavenly Father, our provider and sustainer: Attend to the needs of your family suffering great hardship and persecution, especially –

+ That they would have access to a Bible…
+ That they would have the courage to remain in their homeland…
+ That those rejected by their family and friends would be welcomed into your family where they are loved and supported emotionally and physically…
+ That socially vulnerable women and those who have lost custody of their children would be protected and their children returned…
+ That those who are destitute would find jobs and safe places to live…

Heavenly Father, you know each one of your children by name: Have mercy on them and attend to their needs according to your perfect will. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Not my will, but your will be done – and help me to distinguish between the two. Guide me by your Word and Spirit that I might set aside time and space to listen and learn from you. Give me an undivided heart – a heart in tune with the heart of Christ Jesus. And drive away all fear and doubt, that I may do the work you have given me to do, to love and serve you as a faithful witness of Christ my Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
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“God I Look to You” – Jenn Johnson (Bethel Worship)

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning: 11 May 2019 – Mark 9:14-29 ~ The Problem of Weak Faith

Saturday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Morning Reading – Mark 9:14-29 (NLT)

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.

“What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.

One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”
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Morning Reflection:

The Problem of Weak Faith

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked.
“Anything is possible if a person believes.”

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe,
but help me overcome my unbelief!” – Mark 9:23-24

Faith in Jesus Christ is an adventure that includes its ups and downs. And failed attempts at healing bring us down. That seems to be the case when Jesus arrives on the scene. A father has brought his son to Jesus for healing, but since he wasn’t there at the time, the disciples attempted to deliver the boy who was terrorized by a demon. But to no effect.

What was the problem? Weak faith – including the father, the crowd, and the disciples on the scene. And the disciples’ failed attempts only served to weaken the father’s confidence in Jesus himself. That’s why his plea for help included “if you can.”

But the problem wasn’t with Jesus – he certainly had the power – the problem was the weak faith, or lack of faith, of everyone else involved. Did the father believe that Jesus could heal his son?

Notice the issue is not would Jesus heal his son, but could Jesus heal his son. Jesus is the focus of healing faith – it’s in Jesus that we trust without setting any limits on his power as the Son of God.

Without hesitation, the father voiced his confidence in Jesus, imperfect as it was. And his son was healed.

Questions for consideration:

Do you believe that anything is possible if a person believes? Please explain.
Why is it important to make God, through his Son Jesus Christ, the focus of our belief? Please explain.
Why is it important to ask in Jesus name? How does that align our requests with the will of God? Please explain.
Why do you think Jesus cited prayer as the key to casting out this evil spirit? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Prayer for the practical needs of persecuted believers:

Heavenly Father, our provider and sustainer: Attend to the needs of your family suffering great hardship and persecution, especially –

Heavenly Father, you know each one of your children by name: Have mercy on them and attend to their needs. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Nothing is impossible for you; your loving-kindness is boundless, your faithfulness is endless, your mercy is renewed every morning. Thank you for including me in your family through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to be faithful in prayer that I might align my heart, mind, and spirit with your Word and Spirit. Strengthen me in faith and give me wisdom and sound judgement that my petitions and intercessions might further your Kingdom purposes now and forever. I ask this in Jesus’ name, and for your glory. Amen.
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“Oh My Soul” – Casting Crowns

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning: 04 May 2019 – Mark 6:30-56 ~ disciples serve as waiters

Saturday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Morning Reading – Mark 6:30-56 (NLT)

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”

But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”

“How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.”

They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”

Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed.

Jesus Walks on Water

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. After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 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, but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 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!” Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. 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.
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Morning Reflection:

disciples serve as waiters

Jesus said, “You feed them.” – Mark 6:37

The on-the-job training of the disciples continues in today’s reading – leading to a deeper understanding of who Jesus was and a deeper commitment to him.

Jesus is the ultimate provider of all our needs – teaching, healing and daily bread. In telling the disciples to feed the crowd, Jesus highlighted the inadequacy of their resources (physically and spiritually) to complete the task – the numbers didn’t work – too many people, not enough money, and not enough food; they were stymied. From a human perspective it was impossible, but not from God’s.

+ Jesus: By thanking God for the food and then providing it miraculously for the people, Jesus disclosed that he was not only the Son of Man but also the Son of God.

+ The disciples: Jesus served the people through the disciples who presented what he had provided to the multitudes. The disciples served as waiters. Servants can only serve what the master provides.

Questions for consideration:

Have you ever witnessed God do something that was impossible from a human perspective? Please explain.
Have you ever been asked to do something for God that was impossible from a human perspective? What happened? Please explain.
Where in your life right now are you being challenged to do something that is beyond your ability? In practical terms, what would it mean for you to rely on God to produce the desired outcome. Please explain.
In what way do you need to rely on resources that only God can provide, or multiply, to get you through he day? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Prayer for the practical needs of persecuted believers:

Heavenly Father, our provider and sustainer: Attend to the needs of your family suffering great hardship and persecution, especially –

Heavenly Father, you know each one of your children by name: Have mercy on them and attend to their needs. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Prayer:

Heavenly Father: You know our needs for teaching, healing, and daily bread – and you know our inadequacy to sustain ourselves. Work your wonders in our lives and give us what we need today – that we might grow in faith and love, and give generously to others what we have receive from you. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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“First” – Lauren Daigle