Today's reading: Mark 12:18-37

'And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.' - Mark 12:34 ESV

The Scribes and Pharisees had what seemed like a never-ending supply of questions and theological debates to try and trap Jesus with. Here they finally discover that he will never be stumped. They are not only flabbergasted and angered by the way Jesus continually slammed them; now they have to grapple with the fact that one of their own was starting to see the truth of this coming kingdom.

There is no question that Jesus will ever be intimidated by. This shouldn't surprise us, especially since he gave us the ability to pose a question.

C.S. Lewis nailed it when he said, “When you argue against Him you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all: it is like cutting off the branch you are sitting on.”

Has there been something that has transpired in your life that has you angry and disappointed with God? I'd encourage you to press on to know him more. Once we experience the love and character of God, most of our questions start to become secondary.

Though the path isn't an easy one, we can be assured that God is working it together for our good and conforming us to the image of Jesus (see Romans 8:28-29).

Today's reading: Mark 11:27-33, 12:1-17

'Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.' - Mark 12:17 ESV

The Jews in Jesus' day had their own tithes, offerings, and temple taxes that they paid. In addition to those, the Romans also had a tribute to Caesar that was enforced. The coin that Jesus handles in our reading for today, on one side, read, "Tiberius Caesar, son of divine Augustus." Jesus is definitely not affirming the divinity of Caesar.

Ben Witherington makes an interesting claim that what Jesus said was to be meant as ironic, and possibly saying, "Okay, give Caesar back these worthless pieces of metal he claims, but know that we are to render to God all things since God alone is divine and to God belong all things."

Jesus, again and again, downplays the significance of money when it is compared to the invasion of his kingdom on earth (see Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:9). When he spoke of money, it was mostly as a warning of what it can do to us if we allow it to become paramount.

When we genuinely believe that God owns it all (Psalm 24:1), we will regard ourselves as mere stewards of anything we possess. What is the best safeguard against the worship of money? Generosity. Support your local church. Fund those who are doing ministry here and abroad. Give to those in need. The following Augustine quote is a great way to end today's post:

"Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others."

Today's reading: Mark 11:1-26

'And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"' - Mark 11:9 ESV

To many of us, we have no idea about the rich Messianic language that is jammed into our reading for today.

First, we see that the riding of a colt would have been a hyperlink to Zechariah 9:9: "Your king is coming to you!" Second, we see the term Hosanna being shouted, which is a transliterated word that means, "Save us, Lord, we pray!" The crowd is essentially saying, "Jesus, live up to your name!" (His name means "The Lord saves"). Third, we hear the crowd singing a familiar song from their Hebrew hymn book (Psalm 118:26). Verses 19-29 of that Psalm are also soaked in Messianic language. Actually, verse 25 sounds a whole lot like the meaning of the term Hosanna. Fourth, any time we see the line of David mentioned, we also know it refers to the coming Christ.

What a way for Jesus to kick off what we call Holy Week today, his last week before his death and resurrection (spoiler alert).

These people who lined the streets with palm branches and their cloaks were desperate for a Messianic King to save them. Little did they know that Jesus wasn't going to save them the way that they wanted to be saved. He had something much bigger in mind.

Would you join me in crying out to Jesus for salvation today? Every day we live will require Jesus' saving grace, especially as we share his love with those around us.

Today's reading: Mark 10:32-52

"And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid." - Mark 10:32 ESV

What was it about Jesus walking that was both amazing and terrifying the disciples? Jesus had his game-face on.

R.A. Cole makes a good point in his commentary: "It must have been either a vague sense of foreboding, or else something in the face and manner of Jesus, that awed the noisy quarrelsome band for once."

Jesus wasn't just going to Jerusalem for another verbal dispute with the religious leaders. He was going there for the last time to die for the sins of all humanity. The intensity with which he was walking gave off such a strong vibe to the disciples that they took note. This was the reason he had come in the flesh.

Paul said it like this: "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." (Colossians 2:15)

Jesus' journey to the cross would be intense and painful, but he always kept the end in mind. He would finally disarm darkness with permanence. What does this mean for us? It means that we would, at last, have the opportunity to be truly forgiven and sealed for heaven.

Today's reading: Mark 10:13-31

'And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”' - Mark 10:21

In our journey through Matthew, we referenced the Rich Young Ruler there as well. Something that is striking from Mark's account is that he records that Jesus looked at him, loved him, and spoke to him.

What do you think runs through Jesus' mind when he looks at you? Disappointment? Does he shake his head in frustration? Does he roll his eyes at the thought of you?

For many of us, we have no idea why Jesus would look at us with love. This is the point of the Gospel (Good News). We were found in a broken and unrepairable state, and Jesus loved us to the point of rescue.

Paul put it this way in Colossians 1:13-14: "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Our Scripture for today should also show us that every command that Jesus places on us is done out of his great love for us. He desires for us to live a better life. His commandments are his way of protecting and commissioning us for something greater than the temporary nature of this world.

Bottom line: Jesus loves you.

Today's reading: Mark 9:30-49, 10:1-12

'But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”' - Mark 10:6-9 ESV

We would be hard-pressed to find anyone today who hasn't in some way been negatively affected by divorce. The hurt, pain, bitterness, and regret run deep through our culture. For many young people, it makes them hesitant to want to make a lifelong commitment. Isn't it better to simply live together first to see if this thing will work? No, that is not better. It is a fraudulent copy of the original.

Moses had given men and women permission to divorce, not because it was a valid option if things don't work out, but because their hearts had become hard. Hard-hearted people tend towards selfishness.

So, how do we lower the divorce rate? It is 40% for first-time marriages and only climbs from there: 60% for second-time and 80% for third-time. Rates actually hit an all-time low in 2020, but this was largely due to (again) fewer people getting married (those seeking a long-term commitment).

A Gallup poll in 1997 revealed the divorce rate among couples who prayed together daily: 1 in 1,153. This would give you a .008673% chance of divorce.

Marriage was the invention of God, so it should not surprise us that when we place him first in it, things go really well. I didn't say easy, but it is worth it.

Male. Female.

Leave parents and hold fast.

Two become one.

God does the joining.

Let's not do the separating.

This is a lifelong commitment worth fighting for.

Today's reading: Mark 9:1-29

'And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”' - Mark 9:23-24 ESV

One of the things that happened in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Even fell, was an embedded resistance to asking for help (especially with men).

In our reading today, we see Jesus having a necessary time with Moses and Elijah (accompanied by his top three) to prepare him for his death. They come down the mountain to see the other nine disciples in a hot debate with the scribes and a concerned father.

Being a parent with a sick child will drive us to do anything to see that they receive help, even seeking an outside source. The nine disciples couldn't help, but this man knew that Jesus could. In a vulnerable way, the father asks Jesus to close the gap on his unbelief. We would do well to pray a similar prayer.

I love the following quote on this passage:

"The father cries for help, honestly confessing the poverty of his faith; and Jesus answers, not according to the poverty of the man’s faith, but according to the riches of his grace." - R.A. Cole

And what does Jesus tell the nine that they were missing, not being able to heal this child? They should have been asking God for help: "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."

Have you tried everything to no avail? Make daily, honest prayer part of your routine (both personally and with others). God has always been in the business of responding to his children's cries for help.

Today's reading: Mark 8:11-38

'And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?' - Mark 8:17 ESV

What Jesus has done (past tense) in our lives is always an indicator of what he can do right now (and in the future). But we are so quick to forget. A lack of memory when it comes to God's faithfulness causes us to panic. Just like the disciples (who were wondering about the next meal), we often wonder if God cares enough to sustain us for today.

Recently, I was preaching at a church nearby. You always notice those who are really affirming as you speak. One older lady in the 8:30 am service was especially tracking with what I was saying. I made a point to thank her after the service for being so encouraging as she sat in the audience. She said something that I'll never forget: "I still remember what God saved me from." What God had done in her life decades ago was still playing on a loop in her heart and mind.

What was her secret?

It was clear: daily interaction with God through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other Christians.

May we never let the worries of today keep us from remembering the supernatural provisions of yesterday.

Today's reading: Mark 7:24-8:10

'And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”' - Mark 7:37 ESV

In our reading two days ago from Psalm 40, we read the following verse:

"In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear." (verse 6)

The Hebrew for "given me an open ear" is literally "ears you have dug for me."

I like that imagery when we're looking at what Jesus did for this man who was deaf and mute. He "dug ears" for someone who could not hear.

The crowd who saw what Jesus had done reacted in a way that many of us would do well to imitate. What they were experiencing as they watched Jesus heal this man was something for which their minds didn't have a category. Many times, we want God to something in our lives that we can control and explain, but this is rarely how God enjoys operating.

There is nothing that Jesus does not do well. He is a healer. He is a people person. He is infinitely strong. He is everything we need for this life and the one to come.

Bottom line: there is nothing in our lives that Jesus cannot be trusted with.

Today's reading: Mark 7:1-23

"For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” - Mark 7:21-23 ESV

Behavior modification: we've all tried it. We ask this question over and over: "How can I control myself so that I can become who I want to be?" Oh, we have tried many things to tame our desires. We engage in intense diets to try and curb our carb consumption. We put blockers on our computers to prevent us from looking at explicit content. We delete our social media in hopes that we'll stop comparing ourselves with others. We seemed to have tried everything.

If Jesus were here in the flesh (like he was), how would he respond to this question of reigning in our sin life?

He would probably tell us we are focusing on the wrong thing. I mean, the Jewish Religious Leaders took behavior modification to a new level, and yet Jesus called them "sons of hell." (see Matthew 23:15).

Jesus would say that the problem isn't our behavior (though it gets us into trouble). He would say that the issue is the thing that is driving our actions: our heart. If we deal with our hearts, we will, in turn, deal with what we do.

What does that look like? Well, it is similar to surgery. One that only God can perform.

Ezekiel said it well when he wrote, "And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 11:19-21)

Go ahead and be so bold as to ask God to give you a new heart today.