Tag: mercy

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Demanding signs.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.” So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake. ‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

After a brief but interesting mention of leaving the city Dalmanutha, which only shows up in Mark 8:10, Jesus has this confrontation with Pharisees. This time Mark writes of a dispute or challenge between Rabbis. This “argument” is not uncommon among Rabbis of that day. Religious leaders had become accustomed to thrashing over theology for fun, entertainment and education. You will still find this today, happening around different gatherings of denominational disputes, arguing the deep but useless depths of old, stale tensions of Christianity. For most people it is boring, but few realize its dangers and sway on younger believers. Asking Jesus for a sign was probably the quickest way to discredit him.

It is ironic that Mark’s gospel is filled with signs and miracles, progressively more supernatural as the Messiah eventually raises Lazarus from the dead! NLT using the word “demand,” from the Pharisees, may be too aggressive, the word also just means to seek or search, coming from the word investigate. Ah, but the Pharisees were indeed “testing” (peirazó) or even tempting him. Does this sound like the similar situation where Jesus was led, by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted by Satan? Maybe it was.

When the men, who supposedly worked for God asked Jesus this to “prove” or authenticate (sémeion) his authority, Mark notes that Jesus physically reacted to their request, groaning deeply (anastenazó). I don’t think Jesus was into doing some performa, cheap tricks to prove himself. Every single miracle had a purpose behind it! Every miracle was driven by mercy, the one of many godly attributes the religious leaders had long forgotten.

I find it very interesting that very few of Jesus’ miracles were “performed” with any religious leaders present to witness the supernatural. They kept hearing stories and testimony of such things. I only know of one, early on, where Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, on the Sabbath and in the synagogue (Luke 6:10).

Here in Mark, they want to see a miraculous act, but we know that later, when Jesus does miracles, the religious leaders call Jesus a fraud and a fake, even declaring he does so as a servant of Satan himself! We need to understand, the Sanhedrin had a very meticulous system of verifying miracles. They required multiple eyewitness testimonies, and backed it up with the fact that a priest had to examine and clear a physical exam to allow the person to be among the community again. It was all meticulously recorded. Wouldn’t it be great to find those records the religious leaders kept on Jesus during that time!

When Jesus asked the question, “why do these people…” he wasn’t directing that at the needy, sick and broken. He was speaking to the “people” in religious authority. And, when he said he would not give this generation any such sign, who do you also think that was directed towards? Right! The generation of hardhearted, sons of snakes and vipers!

Would I ask God for miracles demanding a show of power to shut the mouths of His critics and modern-mockers? Oh, I’ve wanted that! Or, would Jesus still be reserving miracles, signs and wonders for those who are truly seeking and needing hope? Early on in the gospels Jesus kept telling those who were healed to keep it quiet. We now know that this was all about God’s timing of revealing Jesus as the Messiah! But what if miracles are still supposed to be quiet, intimate expressions of God’s mercy to the broken? Does God have need to display His power to prove His existence? I don’t think that’s how it works. What do you think? Miracles are incredible at drawing a crowd, but is that why Jesus did them? Is that what we think will soften a person’s heart and turn them towards God? It certainly didn’t work on the super-religious.

Prayer

Dad,
I’m not okay with demanding signs. Sure, I want to see and feel your presence working in our selfish, self-reliant culture. But, maybe if folks aren’t seeking, they just won’t find you, even with some flashy miracle-lure of the supernatural. I know plenty of plain-old people in a world of hurt and pain that need you. May your compassion and mercy lead and guide us just as it did so with Jesus! May your love shine in the darkest of places where people find themselves trapped and imprisoned. Help us to be your grace extended to allow the hurting to see you through us. Amen.

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Too shy to tell?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ezra takes a moment here in this Psalm to declare the goodness of God. They are returning from Babylonian captivity and are not only excited to be free and return to their own land, but they are grateful for the lessons learned!

Are you in a dark place, walking through the shadows of life? I have been there! Several years ago I was fired from a ministry position. The first thirty days were filled with anger, grief and sheer panic! I didn’t know if I was being punished or disciplined by God or just experiencing suffering through “church hurt.” I was sidelined, like a timeout for an entire year!

But also during those first few months, something extraordinary happened. I had friends and family checking in with me, taking me out to lunch and just sitting with me in my grief – it felt like such a Job season. God was closer than ever! God was present in mercy, encouraging me through His word and through the words of others. It was surreal to experience God going through it, not getting out of it quickly.

It is interesting to me that we don’t often share our sorrows with each other and even more mind-boggling that we don’t share the moments of victory! When the shadows lift, the clouds dissipate and the sun shines brightly once again. It’s wonderful to share grief – a burden shared is lighter. But it’s even more exciting to come out of exile and share with friends just how good God was the entire time.

His faithful love does ENDURE! And God still redeems our brokenness, our sins and sorrows. We should not be shy about telling others that God is real, He’s close and He cares. Give thanks then tell your story?

Prayer

​Dad,
Whew, those were really dark days. I remember spending a lot of time (because I had an abundance of time) in the Psalms, grieving, crying and searching for answers. But not once did I feel alone. You were with me. Your comfort and peace gave me strength and kept my mind from spinning off into thinking or acting foolishly. I will tell of Your goodness to me. You redeemed that year and brought me so many opportunities and blessings. Thank you for grace and mercy. Amen.

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How to return home.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord! Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Psalm 111 is a tribute, written by Ezra the high priest and scribe, AFTER returning from 70 years of captivity in Babylon. To be clear, everyone knew why Israel was taken into slavery. The citizens had not only walked away from God, disregarding His laws and warnings, they had given themselves wholly to other gods, foreign gods – FAKE gods! God’s prophets, His spokespersons had been warning both the leaders of Israel and the prominent families to turn their hearts back to God. Israel consistently chose to do their own thing. Now, after 70 years, their city, their temple was decimated. Their kings, dead. Their brothers and sisters in the ten tribes that had split off from the whole, lost forever. The only ones to return were the remnants, the “root of Jesse,” as they were called.

Yet, in all this loss and penitence. In their humility, they found their heart for God. In mass they repented and made the journey back to rebuild what had been destroyed. Even though their hope was a flickering flame, a smoldering wick, just barely showing light, they remembered their God. Ezra writes, “He causes us to remember his wonderful works.” In complete misery of loss they remembered God and their own hearts turned, once again, towards Him!

How does one come back from devastation? How does one return to rebuild their entire life? How does one find hope in their future? Israel recognized their sin and remembered their God! Captivity wasn’t God’s fault, it was His love and discipline, going to extremes to keep His people from complete and utter destruction. The human heart, left to its own desires, will crash and burn and destroy everyone and everything around them. We are desperately wicked and strive against God to have our own way and do our own thing. God intervened, putting the nation in timeout until they came to their senses.

Psalm 111 captures the results of them turning their hearts towards God as they make their final assent back up to the city of Jerusalem. Ezra, returning and reflecting on the years of loss, looked up the road to Jerusalem. Then his eyes continued to look up, high into the heavens and thank God. What do you do to return? You look back and see your own decisions that led to devastation. You look up the road to see the restoration of your own future. And, you look even higher, to see God and thank Him for His righteousness, grace and mercy. This is the lesson of Psalm 111. Don’t quit. Don’t wallow. Don’t wait! Come home.

Prayer

​Dad,
What awaits us when we return home? Is it judgment, shame and humiliation? No! What awaits us is exactly what awaited Ezra and Your people – righteousness, grace and mercy. You want us to win. You want us to be well. You want us to live! Thank you oh Lord, for the means of mercy to see our failures and poor decisions. Thank you for the gift of seeing our past with the ability to turn to you and see our future. Thank you for real and genuine hope in the plans you have for us, if we would just turn and return. Amen.

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Urgency of Jesus return.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The “parousia” (a presence, a coming), the snatching, the “rapture,” as we know it today. It was 100%, absolutely expected within the first century of the New Testament Church! Why? Because all the signs were there – namely unprecedented persecution. The world as they knew it was ending. The powerful Roman regime was falling apart and global chaos was at an all time high.

Of course Jesus was returning – SOON. But he didn’t. One hundred years has turned into two thousand years, and the world cyclically got WORSE, not better. Think of the wars, conflicts, pestilence and disasters over the years. Who would read the words and warnings of Jesus himself and NOT think of the end, the apocalypse?

The hard news is this, the Lord’s return was intended to inspire HOPE not escapism! God was at work, so that NONE would die without believing and committing their life back to himself. God’s mercy is extremely long suffering! His grace is abundantly patient. After all these years, do I still believe in the return of Jesus Christ in His second coming? Unequivocally YES. However, am I weary of all those who secretly figure out some formula promising the date Jesus will come? Do I want him to return? Of course I do. The “parousia,” still gives me hope that there is a finality, an end, when, like childbirth, we see the beginnings, the Braxton Hicks of pain, when we know delivery is soon. The second coming is just the beginnings of the end.

However, I am not looking to get out of this world. I am looking for God’s presence to sweep over our globe bringing many to himself, a last effort of mercy to flood the planet like the water that covers 70% of the earth! I can be patient, as James encourages, because God knows what he’s doing. I trust in God, His timing and His will for all our lives. Sure, I can pray, “come quickly Lord Jesus,” as Revelation 22:20 says. But I am looking for signs of renewal, not rejection. For signs of a last revolution, not the great rebellion. My rapture glass is half full, not half empty!

Prayer

​Dad,
Ever since I learned of the rapture and its resurgence in the late seventies, it was terrifying and ominous for sure. But my life in You was just getting started! And, there were still a lot of people I wanted to see come to faith. I had no problem with the idea of delaying justice or judgment when I knew that you had saved me and called me out of my own sin. I wanted so many others to experience similar. Everyone was looking for “the antichrist,” while I was just getting to know THE Christ, your Son. I wouldn’t dare ignore any of the signs you have given us in Your word, but I would much rather look for the stirrings and signs of miracles, wonder and folks turning their hearts towards You! I agree with Peter, that none would perish, but that all should come to repentance! Amen.

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With healing in his wings.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. ‭‭Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This story that Mark captures is one of my favorite miracles in the gospels! It certainly highlights Mark’s purpose for writing his accounts taken from Peter’s direct experiences with Jesus. Jesus has power to heal sickness and in Jairus’ daughter, power over death itself. However, there was an interruption in the story. As crowds pressed Jesus after landing on the shore, Jarius makes his desperate plea and Jesus begins making his way to the home of a very sick little girl. But there is also a desperate woman in that crowd.

Mark summarizes her situation. She had been suffering from a trifecta of hope-sucking events. She had some kind of genetic disorder that would not allow her blood to properly clot after she had her cycle. So she was constantly losing blood for twelve years. “Doctors,” tried everything they knew to try. I’m guessing their answers were a mix of wife’s tale wisdom and tips they’d shared in the ancient medical community. I’m not saying they weren’t smart, or knowledgeable, but they could not have had advanced training on the human anatomy and certainly not what they needed to know about diseases concerning the blood. She suffered because of constantly having hope deferred. And now she was broke. To top it off, she was extremely lonely. Her blood disease made her “untouchable,” no friends, no family, no community. Folks at that time were not allowed to be around an actively bleeding individual because of the possibility of spreading the cause and making one “unclean.” The priests were very involved in not allowing someone like this woman to have any contact with another human being until they could verify that she was completely healed. She had no human contact, sans doctor’s examinations for twelve years. She wasn’t just dying from anemia, she was dying of “Touch starvation” as well – it’s a real medical condition!

Here in Mark, the brave woman put herself and others at risk when she ventured into the crowd. Normally, she would be forced to announced that she was “unclean,” giving people a chance to stay clear of her. On this day, she remained silent but laser focused. Her “eye was on the prize,” as they say. What was she trying to do? She believed that Jesus was the Messiah before she ever determined to risk it all and break the law!

But there was a particular piece of Jesus she was after and it wasn’t his robe as the Bible translations try to explain. Sure the Greek word, “himation” is a garment, cloak or tunic, but that’s not what she wanted to touch. She wanted to touch Jesus prayer shawl (Tallit), one of the tassels of his prayer shawl to be more specific.

Every orthodox Jewish male had a weaved prayer shawl and at each of the four corners they had a tassel made of beautiful blue threads with knots. The prayer shawl would hang over their shoulders on the outside of their outer robes. This special prayer tassel was given to them by their mothers, as prescribed by Numbers 15:9. “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord.” The knots on the tassels were a way to remember each of the laws of God as you prayed. It was a wearable reminder to pray.

One of the more interesting things with these prayer shawls is a unique folklore about the Messiah. There was a unique prophecy out of Malachi 4:2, “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.” The people knew that the title “Sun of Righteousness” was THE MESSIAH. However, they didn’t exactly know what Malachi meant by healing in his “wings.” It came to be understood that the Messiah’s Tallit tassels would have supernatural abilities to heal those who touched it. The Jewish mothers, thinking their sons might just be the Messiah, began making the Tallit tassels more vibrant blue and actually began extending the length of these tassels over time.

Of course Mary would have given Jesus his Tallit. And, like every Jewish momma before her, she would use vibrant blue threads and extra long tassels. It is absolutely a fact that Rabbi Jesus often wore his Tallit. On this day, in the crowd, this woman would make her way to Jesus, specifically believing that he is THE Messiah and that his and only his Tallit tassels had the power to heal her of her disease.

The prayer shawl, nor its tassels actually held any power, but Jesus did and the woman’s faith – even in a misinterpreted folklore of Malachi’s prophecy held the belief that she would be healed! It was actually faith in who Jesus is that brought healing to her thin, anemic body. But Jesus also brought a complete healing of soul and spirit when he turned and spoke to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” It just gives me chills to hear the love and mercy in those tender words. Jesus indeed has healing in his wings!

Prayer

​Dad,
I am so moved by this story about Veronica. I see your compassion and mercy in Jesus’ words and behavior towards her. These stories give me hope for those who are suffering. I know that you are the God that heals! Amen.

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Tension between justice and mercy.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him. He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus. Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have written about the struggles with Jesus and the religious leaders before in other posts. The Jewish leaders, over centuries of silence from God, just continued to add layers of laws to God’s 10 and the additional societal/health codes God commanded the Israelites to live by to keep them safe and prosperous.

The Sabbath seemed to be one of the favorite laws to drill down on in a policy/procedure kind of way. Chabad.org list three categories: Basic Rules, Muktzeh Rules (forbidden objects to move), and Carrying Rules. There’s even a handy little chart for their 39 Melachos list – https://bit.ly/melachos. These and many others, became more than just impossible to fulfill, but they missed or drifted from God’s intent. God intended that His people rest! God still intends for us to rest.

The clash became a serious religious offense in Jesus’ day. And in the perfectionistic pursuit of the keeping their interpretation of God’s Law, they chose policy over personhood. Jesus made it abundantly clear about God’s intent – Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath serves the need for rest, but in that rest, humans were never to be held to serving that law. In the process of finding more legal minutiae, they lost the heart of God and to some degree, the heart of the Law. Namely mercy.

The religious system became so litigious, so loophole-crazy that it only served to pile on MORE work instead of relieving it! The result; harsh treatment for everyone, especially the poor, sick and needy. Isn’t that the way it goes? The deeper the detail of additional laws and the responsibility of keeping them, the more the socioeconomic/sociopolitical the whole system becomes. The rich either pay their way out or find a loophole around the law itself! The poor do not have the resources, time or ability to create their own loophole so they just continue to be lawbreakers.

Jesus cut right through all the ridiculous, add-ons of the original law – GET REST, and healed the suffering man with a withered hand! And remember, Jesus did not violate the Sabbath Law at any point! He only irritated the religious police/lawyers who were committed to bust lawbreakers with no thought to God’s intent, and no longer able to access the mercy of God. You can hear the religious leader’s defense, “I don’t make the laws, I only keep them!” Sound familiar?

As humans, we still do the same thing that the Pharisees did. We look for breaches in the law, try to fix it with policy-patches and then feel justified in arresting or fining the lawbreaker. The tragedy is that these men, who supposedly worked for God, knew nothing about their boss’s true nature and intent. And they lived a life without mercy. Justice and mercy will always be in tension and God is the only one who can truly have both!

Prayer

Dad,
Where would I be without your mercy? I would collapse under the weight of my own sin, my own deterministic decisions. I deserve the consequences of my behaviors, yet you have provided the way of forgiveness and erased my debt. How can I not, in turn, see others through eyes of mercy, and forgive them as well? Thank you for a fresh deposit of your mercy each morning. Amen.

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Picking your own perfection.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It would be interesting to have a list of the stories where Jesus tangled with the Pharisees and religious leaders specifically over breaking the Old Testament Laws of God.

Way back before God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, God instructed Moses to appoint 70 elders. God told Moses, these guys were specifically given to “bear the burden of the people,” you know, the needs, questions and constant complaints that people bring to leaders. And, God promised to take some of the Spirit on Moses and give it to these elders, kind of a Spirit-share program (‭‭Numbers‬ ‭11‬:‭16‬-‭17‬). Fast forward all the way to the New Testament, where we find those 70 elders then made up what was called the Sanhedrin. I’m not sure the promised “Spirit-shared” part came with this group throughout history. Combine this with the fact that after Israel returned from Captivity, the spiritual leadership (elders and priests) had seriously fallen apart because of years of idolatry, abuse of kingly appointed power and a general deterioration of true spiritual living. Even the Prophets would cease to exist.

Through Ezra the Scribe, a school for scribes was established. This from Chabad.org, “Ezra was born in Babylon, like many of the other great leaders, patriots and sages which the Jewish community in exile had produced. By profession he was a scribe; he used to write scrolls of the Torah, which he knew so well. Ezra was also a priest, a member of the priestly family of Aaron.” The construct of these socio-spiritual-political leaders would form the basis of the New Testament leadership that had many confrontational episodes with Jesus.

But policing the law would be more difficult than anyone would imagine. The “law” had exponentially expanded well beyond anyone’s capacity to keep it. It went from 10 Laws to 613 rules concerning the details of how to behave towards God and others. The 613 are basically rules on what to do when things go right, but also when they go wrong – 248 Positive Commandments (do’s) and 365 Negative Commandments (do not’s). But wait, there’s MORE! To make sure they followed every possible exception to the rules, they ended up with thousands of rules to legislate the original rules. There are even hundreds of “fence laws,” called “Eruv,” all dictating how to “legally” break the Sabbath!

Suffice it to say, managing these rules upon rules took up a lot of time and resources. The sad part is that by the time of Jesus, these rules had become so complicated they clouded the original intent of God’s plan. The average person just gave up trying to figure out how to please God. In fact, there was no real way to keep all the laws, therefore, no one could make God happy!

Because Jesus had a growing number of people talking about him and following him when he and his disciples came into town, the religious police/leaders felt it was their duty to confront him on his not-so-orthodox approach to their interpretation of the law. They had people watching and waiting for him, so the religious authorities could catch him in the act.

Of course there were plenty of opportunities! The Sabbath was the lightning rod of sacred confrontations. The Sabbath would be the low-hanging fruit because it would take place weekly and it was very noticeable if individuals were not keeping the expansive interpretation of the original Exodus 20:8, “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Modern orthodox Jews even consider switching on or off an electric light a violation of the Sabbath because it “kindles or extinguishes a fire.”

Jesus loved breaking the additional human traditions because it allowed him to speak to the nonsense of our constant, nonsensical need to add to God’s law, thus proving our holiness or worthiness. FYI, Jesus was technically NOT breaking the Sabbath law because there is a huge difference between “harvesting,” grain – ie: WORK and “picking” food for a snack.

I wonder how much “church hurt” has been caused by people extending and adding to God’s intent for good, healthy behaviors into something restrictive and legalistic? Just think about all the hat, hair, pants and tattoo conversations! As long as I have a solid list of “do’s and don’ts,” I can depend on them instead of the righteousness that can only come through believing and trusting in Christ’s perfection for me.

Prayer

Dad,
I don’t know how folks have time to observe or monitor everyone else’s “supposed” sins, when we have so many of our own! I can barely keep up with my own shortcomings and failures – let alone track someone else’s. Help us God! Help me to not just think more like Jesus, but behave like him towards others. I have no desire to be the religious police, shaking down other’s sins! Let your grace and mercy continue to push against my tendencies to judge others. And, thank you for your perfection when you see me through the righteousness of Jesus.

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God Math – 10 to 1.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. ‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭33‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John is the only apostle/journalist to write about Jesus’s foot-washing experience. Jesus, knowing the Father had given him authority over everything, grabbed a towel and started washing feet? Wow, such a powerful moment!

Peter complained about how awkward, no… backwards, this was. Jesus then tells him about the master model, when the teacher sets the expectation of how things are done, you do it. Jesus teaches his learners one more illustration – it’s God Math. Jesus told them, “I am giving you a new commandment.” Can Jesus add or subtract anything from God’s commandments?

When Jesus points out the ONE, he’s boiling down, simplifying and communicating what God asks of us. The 10 commandments were the law. Jesus, earlier on, talked about getting down to 2 commandments, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus even told them, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40). Ten laws simplified into two. Now Jesus does it again, ten to two to one. “Love one another. As I have loved you” (John 13:34). Many of the New Testament letters to the churches continue to quote Jesus words – 1 John 3:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Galatians 6:2; 2 Peter 1:7.

Yet, the new isn’t a replacement of the old ten commands, or even the two commands (love God, love others). This new simple and easy to understand command doesn’t do away with the law or our obligations to God and each other. No, it’s new in terms of the best way to go about fulfilling the ten or the two – it’s new and improved, not new to substitute.

When we think of the best way to love others. When we think about how to resist judging others, thinking we are far better or superior in our faith. When we think about how much patience, kindness and mercy we will need to go the full measure of love towards someone. We should think about how God has done so to us, and in us.

God loved me so much that he forgives. God is extremely patient and merciful – time and time again. That’s exactly how we should love others! When I realize that I get frustrated when folks ignore my attempts to love them, keep failing my expectations or outright betray my love – my first thoughts could be. “Oh yeah, I’ve done that to God!” Yet, God still comes after me, forgives me. Loving others as God has loved me fulfills the law of Christ!

Prayer

Dad,
I can easily see how this works when I get frustrated or even judgey with others. I just need to remind myself of how I WAS or how I AM in my relationship with you. It’s easy to just admit, “I’m not perfect.” It’s much harder to remind myself that others aren’t either. If I can receive grace for myself, I should certainly extend it to others! Thank you for the simple way to help me love you and love others by just following your example.

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Change Orientation.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do? Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Mark records an interesting conversation with Jesus that seemed to start with an amazing spiritual discipline, like fasting and end with a couple of object lessons about change. First of all, the NLT (New Living Translation) makes it sound like the disciples of John and of the Pharisees are using the old avoidance phrase, “some people” say. The original language is not so loose. In the Greek, it’s just “they came.” Pastor’s hate these kind of scenarios when “some people” say… who is “some people” we ask?

Jesus answers the thinly veiled question, but then goes for the motivation behind the question. Who does this? How does Jesus do this? Are there always questions behind the question? Jesus then switches to two object lessons about mixing old with new. It never works!

Jesus gives a quick, two-verse illustration, about patches and wineskins. Don’t both object lessons serve the point that old and new cannot exist in the same space? And isn’t it also clear that the old will not allow the new to coexist, but in fact will destroy both? Is this about fasting at all? It seems that Jesus is having a completely different conversation with these disciples.

They aren’t really asking about fasting and Jesus doesn’t really want to talk about fasting, in this context, either. They are both talking about change. Jesus knows that massive change is coming and he also knows that “some folks” are not comfortable with it. Jesus is, in fact, introducing a whole new way of doing everything. He knows that the fulfillment of the Law and everything under the Law will look completely different under a new freedom, and a new perspective on grace and mercy. The entire Old Testament system will go through cataclysmic change now that God has become flesh and that God will fulfill his promises to redeem humanity!

Christianity is not a patchwork, nor an old-wine way of life. Christ did not come to patch up the Law to keep it limping along, forever failing to change our hearts. He also did not come to allow a flat, fervent-less wine to try to express the exuberant joy of walking with God. The Law was a temporary stop-gap, a burden! When we grab the ethos, thinking or application of the Old Testament Law into the new and better experience of Christ’s efficacy and efficiency for our salvation, we are trying to patch God’s plan. When we keep trying to introduce the effervescent, actively expanding grace and joy of new life into the forms and confines of the Old Covenant, it will blow up!

Jesus couldn’t wait to introduce the fresh air of living by the Spirit but folks wanted to keep living in the caves of the law, breathing staleness of dead air! No wonder people would give up everything to follow Him! Jesus brings life to the fullest, no longer dimmed or dinged by our sin! Who doesn’t want that? I’ll tell you who. Folks who desire the guardrails of the Law, because a life in the Spirit feels like a lack of control. And it is. It’s a surrendering of faith to the control of the Spirit. I’ll take the new clothes of Christ and the bubbly joy of the new wine thank you!

Prayer

Dad,
I love your Law as instruction and to know you better. But I also love living by Your Spirit! The fresh, exhilarating wind of hope, mercy and grace is intoxicating. I will gladly give up control of my will to accomplish Yours. I will gladly walk in the Spirit, rather than my own flesh. Getting my way not only brings death it means crushing disappointment! It’s Your way now. Thank you for freedom to do what is right, and not just anything I want to do.

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Lord, help!

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬


The psalmist bursts into a crescendo of praise in this chapter. Yet, it follows with several circumstances of how we get ourselves into deep trouble. Still, the Lord comes and rescues us. It’s a pattern of us trying to get away from him, finding ourselves broken and alone, then God comes and saves us, bringing us back to himself. Is this how we are? Is this our cyclical way of trying to have our own way, and finding out that it does not workout well? The next several paragraphs all start with this word, “some.”

Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died.

Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery. They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High.

Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins. They couldn’t stand the thought of food, and they were knocking on death’s door.

Some went off to sea in ships, plying the trade routes of the world. They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action, his impressive works on the deepest seas. He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves. Their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror. They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits’ end.

Each one of these scenarios are ways we try to distance ourselves from God! Some wander, some sink into despair, some rebel, some run – it all seems good until life collapses around us and we find ourselves away from God’s presence. Each one of these examples have us leaving and God pursuing. We go looking for better and find nothing but loss and misery. When will we learn?

What’s out there or over there seems so seductive, so alluring, but it’s a mirage. Even still, God comes after the wanderer, searcher, rebellious and runner. He comes for us. In every one of these attempts to get away from God, and finding pain, all it takes is this phrase that is repeated in every scene – “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

There is no wilderness where God cannot find us. No chains God cannot break. No depression God cannot lift. And, no depth at sea where God cannot rescue our soul. There is no place on earth where God will not hear our cries for help and save us from our constraints, our stress and distress. This is why we can declare, give thanks for God is good, His faithful love endures forever!

Prayer

Dad,
Why would we run? Yet, for so many reasons, we do! After we’ve wandered, explored, rebelled or sought some far off adventure, we find ourselves in trouble. It is then we discover – we’ve got ourselves LOST. My hope is that I am quick to not just realize my sin, but I am very quick to cry out to you for help! Help Lord! What a marvelous prayer. What a humble prayer. Because you are good and your mercies endure my foolishness, you will find me and rescue me. Thank you Lord! Amen.