Mark 10:13-16
Imagine yourself in church on a Sunday morning, and in a seat nearby you is a squirming, fidgety young child who keeps talking to himself as he tries to color a picture on a church bulletin. Do you find this irritating, wishing the parents had left the child home with a sitter, or are you glad the parents are bringing the child so he can hear about Jesus? In our short reading from Mark’s Gospel today we see some parents bringing their children to Jesus, and what the reaction of the disciples was.
In Biblical times, parents would sometimes bring their young children to favorite rabbis for them to lay their hands on them, pray, and give God’s blessings to the children. When Jesus came to town, there were some parents who, having heard Him preach and teach about God and His Word, wanted Him to pray for and bless their children (vs 13). What was the disciples reaction? They did not like it! They came up to the parents and actually rebuked and chastised them.
Why would the disciples object to a few small children? For most of history, up until a little over a hundred years ago, children were considered by most to be second class citizens. They had no rights or standing in society. No one would stop a parent from doing whatever they wished to their children. If they wished to beat them, they could. There were no such thing as family courts, protecting children. Children were good to work and bring in an income, as child labor laws didn’t really come into existence until the early 20th century. They were also good to care for parents in their old age, but otherwise they had no use or standing in society.
Jesus was often criticized for spending time with the wrong sorts of people, such as tax collectors, prostitutes, and now children. Even His disciples wanted Jesus to spend time with important people, those who could help improve His standing with religious or political authorities, or who had money to give. Children could not provide any of these, so they were a waste of time.
Jesus did not look at children this way. He saw their innocence, and their joy and wonder in life and creation. Most importantly, Jesus saw that they have great faith and trust. He reprimanded the disciples, telling them to let the children come (vs 14). He goes on to say that we must receive the Kingdom of God as a child (vs 15). This does not mean that one can only be saved when they are a child, as the disciples came to Jesus as adults, as did Paul in the Book of Acts, along with many great heroes of the faith throughout the years. God wants us to have the faith and trust of a child - childlike faith that is humble, trusting, and depending on God.
Children typically have no worries. They trust their parents to feed, clothe, and take care of them. They don’t have to know or understand everything. We shouldn’t have to know and understand everything from God, either. It should suffice us to know that God loves and cares for us, with childlike faith and trust. Children know that they can’t compare to a president or king. They know that the fireman is stronger and can protect them. They have an easy trust in the loving kindness and mercy of God, and that is what Jesus wants from us.
Back to our little child in church. Rather then wish them home with a babysitter, we should rejoice to see them in church! Children’s Sunday School classes are a very important ministry in any church, where the Word of God is taught to children. As a parent, I know that my soul could not rest until I knew that both of my children had accepted Jesus as their Savior. The older one gets, the harder one’s heart grows, and it is more difficult and less likely one will turn to follow Jesus. As Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them.”
Hebrews 2:9-18
Do you have a fear or phobia of something? Many people do. I have a fear of heights. Some people fear crowds. Others might fear dogs, snakes, or spiders. Little children often fear the dark. In our Scripture passage today, the writer of Hebrews speaks of a fear of death. That is one fear that Satan has kept mankind in bondage to since the time of the Fall. Fearing the pain and sorrow of going through death, and then fearing the unknown of what is on the other side of death. Jesus, though, has brought us victory over death, and the fear that comes with it. Let’s examine these verses from Hebrews and see what Jesus has done for us.
Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, came to earth as a human for us. He didn’t come to earth to gain status or political power. He came to suffer and die so that we can have eternal life. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, one of the penalties was death, and Satan held the power of death. Jesus was obedient to God the Father in death (vs 9). He fulfilled all that was required of Him as man’s representative, and now has received glory and honor (Philippians 2:8-11). He is Lord of all and will one day rule on earth.
Jesus is the Captain of our salvation (vs 10), the leader in regards to salvation. He led the way into heaven as our forerunner. Jesus’s suffering made Him the perfect leader. His divine nature was already perfect, and His human nature was perfected through His obedience in order to be that understanding High Priest. Jesus is our big brother (vs 11). He is not ashamed to call us His family. Just as big brothers do, He has gone before us in every way.
Through suffering, Jesus completed all that was necessary for our salvation. He took upon Himself a flesh and blood nature in order to provide redemption for mankind. Jesus tasted death for all of us, which broke the power of Satan (vs 14), and freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (vs 15). By conquering death He rendered Satan powerless. Satan and the power of death were defeated at Calvary.
The Old Testament high priests were the mediators between God and man. They offered sacrifices for sins, and interceded for the people. Jesus is now the only necessary High Priest. He paid the price for our sins by His sacrificial death, and He alone can restore our broken relationship with God. Jesus suffered every temptation, yet did not sin. He is a faithful High Priest who understands our struggles (vs 17-18). Jesus understands our struggles because He faced temptation and suffered pain as a human being. He took our sins upon Himself.
By partaking in a human nature, Jesus showed His mercy to mankind, and by obtaining forgiveness for His people. He was tempted, so He is fully capable of understanding and sympathizing with His human brethren, though He fully resisted all of His temptations. Jesus was made in every way like us, so He can be our merciful and faithful High Priest.
Jesus went through our dark times before us. He fought the same enemy before we did. He has borne the same load we do. There is no sin in being tempted, the sin is if we yield to that temptation. No matter what we may be facing, we should realize that the Savior identifies with our circumstances. He feels everything we are experiencing. He felt pain. He was misunderstood. He had loved ones turn against Him. Jesus bore all of our guilt.
Jesus’s death and resurrection set us free from the fear of death because death has been defeated. Until Jesus returns, everyone must die. However, death is not the end. Instead, if one has accepted the Lord Jesus as their Savior, death is the doorway to a new life. Jesus Christ’s victory bring us hope!
Psalm 8
Our psalm for this week is another one that David wrote, and one that many people might be familiar with. From reading his various psalms, it is obvious that David liked the out of doors and nature, and that he spent many a night gazing up at the stars and planets. Today’s psalm is one that he must have written after one such night. This passage of Scripture has three main themes: it is a psalm of praise to God; a psalm of creation; and also one that focuses on the created dignity of man.
Psalm 8 both begins and ends with a call proclaiming praise to the Name of God (vs 1, 9). The Name of God refers to the revealed Person of God, and encompasses all of His attributes. His Name is sacred, and should be both praised and held in reverence. The third commandment forbids taking the name of God in vain (Exodus 20:7).
Natural and spontaneous praise and trust of God comes as a matter of course to young children who haven’t been negatively influenced by adults yet (vs 2). Children are able to trust and praise God without doubts or reservations. As we get older our trusting wavers. We need to recapture our childlike faith in God.
David now speaks of the heavens, the universe consisting of the stars, planets, and galaxies we see as we gaze upward at night. Many a night he must have spent contemplating the magnitude of God’s creation. Even without the powerful telescopes we have today, David could see the vastness of outer space. We know today how huge the universe is, yet it is the work of God’s fingers! We can join David in praising God for how awesome and mighty He is!
David knew that in comparison with this, and with the creation here on earth, the mountains, oceans, etc., he and all mankind was insignificant (vs 3-5). Why would such a magnificent Creator be mindful of such little and frail creatures like us? He created a perfect world, but man messed it up. Man has been mocking and rejecting God from the start. David asks why would God be concerned with people who constantly disappoint Him? If the whole universe is small in the sight of God, small enough that His fingers made it, how much less is the significance of man.
The psalm should be an encouragement, for God has considered us. We are created in God’s image and likeness, and He sent His Son to die for us. God did not create any other living thing in His image, nor did He die for anything else, including the angels. The preincarnate Son of God existed for all eternity with the Father in heaven (John 17:5, 24). For love of us, He was willing to take our nature upon Himself, stepping down to a position a little lower than the angels, live among us, and die for our sins. Thus, in God’s eyes, we do have immense worth. Jesus will raise up all who are born again above the angels when He comes to reign over a new heaven and earth.
As our passage continues we see that God gave man authority over all of creation (vs 6-8). With great authority comes great responsibility. How do we treat God’s creation? God will hold us accountable for our stewardship over everything He has created.
The next time you have the opportunity to get out under a starlit sky, and think about the vastness and wonder of creation, know that God thought of you! He loved you enough to come to earth and die for your sins so that you can live with Him in heaven!
Genesis 2:18-24
The Lectionary’s Old Testament reading for this week takes us to the beginning of the Bible, right near the start of Genesis. As we take a look at this brief passage, let’s see what the Lord can teach us.
Our passage takes place towards the end of the 6th day of creation, as man, Adam, has been created, along with the animals. As God was observing His creation, He saw that man was alone, and knew that man needed a companion (vs. 18). He said that it was not good for man to be alone. Man needed a companion, a helper, and an equal. God made us for fellowship with Himself and with other people. Though there are often times we desire to spend some time alone, by ourselves, and that is good, we were never created to be a perpetual hermit. God can meet our need for a deep personal relationship.
Before God made His special companion for Adam, He brought each of the animals that He had created to Adam so that he could give each their name (vs 19-20). Adam had a job that God had given him to do, and that was to take care of the Garden of Eden (vs. 15). As we see here, this also included caring for the animals, and giving them each a name. This was an act of discerning something about the creature so as to appropriately identify it. There was, however, no kinship with any animal, since none was a fitting companion for Adam.
As the sixth day was drawing to a close, God put Adam into a deep sleep, so as to take a rib from his side, and create a woman for him (vs. 21-22). God could have made the woman from the dust as He did the man. Instead He made Eve from the side of Adam. This symbolizes a special union of the couple’s hearts and lives.
Adam was delighted in his newly created companion (vs. 23). She had her source in him. She was made of bone from his bone, and flesh from his flesh. God gave marriage as a gift to Adam and Eve (vs. 24). They were created perfect for each other. Marriage was instituted by God, and He treats marriage seriously. The man is to leave his parents, and in a public act, promises himself to his wife. They are joined together by taking responsibility for each other’s welfare, and by loving the mate above all others.
Throughout the Scriptures we read a number of comments and thoughts on marriage. Let me just mention a few of them for consideration. One is that commitment is necessary in a marriage. In Genesis 24:58-60 we read how young Rebekah was asked by Abraham’s servant whether she was willing to come back with him and become Isaac’s wife. Rebekah committed to go with him, leaving her family, probably to rarely, if ever, see them again. She made that commitment.
Marriage should be a time of rejoicing. The prophet Jeremiah, when prophesying about the restoration of Jerusalem, said that the sound of rejoicing, the sound of bride and bridegroom, would again be heard in the city (Jeremiah 33:10-11). God meant this to be a happy time. Though there are often times when children must be raised in a single parent household, God said that the best, the ideal, place for children to be raised in is within a marriage (Malachi 2:14-15).
Scripture also says that unfaithfulness breaks the bond of trust, which is the foundation for all relationships (Matthew 5:32). He intended that marriage should be permanent, but sin and the Fall have destroyed that (Matthew 19:6). It is based on a promise, a commitment of love, not just on feelings, which can come and go. God said that marriage is good and honorable (Hebrews 13:4).
God knew the need that Adam had for a companion and helpmate, and His creation of Eve and marriage was His final act of creation at the close of the sixth day.
Mark 9:38-48
“If you’re not part of our group, you have no part in Jesus!” That sounds rather harsh, but that would have been the gist of what the Apostle John said to a man who was going around and casting out demons in the Name of Jesus. John, who later in life would write Epistles whose main theme is loving one another, certainly wasn’t showing much love or kindness at this stage in his life. As he, Jesus, and the other disciples were traveling, he saw or heard of a man who must have heard some of Jesus’s teachings, believed in Him, and was now using his faith in Him to cast out demons from those who suffered. That would seem to be a good thing, but John didn’t think so! John and some of the other disciples confronted this man and stopped him from continuing to minister to people in Jesus’s Name because he was not one of the twelve (vs. 38). This unnamed man was not a fraud. He must have been a true believer in Jesus because he was able to cast the demons out in Jesus’s Name. The 12 disciples opposed him because he was not a part of their group. They were jealous. They were more concerned with their own position than in helping those in need.
Jesus scolded His disciples and told them to stop. Someone sincerely acting in Jesus’s Name would not soon turn against Him (vs. 39-40). There is no neutral ground regarding Jesus. Those who are not against Him are on His side. Also, those who are not on His side are against Him (Matthew 12:30).
Are we guilty of the same behavior that the disciples showed to that other believer? Do we scorn believers who attend different churches or are members of a different denomination? Do we feel that they are less of a believer, or not even one because their church is different, perhaps because their church takes communion only once a month and we do it every week, or vice versa? Or that their sanctuary is circular, or their songs are different? Perhaps their pastor wears a suit coat to preach and not liturgical robes, or vice versa. Those, and many other issues are not reasons to withhold fellowship or scorn other believers for.
There are several essential points, known as the foundations of the faith, that one must hold to in order to truly be a Christian. One must believe in Jesus’s death on the cross, and His literal resurrection. They must believe that the purpose of His death was to pay for our sins, as we are all sinners, incapable of helping ourselves. One must believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully man, that Jesus was sinless, and born of a virgin. One must believe in the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. If a church or an individual holds to these, then we should be willing to fellowship with them, regardless if they are a different church than ours.
Jesus continues to teach His disciples of their need to show love and charity to others (vs. 41). Giving a cup of cold water to a person in need is the same as giving an offering to God. By the same token, harming others or failing to care for them is a sin, even if they don’t seem important in the world’s eye. Acts of kindness done to His followers He considers done to Himself. He also said that to lead a believer into sin is a very serious matter (vs. 42). Even such a terrible death is preferable to leading a Christian to sin.
Jesus then says something rather strong, and that is if one’s hand or eye causes them to sin, to cut it off and cast it forth (vs. 43-48). Jesus is speaking figuratively. No amount of self-mutilation can cure a sin problem, which is really a matter of the heart. Jesus is emphasizing the seriousness of sin, and the need to do whatever it takes to deal with it. Painful discipline is required of Jesus’s true followers. Sometimes we need to radically cut something out of our lives that can lead us into sin. Giving up a relationship, a job, or a habit that might draw one into sin or is against God’s will may be as painful as cutting off one’s hand. Jesus is worth the sacrifice. Nothing should stand in the way of our faith. We must be ruthless in ridding sin from our lives. As Jesus clearly indicates here, there are eternal consequences for sin, as hell is just as eternal as heaven is.
James 4:7 - 5:6
If you’re like me, every day you find yourself trying to dodge the fiery darts of the devil, to bystep the stumbling blocks he has thrown into your path. He is always there trying to get us to mess up. How do we get him off of our back without falling into his traps? In our passage from the epistle of James, he gives us some more of the practical instructions that fill his letter. In today’s passage he writes on how we can resist the devil so he will flee from us.
James begins our Scripture today with the admonition to submit ourselves to God and to resist the devil (vs. 7). God has already defeated Satan through the death of Jesus on the cross, and he will be forever destroyed when Jesus returns. Right now, however, Satan continues to try and tempt us into sin and following him rather than God. We can resist the devil’s terrible influence by submitting ourselves to Christ. What does that entail? We accept His wisdom and will, not ours or the world’s. We trust His power and love, again not ours. We also obey His commands.
When someone is bothering us, harassing us, and being a bully, the best place to be is right up next to the strong person who has promised to protect us. Throughout Scripture the Lord God has promised to protect us from the enemy of our soul, and the best place for us is to be near Him. James tells us to draw near to God, and He will draw near to us (vs. 8). How can we come near to God? There are several things we need to do in order to draw near to Him. First, we need to submit to God (vs. 7). Yield to His authority and give Him control of our life. Then we need to resist the devil (vs. 7). We can’t yield to his temptations and expect to also stay close to God.
Next, James also instructs us to wash our hands and purify our hearts (vs 8). Cleansing the hands refers to amending our outward behavior. Purifying the heart is our inward behavior, our thoughts, motives, and desires. Lead a pure life, and replace our desire to sin with a desire to follow God. We also need to grieve in sincere sorrow for our sins (vs. 9). In order to remain close to God we need to be truly broken over our sins. Another thing that is needed in order to be near to God is to be humble before Him (vs. 10). Recognize that our worth comes from God alone. He gives us our worth and dignity. When we are submitted to Him, He can work through us and do great things.
As we continue in our Scripture passage, James gives us a warning about boasting about our plans for the future (vs. 13-16). Making goals is good, but they will disappoint if we leave God out of them. The future is in His hands. One thing we can ask ourselves is, how would we react if God stepped in and rearranged our plans for the future? We must put God’s desires at the center of our planning. If we do, He will never disappoint us.
Verse 17 gives us a brief warning about what we may think is sin or not sin. We all know that doing something wrong is a sin, but do we realize that it is also a sin to not do right? This is sometimes referred to as sins of commission and sins of omission. For example - telling a lie is a sin, but so also is not speaking up with the truth. Hurting someone is wrong, and so is not being a friend when they need one. We sin, not only when we break one of God’s laws, but also whenever we do not do His will, including when we know the right thing to do, but don’t do it. Partial obedience is disobedience.
In closing this passage, James gives some practical instructions about the role of riches in our life (vs. 1-6). Money will be worthless when Christ returns, so we should spend our time accumulating the kind of treasures that will be worthwhile in God’s eternal kingdom. Don’t be tempted to adopt worldly standards rather than God’s standards. God’s people should be distinct by their peaceful and humble atitudes. They should also be more concerned with sharing, and meeting the needs of others than with accumulating earthly treasures.
All people are under either the lordship of Christ or the lordship of the devil. One or the other. There is no middle ground. Who is your lord?
Psalm 19
Today’s psalm is another one that King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, wrote. There are three parts to this relatively short psalm. The first is how God reveals Himself to us in nature (vs. 1-6). The second part is how God reveals Himself through His Word, the Bible (vs 7-11). The final part is how God reveals Himself through daily experiences (vs. 12-14). In nature we see God’s power and our finiteness. In Scripture we see God’s holiness and our sinfulness. We also learn about God through His forgiveness and salvation.
As a youth, David spent many days and nights watching over his father’s flocks of sheep. Then as a young man he spent many years in the wilderness around Israel fleeing from the murderous anger of King Saul. In both instances he would have slept out under the stars. Many evenings he looked up at the vastness and beauty of the heavens, and praised God in awe and wonder at His creation. David would also have seen the glories of creation throughout the day - the beauty of the meadows the sheep grazed in, the forests and deserts he hid in from Saul, the sun rise and sunset each day. In many of his psalms he speaks of God’s work in creation, as he did here (vs 1-6). As we look out at the universe, it is impossible to not know that a great God created all of this. It didn’t just happen. The creation shows God’s power, love, and care. The design of the universe, its intricacy and orderliness, point to an involved and loving Creator. How can one not believe?
The Apostle Paul was referencing this psalm when he said that no one had an excuse for not believing in the one true God, Yahweh. He has given proof of His existence through all of creation (Romans 1:19-20). Why do people resist God’s testimony and revelation through nature? Nature points to the existence of God.
The psalm now changes gear as David tells of the second way in which God reveals Himself to mankind, and that is through His Word (vs. 7-11). The Bible is God’s revealed Word, and tells us about salvation. Each of the verses, from verse 7 through 9, contain a synonym for the Bible. Many people think that the Bible is just a book of “do this” and “don’t do that”, preventing us from having any enjoyment in life. However, David did not think so. The Bible doesn’t prevent enjoyment. It does help us to avoid sin, and to enjoy fellowship with God. It encourages us in a way that is good for us. Sin may seem enjoyable for a short season, but soon it takes a nasty toll. Just as we try to keep our children from anything that would harm them, so too does God wish that for us, His children, and He has given His Word to instruct us.
The Scriptures are not a chain to bind us, but rather a light for our path. God’s Word brings us the message of salvation. It will give us true, godly wisdom for our life (vs. 7). When we are down, it alone can bring us true joy. It gives us enlightenment, as it is pure and true (vs. 8). The Scriptures also warn us of danger to both our body and our soul (vs. 11). Most people, if they are smart, take heed to warning signs and instructions. They read and carefully observe them, rather than casting them aside with scorn. The Bible is just such an instruction to us. God’s Word is also eternal, enduring forever (vs. 9). Over the ages many have tried to destroy or discredit it, but they have all failed. The Bible is still here.
In verse 10 we read how David compared God’s Word to that of honey. Honey is natural, not manufactured by man. It is nutritious and naturally sweet. It has a number of healing qualities, such as being a natural antibiotic, brings relief to coughs, and can help in healing of wounds and burns. Honey has also been used in beauty products, as it is a natural moisturizer, and good for the skin. God’s Word is also nutritious and sweet for our souls. It brings us healing, and makes us beautiful people, as well.
God will also use the normal guilt we feel over our sins to lead us to Christ (vs. 12-13). He has promised that if we confess our sins He will forgive them (I John 1:9). David asks God to approve of his words and thoughts (vs. 14), which we should do, as well, praying that His love will guide all we say and think.
In closing, this psalm has shown that all of mankind stands accountable to God, because we have both His verbal communication to us in the Bible, and also His non-verbal communication through nature. As Paul said, when we stand before God, there will be no excuse for not having accepted Him.
