Scripture Readings:"Mark 1:1-4, Isaiah 9:6-7" HOPE and Wait,  WAIT and Hope The first Advent reading each year is usually about hope. Have you ever stopped to think about HOPE, what it means, what is required?  Hebrews 6:19 calls hope an anchor saying “ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hope is an anchor for our soul. Hope is what keeps us going when things are tough. Hope is the engine that makes us want to persevere. But hope requires waiting.   Hope is the anticipation of a future something. Without waiting there is no hope. We wait for visits from family or friends.   We wait for test results from the doctor. we wait for the birth of a new grandchild.   And we hope. For fun times, good outcomes, a beautiful baby. We have hope in our waiting. But waiting is required . Wait a minute. Wait a month. Or even years or lifetimes. We don’t like to wait, whether it’s in traffic or the waiting room, or in line at the store....

Mark 1:40 - 45 (NIV, 1984)  A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Look at this act of disobedience and the result.   Jesus told him, with a strong warning, not to tell anyone except the priest of his healing. The man didn't listen. Instead he went out and began to talk freely,.... And the result of this ...

Mark 1:32 - 35   32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.  Jesus had followers, groupies, people who followed because they were curious or because they needed what Jesus offered.  His disciples, at least some of them, knew who Jesus was, the Son of God, part of God Himself. His disciples and some followers knew this because of what they'd witnessed Jesus do and say.  The demons seemed to know before any of that. Jesus prevented them from speaking - " but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was." This appears to be early in Jesus ministry.  Recorded in the first chapter of Mark, He's preventing the demons from speaking because they knew who He was.  Why? Why prevent them from t...

Mark 10:51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.    The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  I'm sure that Jesus knew that the man was blind. I'm sure that He could tell by looking at the man that he couldn't see. Why did Jesus ask the man what he wanted? Here's something I think about this passage. 1) Jesus wants us to ask. He knows what ails us. He knows what we want and what we should want. He wants us to ask. 2) The man knew what he wanted....."I want to see." As for me, I am not always as certain about what I want.  Sometimes I think I know. Lots of times, I don't. It is easy to say I want God's will, but to some extent that is a cop-out. It keeps me from having to make a decision, from having to make plans, from working toward a goal - because if I can lean on "I don't know what God's plan is", I don't have anything to commit to.  What a revelation!  The other part of that revelation is why do I le...

Today, I am just going to note some passages that I've written down the last few days. I may add a note or two but then, maybe not. 2 Samuel 18 : 1-3 NLT David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them. He sent the troops out in three groups, placing one group under Joab, one under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath. The king told his troops, “I am going out with you.”  But his men objected strongly. “You must not go,” they urged. “If we have to turn and run—and even if half of us die—it will make no difference to Absalom’s troops; they will be looking only for you. You are worth 10,000 of us,......" For some reason, when I read this passage this morning, I thought of the contrast with the disciples deserting Jesus when they arrested Him. Ephesians 1 :17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so ...

I was reading in John today about the man born blind. The discussion was about who was responsible for his blindness, specifically who had sinned, his parents or him. For some reason the reading today made me wonder about other examples when the blind received their sight. I've done some keyword searches using BibleGateway.com . Without doing a lot of study, I believe that Jesus is the only one recorded in the Bible who restored sight to the blind. Other prophets returned people back to life.  Other prophets multiplied meager rations to feed people. Other prophets brought healing and addressed suffering of the poor and widowed. If I am right about no others restoring sight to the blind, why isn't this a huge red flag to the religious establishment of Jesus' day?  They might not have been surprised by the healing, restoring life, feeding thousands but why weren't they impressed by restoration of sight? Since others hadn't done this in the past, you would think tha...

Mark 5:28-30 NLT For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.   30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” Which part of this story stirs you? I don't know what surprises me the most. Is it that the woman knew just a touch of Jesus' robe would heal her? Is it that Jesus " realized at once that healing power had gone out from him "? I think perhaps it is that the woman knew that power flowed through Jesus.  Do you remember playing the game as a child where one person could be "on base" or "touching base" and everyone else would be considered "on base" if they just touched a person who was touching a person who was "on base"?  We said that "we had electricity" even if we st...

Mark 13:13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Is this why much of the world hates the United States? ... .because the United States was built on Christian beliefs?..... and is the strongest/largest group standing strong for Christ? Something to think about.

I heard a brief bit of a sermon on the radio today. It was about the trial of Jesus. I don't remember ever hearing a sermon of the crucifixion discussed this time of year. I didn't hear enough of the sermon to know which Gospel he used.  I don't know how he came up with what he said and I can't confirm it but it still made me think of something I'd never contemplated.  So I wanted to share it. Jesus was before Pilate. He was there before a man who didn't REALLY want to put Jesus to death, or have anything to do with him. Reading the text even makes it sound like Pilate wanted to let Jesus go. He offered to let someone go free.  He offered a choice between Jesus and Barabbas. We don't know enough of the story to know how Barabbas' name came up. We don't know if Pilate suggested Barabbas or if the crowd came up with Barabbas' name on their own (with the help of the Jewish religious rulers perhaps) as the one to release. This is an interesting i...

Romans 14:11 ....'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,    'every knee will bow before me;       every tongue will confess to God. I'm still thinking about the Trinity. ( See previous posts if you are interested: Jesus, Son of God - Trinity and Jesus and the Holy Spirit) I think the "problem" if Jesus is NOT God is whether we worship and praise Him or not.  If Jesus is not God, we'd be worshiping more than one God, something that God strongly disapproves. I had this verse...at least part of it... in my head to get rid of this dilemma. I was thinking that Jesus said, "every knee will bow before me", but he didn't.  God did in the Old Testament. Jesus himself said he was the Messiah or the Christ, or rather confirmed it when others said it.  (See John 4:24-26 , Matthew 16:15 , Mark 8:29 , and Luke 9:20 )  But those terms Christ and Messiah mean anointed one. Jesus said in John 14:6 " I am the way and the truth and th...

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God." This is one line in the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree and it withered.  He made this statement to the disciples.  This statement " Have faith in God " can be taken completely out of context. I wonder if this is a command.  I think it is.  Have faith in God. If we can obey this one command, all others will fall into place.  Have faith in God. If we have faith in God, we can obey the other commands much easier. Commands like love your neighbor as yourself. How much easier would all things be if we just had faith, complete faith, in God. Jesus told the disciples if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, that they could move a mountain into the sea.  Who wants to move the mountain into the sea?!  None of us. But if we have any faith, any complete faith in God, we can do anything.  Nothing is impossible. I think faith in God, though, includes allowing His will to be different from ...

Jesus was home, in his hometown. He was with people he'd grown up with, in the town where he learned his trade (carpentry), where people knew him. He was where he felt that comfortable it's-good-to-be-home feeling. He brought with him those with whom he'd been traveling, preaching and teaching, those with whom he'd been spending most of his time, eating with, and healing with -  His disciples. He was with all the people he loved the most.  His friends, his family, and his disciples. But Mark said in chapter 6 verse 5  " And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them." Can you imagine how Jesus hurt from this? He loved these people. He wanted healing for them.  He wanted them to accept God's greatest gift. He wanted so much for them. But he was unable to do any " mighty work there ".  Why was Jesus unable to do any "might work" there? Was he powerless there, like Superman arou...

This year, Ascension  Day was Thursday, May 13.  We don't spend a lot of of time in my church discussing the day of Ascension probably because it is usually a week day.  It is recognized 40 days after Jesus resurrection. Someone somewhere probably knows where that number of days came from. I don't. Ascension Day is the day that Jesus left, or was taken up in the presence of the disciples and went to home to heaven.  Luke 24:51-52 tells of this: "While he [Jesus] was blessing them [the disciples], he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." Then, Jesus was gone. This was not the first time Jesus was gone.  The first time was just weeks before when he was crucified and buried.  The first time, the disciples fled and deserted Him. ( Matthew 26:56 and Mark 14:50 - "Then all the disciples deserted him and fled."   Some were afraid ( Mark 16:8 ... ."because they were afraid. ".) A...

How much attention do you pay to the words of the communion liturgy?  I had a discussion with someone a few weeks ago about the words that are sometimes used by clergy that are biblically wrong. I guess a person can get hung up on worrying about the words that another uses.  We just need to make sure we understand what is correct. The verse I am talking about specifically is "this is my body given for you."  This is Luke 22:19 . Many times people say, "this is my body broken for you."  Now think about the difference between given and broken.  It is really a significant difference.  Was Jesus broken?  Was the mission too big for Him?  Did the beating that was coming overwhelm Jesus so that He felt broken? OR as Jesus said, did He give himself for us?  That is quite a difference. One is willful.  The other is coerced.  I have to believe that Jesus willfully gave Himself up to the Father's will to take our sins.  In this act,...

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord.  This exact passage is in the Bible six times (NIV version) Psalm 118:26, Matthew 21:9 and 23:39, Mark 11:9. Luke 13:35 and John 12:13.  Sometimes passages are repeated as a quote from the earlier Old Testament passage but not all of these are referring to the Psalm passage.   Each passage however is talking about Jesus as the one who comes in the name of the Lord. I wonder, though, if it also refers to anyone "who comes in the name of the Lord".   If I show up at a meeting and I am there with pure intentions and a belief that I am there serving Christ as part of his church, am I also blessed? I have to believe that I am.  I know that feel blessed when I volunteer.  I feel blessed when I show up at Bible Study . I feel blessed when I plan programs that I feel God wants me to do.  I feel blessed when I sing in the choir. I firmly believe that anyone, not just Jesus, "who comes in the name of the Lo...

Ephesians 3:16 - 19 (ESV) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. When I first read this passage this morning, my thought was different than now as I re-read it. So I'm not sure if I was just misinterpreting it the first time, or if the moment of revelation is already gone. (This is why I need to take time to reflect as I read this but today, I had to leave for an interview!)  Anyway, when I first read it, the words that jumped out at me were "may have the strength to comprehend...." This is part of the prayer for the people for whom the letter was written.  Paul is praying ...

Mark 15:32a (NIV) Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those watching the crucifixion of Christ mocked Him, challenged Him, chided Him to show Himself as the Christ.  Christ didn't take the dare.  He just died. He had already shown who He was.  Those who were watching throughout His ministry knew who He was.  He didn't need the approval, acceptance of these challengers.   Today, we see evidence of Christ all around us.  Many, however, do not see.  Many challenge Him to "show me" as though Christ needs their approval and acceptance.  That is not how God works.  He shows us by His love, His creation, His peace within us.  He does not need our approval.  He offers us, he gifts to us, the privilege of knowing Him and believing Him.  He won't accept a challenge.  He simply offers a gift.  Will You accept it? Dear Jesus, my savior, thank you for the won...