Day 71: Mark 16:1-20

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’” - Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This last part of Mark, as in other places in the New Testament, doesn’t appear in the earliest of the Greek manuscripts. The New Testament is comprised of over 5800 different Greek manuscripts, and some of them are earlier copies than others. As early Christians copied the gospel of Mark, they included these final verses more and more as time went on. One of the proofs for anything being included in the New Testament was its continued use and affirmation by early Christians.

Plus, this particular passage fits quite nicely with the end of Matthew (28:18-20).

When Jesus asks us to go, it requires us to be uncomfortable. We will have to talk to people about our faith probably before we feel like we are ready. This is how Christianity has persisted for nearly 2000 years. It isn’t complicated, though some may make it that way.

Can you tell someone that they need to believe in Jesus? Can you tell them why baptism is important? Can you lead them in a confession of Jesus? Can you lower them down into the water and bring them back up? If so, stop disqualifying yourself and start being obedient to the risen Jesus.

Ready? Set. Go.

"As always in God’s dealings with humanity, it is faith that justifies and unbelief that condemns, and Christian faith is henceforth to be symbolized and sealed in baptism." - Cole, R. A. (1989). Mark: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 345)

Day 70: Mark 15:1-47

“And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” - Mark‬ ‭15:37-39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All of Jesus' life as a man, in the flesh, led up to this moment. He had not come to set up a physical throne on earth to displace Rome. Instead, He had come to face a torturous death at the hands of those same Romans. At first glance, it would seem that Jesus had lost, that He had been defeated. He would appear to be yet another causality in the long line of those who had tried to make a difference.

Yet this Roman centurion was having second thoughts. I'm sure the three hours of darkness was one of the first things to get his attention. This centurion would have been a commanding officer of 100 soldiers and seems to be the one in charge of Jesus' crucifixion. What he witnessed on this Good Friday led him to make a remarkable confession as Jesus being the Son of God.

This is the fourth blatant reference in Mark to Jesus being called God's son in Mark’s gospel. The others: 1:1, 1:11, 9:7.

One of the things that this confession from the centurion should teach us is that a genuine, powerful encounter with Jesus can melt even the hardest of hearts. May we not give up on the most unlikely to believe.

There is no one beyond the reach of our crucified (and glorified) Savior. The following quote from Spence-Jones is a little long but does a great job describing what was happening to this centurion as Jesus experienced the cross:

"He had observed him through those weary hours; he had noticed the meekness and the dignity of the Sufferer; he had heard those words, so deeply impressed upon the faith and reverence of Christians, which fell from him from time to time as he hung there; and then at last he heard the piercing cry, so startling, so unexpected, which escaped him just before he yielded up his spirit; and he could come to no other conclusion than this, that he was in very deed God’s Son." - Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). St. Mark (Vol. 2, p. 310)

Day 69: Mark 14:53-72

“But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” - Mark 14:61-62

The Jewish hierarchy had a difficult time (surprise, surprise) convicting a man as innocent as Jesus. He still owns the only flawless resume’ to ever come across heaven's desk (see Hebrews 4:15). Because of this, they resort to speaking directly to him, in case they could catch him on something he said. Lucky for them, Jesus was done being indirect and evasive when it came to his identity. The time was now for him to die for the sin of all humanity. He had not come to earth to abide by the Jewish religious leaders' rules and comfort levels.

He had come to usher in the very Kingdom of God.

In his answer, Jesus took two strong Messianic passages and skillfully stacked them for emphasis. Psalm 110:1: “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’” and Daniel 7:13: “Before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.”

With these verses, Jesus wasn't only admitting to being the long-expected Christ (the Messiah) of Israel for the nations. He was also letting them know that he was in charge. No matter how much they would try to manipulate the next 72 hours, he would continue to be the Son of God.

No one was (or ever will be) more intelligent and intentional than Jesus. Again, in him we can place our trust.

Day 68: Matthew 14:22-52

“And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.'” - Mark 14:22-24 ESV

Before we start, one thing to consider is that Jesus isn't staring down a reality that will happen in a month or even a week. He would be crucified the very next day. This fact makes this upper room scene even more powerful.

Like baptism, taking communion has been misunderstood in a lot of ways. I think this is mainly due to some who make it into a magical or mystical experience, and then you have others who downplay it and thus reserve it for special occasions for fear of making it too routine.

Why can't we have a healthy view of what the Lord's Supper is all about?

Like many things in the New Testament, it is unbelievably simple. It is bread, and it is grape juice. I mean, it sounds like a kid's after-school snack. At the same time, it is mind-splittingly deep. When we take it, we are, by remembrance, transported back to the first time we said yes to Jesus, where his blood was applied to our sin and our shame (which was a response to our faith).

We are forgetful people. If things start to go well, we somehow convince ourselves that it was due to something fantastic we had done. This is why communion is so important. In the valley, on the mountain, and everywhere in between, we need to be reminded of who saved us (Jesus), and we need to proclaim that to our entire church family.

I once heard this quote from songwriter Tim Hughes, and I love it: "The world drinks to forget. We drink to remember."

I pray that passages like this motivate us to pause a little longer when we drink and eat of the Lord's supper. Savor that salvation that Jesus so graciously has given us.

Day 67: Mark 14:1-21

“And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.” - Mark 14:3 ESV

Jesus spent a lot of nights in Bethany, which was also the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (see John 11). It was a short two-mile journey from Jerusalem, which made it a perfect getaway from the drama surrounding him in Jerusalem. Even though it was downhill running from here to the cross on Friday, Jesus made time for meaningful meals with others.

Some commentators believe that Simon could have been a former leper that Jesus had healed. Otherwise, it would have made them ceremonially unclean for the Passover meal they were about to share.

If Jesus, even in this distressing time, could make time for rich fellowship with friends, shouldn't we? It could probably be argued that this is when we need meals with friends most.

Do you have a group of Christian friends that you can count on for encouragement as Jesus did with those in Bethany? If not, why? Many things in this life are just too big to deal with in isolation. We need this biblical fellowship.

This quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Life Together) drives home our need for other followers of Jesus in our lives:

“The Christian, however, must bear the burden of a brother. He must suffer and endure the brother. It is only when he is a burden that another person is really a brother and not merely an object to be manipulated. The burden of men was so heavy for God Himself that He had to endure the Cross. God verily bore the burden of men in the body of Jesus Christ. But He bore them as a mother carries her child, as a shepherd enfolds the lost lamb that has been found. God took men upon Himself and they weighted Him to the ground, but God remained with them and they with God. In bearing with men God maintained fellowship with them. It was the law of Christ that was fulfilled in the Cross. And Christians must share in this law.”

Day 66: Mark 13:14-37

"And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” - Mark 13:37 ESV

Jesus' teaching takes a sudden turn from the destruction-of-Jerusalem prediction (ends at verse 23) to the end of time when He and the angels will come again for what He calls the "gathering of the elect."

There are many things to consider when it comes to Jesus' initiated eschaton (final event), but let's zero in on the command He gives twice at the end: "Stay awake."

There is one Greek word used for stay awake (gregoreo), and it can also mean to watch or to be alert. The Apostle John will use the term later when he’ll quote Jesus in Revelation 16:15: “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”

We have to remain prepared for the moment when Jesus stops time and separates the sheep from the goats (see Matthew 25:31-46). Goats? They are the ones who fall asleep on the job Jesus gave them. Goats allow time to lull them into the lie that Jesus will never return, or if He does return, it won't be soon, because x and y and z haven't happened yet.

If we have learned anything this year from our journey through these biographies of Jesus' life, it's that we don't get to set the terms or make the rules of how this life works. God is the creator and the sustainer of life, and He will blow the whistle at the right time (which no one knows).

Dive into the Bible today. Beg God for a heart like His. Go to church. Be around other Christians who can remind you that Jesus is coming again and that being ready isn't optional for His followers.

Day 65: Mark 12:38-44, 13:1-13

“And Jesus said to him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.’” - Mark 13:2 ESV

This is one of the most remarkable things that Jesus' predicted as he neared the end of his life. At first, we may think Jesus is referring to the end of time, and he will do that later on, but here is actually telling them about the Roman destruction of Jerusalem that will take place 40ish years from this point (AD 70).

This third Jewish temple was financed by Rome and spearheaded by Herod, but the Jews still treasured it. The temple was the epicenter of their worship, and the early Christians would also use it as a rallying spot (Acts 3:11, 5:12).

"The ‘fox’ (Luke 13:32) built well, with the help of his borrowed Roman engineers: Herodian masonry is noted for its excellence everywhere in Palestine." - Cole, R. A. (1989). Mark: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 278)

Jesus also predicts the work that the Apostle Paul, and his team, will later do by "proclaiming the gospel to the nations." He warns the disciples that nothing but hate awaits them from the masses but that they should endure to the end. Both tribulation and salvation await them.

Are you enamored with the luxuries of this world? Do you think it will never lose its shine? All that we see is temporary, just like the temple's glory.

Paul also wrote the following in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, which is so great to read as we close:

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Day 64: 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, but 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 will ever intimidate Jesus. 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 something transpired in your life that’s left you angry and disappointed with God? I'd encourage you to press on to know him more (Hosea 6:3). 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).

Day 63: 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. On one side, the coin that Jesus handles in our reading for today read, "Tiberius Caesar, son of divine Augustus." We need to know that 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 was 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 mainly 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 (Deuteronomy 10:14, Psalm 24:1, 1 Corinthians 10:26), 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 quote from Augustine of Hippo 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."

Day 62: 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

If we're not careful, we may read right past the rich Messianic language that is jammed into our passage for today.

First, we see that the riding of a colt was a hyperlink to Zechariah 9:9: "Your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey." ESV

Second, we see the term Hosanna being shouted, which is a transliterated word from Hebrew into Greek 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 is where the transliteration of the term Hosanna comes from.

Fourth, any time we see the line of David mentioned, we also know it refers to the coming Christ (Messiah).

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

The 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 more significant 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.