SOULJournal

Mark 16

SCRIPTURE  
¹ When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 

OBSERVATION
Even though the odds of actually anointing Jesus were stacked against them, the women still went to the grave of Jesus with the intent to honor Him.

UNDERSTANDING
Bringing spices to the tomb would be like bringing flowers to a grave today. Since they did not embalm bodies in Israel, they would use perfumes as a normal practice. The three women faced a couple of overwhelming problems as they set out to honor Jesus’ body. First, the soldier guard would prevent them; second, the rock in the tomb’s doorway would be too heavy to move.  Against such obstacles, what could these three women expect to accomplish? Yet urged on by love and gratitude, they were determined to do what they could, so in faith they went.

LIFE APPLICATION
Our mission as a church—to multiply Christ-followers everywhere—is filled with overwhelming problems. Human stubbornness, sin, greed, opposition from those who would hate Christ, even church disunity and strife.  Any one of these just by itself makes the mission seem impossible.  Who will roll away the stone?  

If we stop and look at the problems that are in front of us we may decide that it is impossible and do nothing, but we must be like these women who saw the obstacle and set out anyway believing that along the way God would work out the details.

 

Mark 14

SCRIPTURE 
¹ Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him.

OBSERVATION
God is in control, no matter what the circumstances of life would say.

UNDERSTANDING
The religious leaders were on a mission to kill Jesus because He had disrupted their way of life, exposing their hypocrisy and opposing their "authority."  So they plotted to kill Him.  The funny thing is that God is always in control and although at times it seems that the wicked has won, God always has the last laugh. God took the religious leaders' plot and turned it into the greatest blessing that mankind would ever know.  The darkest moment was really God at work producing the greatest sunrise we could imagine.

LIFE APPLICATION
When grief and disaster seems to be the story of your life.  When it seems like the evil is winning, we need to take time to remind ourselves that God is in control and our life is in His hands.  Just remember His crucifixtion.  Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5.

 

Mark 13

Ready and Waiting

Jesus warned his followers about the future so that they could learn how to live in the present. Jesus did not make these predictions so that we would guess when they might be fulfilled, but to help us remain spiritually alert and prepared at all times as we wait for his return. We must live each day close to Christ, always mindful that he is in charge of the timetable.  We are also encouraged to always be in a state of readiness for His return and we are to continue to proclaim the good news until He returns.

 

Life Application Commentary

Mark 11

SCRIPTURE
25-26: And when you stand praying, forgive anyone you have anything against. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins."

OBSERVATION
There is so much riding on our decision to forgive others, yet so many people are walking around with unforgiveness and bitterness in their hearts and it is preventing them from experiencing real intimacy with God.

UNDERSTANDING
How do you know if there is unforgiveness and bitterness in your heart? 

1.  We easily see the bad in others. 
We are quick to pick them apart and see only the bad in them or in truth read everything they do as being with a bad motive.  We never give them the benefit of the doubt.

2.  We feel justified in criticizing and gossiping about these people. 
Now, normally, if we were gossiping, we might realize this is wrong, but because they wronged us we feel like it’s our right to tell everybody else what a low down, no good person this is, and you shouldn’t trust them, and it’s the right thing to do for me to expose you to truth. 

3.  We secretly celebrate their misfortunes. 

4.  We bring many other people down. 
Not only do we hurt ourselves, but we hurt people all around us by creating very dangerous and strategic alliances. 

LIFE APPLICATION

• Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Mark 10

All this talk about divorce begs the question, what does the Bible say about marriage? 

• Marriage is God's idea:  Genesis 2:18-24
• It requires a decision to commit fully to the relationship  Genesis 24:58-60
• Marriage holds times of great joy: Jeremiah 7:34
• Marriage creates the best environment for raising children: Malachi 2:14-15
• Trust is the foundation of all relationships, including marriage, and unfaithfulness breaks that bond of trust: Matthew 5:32
• Marriage is a covenant relationship which is permanent: Matthew 19:6
• Marriage is based on the choice to love one another, not on feelings: Ephesians 5:21-33
• Marriage is the living symbol of Christ and the church:  Ephesians 5:23-32
• Marriage is good and honorable: Hebrews 13:4

LIFE APPLICATION
God's design was that marriage was a permanent relationship between a man and a woman.  Our sinful nature has led to the permitting of divorce under certain conditions.  But God's design and desire is that we do our best to make marriage work.  In marriage we learn to accept each other, submit to each other, put the needs of the other person above our own, forgive one another, and the list goes on.  God uses this relationship to make and mold us into His image and likeness.   

Mark 7

SCRIPTURE
   " 'These people honor me by what they say. 
      But their hearts are far away from me. 
 ⁷ Their worship doesn't mean anything to me. 
      They teach nothing but human rules.' —(Isaiah 29:13) ⁸ You have let go of God's commands. And you are holding on to the teachings that men have made up." 

OBSERVATION
The Pharisees are still alive and well today.

UNDERSTANDING
We must be careful not to gloss over the Pharisees and teachers of the law as nitpicky legalists. 

There was no doubt a lot of religious leaders in Jesus' time who wanted to keep their place in the "power structure" at any cost, so they opposed Jesus when He came challenging their motives.  But there were many who had simply followed the interpretations of the law that had been passed down as "the way of God" while the truth was that it was interpreted in such a way as to give the religious authority power.  Those Pharisees still exist.  Today many Christians fight to keep tradition rather than looking at the new wineskins that God is using.  We believe that a certain way of doing things that has been passed down for a couple of generations is the only way of God.  I know people who believe that the only proper Bible to read is the King James Version.

 LIFE APPLICATION
I wonder how many add-on rules and rituals do you impose people who want to know God? How many formulas have you added to the Bible and made them law?  What human-made rules, policies and doctrines have we given the same authority as God's Word?   Pharisees exist today. Ask God for insight so as not to be one of them.  We need to be careful that we are not making traditions the same as God's Word.

 

Mark 6

SCRIPTURE
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus. They told him all they had done and taught. 31 But many people were coming and going. So they did not even have a chance to eat.Then Jesus said to his apostles, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place. You need to get some rest." 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a quiet place.

OBSERVATION 
Jesus emphasizes that rest is an important facet of our lives.

UNDERSTANDING
The disciples had come back from being on a ministry assignment.  They had gone from town to town preaching and declaring the good news about Jesus.  Now that they have gotten back Jesus wants them to debrief and then He encourages them to take time to rest.  Time and again we are reminded in God's Word that rest is an important part of our lives.  We need down time and time to refresh and recuperate from the everyday push of life.  From daily moments of refreshing to a Sabbath day rest God encourages us to stop and recharge.

LIFE APPLICATION
How are you doing in this regard?  Resting is as much a part of worship as all the other things we do to honor God.  Put aside a day a week to rest.  Take time daily to be refreshed as you spend time with God, away form the people coming and going.  Set aside time yearly to take extended time away from your busy schedule.  Resting is worship.

 

Mark 5

Mark is on a mission.  From the beginning of his writing he makes it clear what his intent is - to show Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Jesus, Marks says, is the Son of God and here is the proof to show it.  God Himself authenticates Jesus at His baptism when He says, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased."  Then Jesus proves He is God by the power He demonstrates.  He casts out demons and heals people.  But Mark says that this power doesn't come from somewhere, it is inherent in Jesus because He is God, so in the chapter we read today we catch a glimpse of Jesus personal authority.  Jesus calms the storms as the disciples are crossing the lake.  He commands the demons to leave the man.  He has authority to heal and make the unclean clean.  He has power over sickness and death.  And we are not done with Mark's account.

Like Mark we believe that Jesus is the Son of  God, who by His life, death and resurrection provides a way for mankind to return to restored relationship with God the Father.  And as Mark points out, the evidence is compelling, we don't have to feel like we are crazy to believe it or apoligize for having such a faith in Jesus.

Mark 3

SCRIPTURE
Mark 3:1-20

OBSERVATION AND UNDERSTANDING (Be Diligent by Warren Wiersbe)
This parable helped the disciples understand why Jesus was not impressed by the large crowds that followed Him. He knew that most of them would never produce fruit from changed lives, because the Word He was teaching them was like seed falling into poor soil. The seed represents God’s Word (Luke 8:11) and the sower is the servant of God who shares that Word with others (see 1 Cor. 3:5-9).

The human heart is like soil: it must be prepared to receive the seed before that seed can take root and produce a harvest. Like seed, the Word is alive and able to produce spiritual fruit, but the seed must be planted and cultivated before that harvest will come.

As in that day, so today, there are four kinds of hearts and they respond to God’s message in four different ways.

The hard heart (Mark 4:4, 15) resists the Word of God and makes it easy for Satan (the birds) to snatch it away. Soil becomes hard when too many feet tread on it. Those who recklessly “open their hearts” to all kinds of people and influences are in danger of developing hard hearts (see Prov. 4:23). Hard hearts must be “plowed up” before they can receive the seed, and this can be a painful experience (Jer. 4:3; Hosea 10:12).

The shallow heart (vv. 5-6, 16-17). This heart is like thin soil on a rock, very typical to Palestine. Since there is no depth, whatever is planted cannot last because it has no roots. This represents the “emotional hearer” who joyfully accepts God’s Word but does not really understand the price that must be paid to become a genuine Christian. There may be great enthusiasm for several days or weeks; but when persecution and difficulties begin, the enthusiasm wanes and the joy disappears. It is easy for fallen human nature to counterfeit “religious feelings” and give a professed Christian a feeling of false confidence.

The crowded heart (vv. 7, 18-19). This heart pictures the person who receives the Word but does not truly repent and remove the “weeds” out of his or her heart. This hearer has too many different kinds of “seeds” growing in the soil—worldly cares, a desire for riches, a lust for things—and the good seed of the Word has no room in which to grow. To change the image, this person wants to walk the “broad way” and the “narrow way” at the same time (Matt. 7:13-14); and it cannot be done.

The fruitful heart (vv. 8, 20). This heart pictures the true believer, because fruit—a changed life—is the evidence of true salvation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:19-23). The other three hearts produced no fruit, so we conclude that they belong to persons who have never been born again. Not all true believers are equally as productive; but from every genuine Christian’s life, there will be some evidence of spiritual fruit.

LIFE APPLICATION
More and more I am convinced that there are many people professing to be Christ-followers who are going to be surprised to discover that they are not.  Are we showing the kind of fruit in our lives that is the evidence of true salvation?  Is there love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, faithfulness and gentleness becoming increasingly obvious in our lives?  Are we submitted to one another, loving and forgiving one another, pursuing unity?  The list goes on, but the question lingers...are our hearts fruitful?

Mark 3

SCRIPTURE
² Some Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. They watched him closely. They wanted to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day. 

OBSERVATION AND UNDERSTANDING
Famous people are always under the watchful eye of the crowd.  Paparazzi, news media, gossip columns are always looking for the next juicy story.  That is probably how it was for Jesus.  People were constantly reporting on his opinions and his behavior, always looking for a way to trip Him up and discredit Him.

LIFE APPLICATION
While we certainly don't have that kind of intense scrutiny from the world, the truth is that we are still live under the microscope - people are watching to see if we really believe what we say we do.  They want to know if  our faith and profession of love for God is real or not.  And curious watchers can become eager listeners if we are truly living out our faith because a living and authentic faith will draw a crowd.  Let us be witnesses of God's truth and power by living lives of worship and service to God.  And when the opportunity arises from our living "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."  1 Peter 3:15-16