Category Archives: The Gospel of Mark

Show Us The Father — Life

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Today is Mark 15 and 16.

Every time I read the account of the crucifixion, I feel a sense of sadness. To think of the accusations, the false trial, the mocking, the beatings, the carrying of the cross up the hill of Golgotha, the nails being driven into Jesus, and Him being lifted up on the cross… such sadness.

But Praise God the story does not end in death.

Jesus came to show us life! Not only show us, but to make the way for us to experience His life. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” We experience Life when we experience Him! He and the Father are one. Our Heavenly Father is life!

From the moment of creation, when Our Heavenly Father breathed life into every living being, until now. He is the ultimate source of life. The very breath of life we experience in our lungs comes straight from Him. However there will be a day when that breathing will cease in each one of us… What then?

Jesus showed us on resurrection Sunday what God’s good plan for us is — resurrection life! Eternal life!

We do not have to fear death. Our Heavenly Father desires for us to experience His eternal life. Sin brought death into our world, but we do not have to experience an eternity of the separation of death. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?””
‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Show Us The Father — Abandoned

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Abandoned — To give over entirely.

Today is Mark 14.

Jesus at any moment in His 33 years on earth could have changed His course to the cross. He knew exactly why He had came. He knew how this would all play out. He knew the rejection He would suffer. He knew the pain He would endure. Yet He “abandoned” Himself. He gave Himself over to the purpose of His Heavenly Father.

Over and over in this chapter He warned the disciples that He was going to suffer and die. But He chose to abandon His will that desired for His Heavenly Father to “take this cup” from Him. Then He spoke these words, “Yet not what I will, but what You will.” (Verse 36)

Jesus gave Himself. The Father gave His Son! (John 3:16). Our Heavenly Father abandoned, gave over entirely, His Son for us out of His love. When I consider this great love, my thoughts go to what my response should be.

In every situation and circumstance of my life, may I echo the words of my loving Savior. “Yet not what I will, but what You will.” My Heavenly Father gave without reservation His only Son. Jesus gave without reservation His very life. May I give without reservation EVERYTHING I am and live a life that is abandoned to God’s will!

Show Us The Father — Unchanging

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Today is Mark 13.

Jesus and His disciples came out of the temple. One of the disciples commented on the beauty of what he was seeing. Jesus spoke of how all that seemed so certain and indestructible would be destroyed, the Temple.

They went to the Mount of Olive opposite the Temple. As they sat at there Jesus began to tell of what was to come. In all the disturbing events Jesus spoke of, One Thing stood out as unshakeable and unchanging — His Word!

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Verse 31)

In all the changes we experience in our daily lives, Jesus tells us His Word will not change. It will endure.

The Word is God! It is His Divine Expression of Himself. You cannot separate God from His Word. They are one. Jesus shows us that His Word is unchanging, so is His Heavenly Father. Nothing in the future will change the character of our God. He will always be love, goodness, our peace, our strength, etc.

Of all the events that we will face in our lives, there is one certain person to run to that will withstand the storm, God. He and His Word are unchanging!

Show Us The Father — Our Maker

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Today is Mark 12. 

“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” - verse 17

The religious leaders of Jesus’s time rejected Him. They perceived Jesus as a threat because He only cared about what His Heavenly Father thought and commanded, not all their man made laws and traditions. So they looked for ways to trip Him up in what He did and said over and over.

They came to Jesus with a question on taxes. Jesus’s reply strikes a chord in my heart this morning. He told them to pay what was Caesar’s to Caesar- the coin bearing Caesar’s image. BUT He turned it around to point to something in the very heart of the Religious leaders and each of us . “Give to God what is God’s.”

The coin beared the image and inscription of Caesar on it. We are like that coin. We bear an image and inscription upon us — the image and inscription of our Maker, God. Therefore, we belong to Him. We are to give “to God what is God’s”— our entire self!

Show Us The Father — Savior

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Today is Mark 11.

Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey. The crowds celebrated Him as they would a king. The anticipation of who they thought Jesus was echoed in their cheers. “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

The Jewish people longed for a king that would deliver them from the oppression of the Romans. Jesus seemed to fit the bill. He spoke with authority. He performed miracles. There was no one like Him. But Jesus did not come to establish Himself as an earthly king. He was already the King of Kings reigning in His heavenly kingdom. The people did not understand the truth of the praises they shouted, “Hosanna” which is a Hebrew praise meaning “Oh Save!”

Kingdoms come and kingdoms go. Salvation from an oppressive government would only be a temporary fix to their misery. Jesus came to save with eternity in mind. Kings come and kings go as well. Jesus came to be the Eternal King! He came to rescue us and rule within our hearts not just for the here and now but for all eternity.

Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me you has seen the Father.” (John 4:9) The crowd rightly shouted “Hosanna” about Jesus. He displayed that our Heavenly Father saves! 

“Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus was sent by our Heavenly Father to rescue us from sin and all its destruction that we could not rescue ourselves from. 

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Our Heavenly Father desires for us to accept the salvation He freely gives!

Show Us The Father — Servant

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Today is Mark 10: 32-52.

“Love needs an object to whom it can give itself away, in whom it can lose itself, with whom it can make itself one.” — Andrew Murray

To be honest, thinking about Our Heavenly Father as a Servant has been uncomfortable to me. In my mind, I’ve had Jesus as “the good cop” in the trinity, and the Heavenly Father as “the bad cop.” Which is not true at all. There is no “bad” in God.

When I was reading this section of Scripture this morning and came upon this verse, I was in awe: 

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 ESV

Jesus came to reveal the Father to us. When we see Him, we see our Heavenly Father. Jesus came as the Humble Servant. This means our Heavenly Father is the Humble Servant too!

The Greek word for serve that is used in this verse is “diakonēsai.” This is translated in other verses as “minister.” To minister is to afford supplies, to give things needful, to supply the means of relief; to relieve. Our Heavenly Father has done just that. He gives and gives and gives. He provides all that we need. He is always at work for our good in every situation. He serves!

When Jesus knelt on His knees and washed the feet of His disciples, He displayed the very love of our Heavenly Father, who serves us. Jesus, the King of Kings, took the nature of a servant and gave Himself away to provide the very thing His disciples needed, His love.

Our Heavenly Father sent His Son to meet our most pressing need, salvation from sin. “For God so loved the world, He gave…” He ministered… He served us out of His love.

Our Heavenly Father serves us as any good Dad would. He takes good care of us! He provides, sustains, is attentive to our cry, etc,

Jesus shows us the Father who serves. We were made to display that image to others, i.e. imitate God! May we give ourselves away in service that glorifies our Heavenly Father who gives Himself in service to us!

Show Us The Father — Everything We Need, True Life!

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Today is Mark 10:1-31.

A rich young man ran up to Jesus as He set out on a journey one day. Although the man had everything he could ever need, he knew he was missing something.

He asked Jesus a question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus told him. “You know the commandments.” This was a true statement. A Jewish man of Jesus’s time would have memorized them, but Jesus began to list them off to the rich young man. The man pointed out to Jesus, “all these I have kept from my youth.”

Then it seems that Jesus switches gears, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor…” However, Jesus pointed out the greatest commandment that the man had missed — The Shema: 

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As a Jewish man, he had customarily repeated this verse twice a day, everyday. Jesus was right, the rich young man knew te commands, BUT he had not observed them all. He loved his wealth more than God, Himself.

Jesus offered him the opportunity to follow Him, the very God who gave the life the rich young man desired. But he “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

The disciples observed the interaction. Afterwards, Peter said something that should be the prayer of our heart, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”

God wants all of us! Total surrender!

When He is all we seek, we will find Him to be all we need!

Whatever we give up, Jesus said we will receive back “a hundredfold” of His provision. And we will also receive the one thing the rich young man longed for — “eternal life.”

Knowing Jesus, is Knowing Our Heavenly Father. THIS is Knowing Life! 

“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Show Us The Father — Pursuer of Our Heart

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Today is Mark 9.

Jesus knows everything. He knows what is in the hearts of every man.

Jesus came upon a great crowd and commotion regarding a boy with an unclean spirit. This boy was mute and self destructive. The boy’s father was desperate for healing for his son.

Jesus could have immediately cast the demon out of the boy and healed him, but instead He asked he fathers a question: “How long has he been like this?” (Verse 21) Again, Jesus knew this. He knew all things. But there was an issue within the father’s heart that Jesus wanted to address.

The father said, “If you can do anything have compassion on us and help us.” (verse 22) What was in the father’s heart came out of his mouth…unbelief. Jesus addressed this, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” (Verse 23)

The father needed to see his true need. It wasn’t his son, it was his unbelieving heart. He spoke a prayer, “I believe, help my unbelief!”

Jesus then cast out the demon and the boy was healed.

Our Heavenly Father desires our hearts to be entirely, totally, completely His! He works in our circumstances to show us what is inside of them. He is willing to take the time to get to the heart of the matter in our lives.

Unbelief was separating this father from His Heavenly Father. Jesus addressed the issue and worked a miracle for the man.

A simple prayer by a desperate man brought healing and wholeness not only to his son, but to his own heart. When we sense the Holy Spirit asking us a question, “How long have you been like this?” We stand on the precipice of freedom. If we choose to humble ourselves, confess our sin, and say, “I believe in You Jesus! Help me!”

Show Us The Father — Abundant Provider,

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Today is Mark 8.

In Jesus, there is abundance for every need. Two times the crowds were in need for physical food and Jesus provided. What was it that Jesus used to provide the need? It was ALL the disciples had. Jesus took what was given to Him, a few loaves and fish. He not only provided a meal for a crowd, but leftovers that displayed His generous provision.

Our Heavenly Father is very generous in His provision for us! He is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will be the same forever. We can come to Him with what we have, all of us. He will work the miraculous in what we offer up to Him with generous abundance!

Show Us The Father — One on One

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Today is Mark 7.

“After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus…” verse 33

I love how Jesus took time for the individual. The man who was deaf and could not speak could have been healed in a manner of seconds with Jesus’s touch, but Jesus took him aside. He gave the man one on one attention.

Jesus is personal. He is all about connecting with “the one” i.e. you and me. He loves to take us aside, away from the crowd, to be with Him in a deep, personal, and intimate relationship.

Jesus displayed the desire of Our Heavenly Father. He created us for intimacy with Him. We have been designed for a relationship that is connected to Him in oneness with Him. He in us and us in Him. 

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬