Day 49: Mark 3:7-30

“Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’” - Mark 3:20-21 ESV

At first glance, this may seem odd to us. Jesus' mother and his brothers are attempting to put a stop to what he was doing. Why did they think he had lost his mind? I mean, he had been teaching and healing for a while now. His first miracle (John 2) was at the prompting of his mother as she told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." So what had changed?

It seems like the thing that is concerning them most are the crowds. This has all the makings of a revolution, and movements like these almost always ended in the death of the revolutionary.

They didn't want to lose their guy. Later on, Peter would have the same reaction when he heard Jesus tell the disciples about his coming death (Mark 8:32).

They were essentially saying, "If this thing ends in your death, we will not support it."

This is why verse 36 is so important. To Jesus, surrounding himself with those interested in doing God's will was more important than even spending time with his loved ones if it meant it would distract him from his purpose. Don't worry, though. His family comes around in the end (see Acts 1:14).

Are we willing to do what God wants for our lives, no matter what the cost or the reaction of those closest to us?

R. Alan Cole's thoughts on this passage are especially helpful: "This, to them, was the last straw; like Peter when he heard of the cost to Jesus of the road to Jerusalem (8:32), they decided that they must save him from the consequences of his own vocation. Again, like Peter, they thought that they acted as his friends: but such friends were more dangerous to him than enemies. Like the disciples at the well of Samaria, they had no concept of the true food that sustained Jesus, the moment-by-moment obedience to the Father’s will (John 4:32–34)." - Cole, R. A. (1989). Mark: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 142)

Day 48: Mark 2:13-28, 3:1-6

“And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” - Mark 3:5 ESV

How much of a planner are you? Do you find great pleasure in having your entire day (or life) mapped out? It is definitely helpful to be organized and to have boundaries for our days. Otherwise, we would never get anything done. We also need limits to keep us from making life-altering mistakes.

Yet this still can be taken too far. We can do so much planning, and our schedules and ideals can be so rigid that we don't have room for compassion.

Like we saw yesterday, Jesus made time for intimacy with his Father. Today we see that He also made time for people, and he thought it was ok to do this at the expense of the Pharisees' religious traditions.

It is wild, because Mark records that he was angry but also that he was grieved toward these Jewish religious leaders' resistance.

The word for grieved appears only here in the entire New Testament, and it is the word syllypeō; it can also be translated as to be hurt or mortified.

This is what love sometimes looks like. We are angry when people don't get it, and we are hurt, because we know their lack of faith is killing them (spiritually).

"God, help us not to compromise when it comes to the compassion we show to others. For those who don't get it, may we not suppress our anger or our grief. May you use them to help us get a clearer picture of your heart. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 47: Mark 1: 29-45, Mark 2: 1-12

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”- Mark 1: 35 ESV

"This is the first of three glimpses Mark provides into Jesus’ prayer life (see also 6: 46; 14: 32–42). Jesus rose early and found a deserted place partially because the crowds were always present." - Black, A. (1995). Mark (Mk 1: 35–39)

There are really two types of communication we use on any given day.

The first is what I would call a blip in communication. It is when we send the obligatory texts like brb or lol or jk or on my way or almost there. We use this type to share in short bursts. It is helpful, but we wouldn't probably call it affectionate.

The second is what I would call long-haul communication. This is when we sit down over a meal and work through things in a relationship. Maybe we need to really speak the truth into someone's life. With this type, no amount of time really seems like enough.

I'm sure Jesus had many blip prayers during his 33 years as he walked this earth. This is the kind that Nehemiah prayed as he approached the king (see Nehemiah 2: 4). Yet the substance that he fed on most for strength was found in these early-morning (long-haul) prayer sessions (or late-night; see Matthew 14: 23).

What about us? Do we make time for this kind of rich prayer? Or do we have too much going on to communicate with our Creator (even seems odd typing this out)?

If Jesus found (or made) time during his frantic, three-year earthly ministry, surely, we can make time in our schedules as well.

As a mentor once told me, "We have time for what we make time for."

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." - Colossians 4: 2 NIV

Day 46: Mark 1: 1-28

“And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’” - Mark 1: 27 ESV

We have all met people who aren't shy about telling you how fantastic they are. It's almost as though they're, at the same time, trying to convince themselves of this as they drone on and on.

We listen to what they are saying and notice that it doesn’t match what they are doing.

What about Jesus? Did he only have clever sayings about forgiveness and Good News (Gospel), or did he back it up with the way he lived?

What stood out to me most in our reading for today is that what Jesus did confirmed what he said. This is why the people were saying he taught with "authority." Jesus had more rights than anyone else to be a top-down leader, barking commands to everyone in Israel while not engaging himself in earthly matters. Yet Jesus' whole life was a masterpiece of powerful words and unforgettable deeds.

May we ask God for the same kind of life. One that is rich in language and overflowing with faithfulness.

"This exhibition of power only confirmed the impression left in the minds of his hearers, that here was one invested with authority." - Cole, R. A. (1989). Mark: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 115)

Day 45: Matthew 28:1-20

“But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.’” - Matthew‬ ‭28:5-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We live in a world that is in desperate need of this truth of the resurrection. Hate. Abuse. Injustice. Sexual sin. Racism. Poverty. Violence. Division. We don’t have to live very long to start asking God the question, “When are you going to start doing something about all of this?”

We pray again with the martyrs from Revelation 6, “How long, O Lord?”

Yet God has already done the most significant work. He sent his Son to die and rise for the world, all the broken and dysfunctional. Jesus didn’t just rise from the dead to prove he was the Son of God, the long-expected Messiah. He also rose with a view to someday raise us. This happens initially when we first become Christians by faith, and it will again occur one day in the final resurrection of the dead.

We will be fitted with new bodies. Bodies not prone to selfishness or pride or any wear and tear.

Until then, let's resolve to walk by faith in this life, living resurrected lives that dispense hope to a dark world in desperate need. Jesus was crystal clear when He gave us our three marching orders and one statement of assurance in verses 18-20:

THE THREE:

Go and make disciples.

Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Teach them to obey.

THE ONE:

"I will be with you always, even to the end of the age."

Today we say, "Let's go."

Someday Jesus will say, "Let's go."

Day 44: Matthew 27: 32-66

“He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” - Matthew 27: 42-43 ESV

To truly appreciate what is happening in our reading today, you have to go 33 years back to when the angel visited Joseph. He declared in Matthew 1: 21 that the baby should be named Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. At that point, we learned that our Savior’s name would mean "the Lord saves" (Greek form of Joshua).

These onlookers mocked Jesus and all that he did for others during his earthly ministry. Couldn't he save himself? They didn't realize that he was performing his most significant act of saving others by not saving himself. He would get to save himself on Sunday. Friday was about his blood being shed for all of us. His death would be our opportunity for life.

Another thing to note here is that they sing a Hebrew song at Jesus in mockery from Psalm 22. Jesus will back up into the same song for one of his seven sayings on the cross (see verse 46). This proves that they had no idea what was actually happening.

Blomberg makes a great point in his commentary: “Verse 43 is unique to his Gospel and reflects his emphasis on the Son of God, also alluding to Ps 22: 9. Jesus’ opponents unwittingly testify to his identity. Precisely because Jesus is the Son of God, he consciously decides not to come down off the cross. Mounce rightly observed, ‘It was the power of love, not nails, that kept him there.’” - Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 418)

In light of all this, why wouldn't we want to take a moment to remember what Jesus did with bread and the fruit of the vine?

This old, old story never gets old.

It is even sweeter on Sunday mornings, in which we have a dedicated time each week for us to remember the greatest act of love the world has ever seen.

Jesus, we choose to remember Your sacrifice today.

Day 43: Matthew 27:15-31

“...and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.” - Matthew 27:29-30

Every day when I go through the One Year Bible reading plan, I try to read through the New Testament portion two or three times. Doing this helps me get a good grasp on the passage, and it allows me to spend a comparable amount of time between the Old and New Testament readings.

But today? Today was a different story. I went through it once and then really hesitated to go through it a second or third time. I was angry. I was feeling upset. I was hearing the crowd say, "Let him be crucified!" Chills of horror.

Jesus' journey to the cross both enrages me and encourages me. It makes me fiery mad, because Jesus was unjustly tortured and mocked. It inspires me because I know He did it out of His love and urgency to rescue all humanity from themselves.

I think I was also emotional as I read, because I HATE being mocked. I believe the reason I despise it so much is that it is an act of devaluation. For someone to be treated as less than human is the ultimate form of injustice. And when we are talking about the King of kings being mocked, we know it is wrong; but we know we needed it to make us right.

The following quote refocuses me on just how passionate Jesus was when it came to His rescue plan:

"As they now led him to be crucified, little did they know that this seemingly powerless victim was about to reveal his true kingly status in a liberating mission involving his suffering and death." - Chouinard, L. (1997). Matthew (Mt 27:30–31)

Day 42: Matthew 26:69-75, 27:1-14

“Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ They said, ‘What is that to us? See to it yourself.”' - Matthew 27:3-4 ESV

When this Scripture says that Judas "changed his mind," it is one word in the original language - metamelomai. You may have guessed it, but the word is closely related to the word used most often for repentance in the New Testament - metanoeo. Metamelomai means that Judas felt the pull of repentance; he just didn't let it take its full course.

Can you relate to this?

We have all seen people get genuinely convicted about something they've done, only to fall back into something even worse. Maybe we've seen this in our own lives from time to time. I've always noticed that what we do in the early moments of this feeling of repentance is so crucial to whether or not we will see lasting change.

May we let repentance have its full effect on us, and may we pray that the same is true for others.

Let's step into the best life possible.

SIDE NOTE: Praying through John 16:8 is so helpful as we meditate on this.

Day 41: Matthew 26:47-67

“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” - Matthew 26:53 ESV

We don't hear a lot of teaching about the night hours that led up to Jesus' crucifixion. Sure, we know Jesus was in the Garden, sweating blood; but we don't really dig into the time when He was falsely accused during the cloak of night.

Let's make one thing clear: Jesus was not apprehended because of the mob's force. He was forthright with his words above. The arrest was actually a surrender.

The powers that were at his disposal would boggle our minds like they did when Elisha's servant got a glimpse of heaven's armies in 2 Kings 6:17: “'Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

What unseen angelic hosts surrounded Jesus as he was captured in the Garden?

Our Savior surrendered.

It would be a painful night of spitting, slapping, bleeding, mocking, sorrow, and intense pain even before He made it to the cross.

And He did it for you. He did it for me. It was the only way. The quote from Craig Keener below amplifies this thought:

"Jesus was voluntarily doing the Father’s will (26:39, 42), and the Father still would have granted him twelve legions of angels (one for himself and each disciple) had he asked; but the Father had called him to face death for the very ones who had just abandoned him. In Matthew’s world angels will assist at the end (cf. 13:41–42; 16:27; 24:30–31), but in the present time dependence on them for deliverance without God’s permission would yield to Satan’s test (cf. 4:5–7)." - Keener, C. S. (2009). The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (p. 643)

We do not serve a Savior who was apprehended because He was weak; instead, it was a display of His strength.

Day 40: Matthew 26:14-46

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” - Matthew 26:41 ESV

Jesus is on the cusp of suffering unimaginable torture, not only because the Romans were activated to do so but also due to the sins of you and me. The grief associated with something this massive was too much, even for Jesus. He cried for another way, just as any of us would have done.

Jesus took his top three, the three who seemed to be the most volatile. Even these three, firey as they were, He found to be asleep. Even with heavy sorrow, Jesus still sees an opportunity to tell these three what it will take to make it through the next season they are about to walk through.

It will take watching.

It will require praying.

The temptation is too heavy otherwise.

To watch is to be alert.

To pray is to not rely on our own strength.

What is there in your life right now that is causing you to be distracted from the discipline of prayer? Though it may often seem optional, it is not. It is essential to us becoming the people God desires.

"The weakness of the flesh is a permanent problem of Christian discipleship, which calls for constant vigilance and for the prayer which Jesus has already prescribed in 6:13." - France, R. T. (1985). Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 1, p. 378)