Mark ended his book by showing how human we can be. Even Jesus showed His human side. This daily devotional looks at some random thoughts from the last chapters of Mark.
We are going to look at some random passages to see what we can glean from them.
The Deal about Authority
“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” (Mk. 12: 17 ESV)
While God expects us to listen to those in authority over us, He expects to be the ultimate authority over us.
All the way back when the Israelites came out of Egypt, God instituted a governmental system under which they should operate. “Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you” (Ex. 18: 21-22 ESV).
God still expects us to operate under that system. No, He didn’t want us to have kings (or presidents or one person in control by whatever name we give).
What God wanted was for us to be organized. He doesn’t want us to be in chaos.
Satan goes for the chaos. That way we look at the upset around us instead of to God’s peace.
Father God. You want us to live in peace in Your Will. Forgive us when we focus, instead, in the chaos Satan brings to take our eyes off of You.
No Wings in Our Future
“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Mk. 12: 25 ESV)
We do not become angels when we die.
We frequently hear that. They died, and now they are angels.
Wrong.
We may not have our human bodies anymore, but we have not been transformed to be angels.
Neither have we transformed to be Jesus. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (II Cor. 3: 18 ESV).
We will be the same image as Jesus. We will be like angels.
Scriptures do not tell us we will be.
But that is okay. We shouldn’t want to be Jesus. That means we are trying to make ourselves equals to God.
We aren’t.
It is okay that we don’t become angels. We are still loved by God.
Father God. We are mere humans — but we are not mere in Your eyes. We are Your beloved children. We’re good with that. Amen.
When We Don’t Know Right from Wrong
“They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, ‘Is it I?’” (Mk. 14: 19 ESV)
Satan has sometimes clouded our vision so that we do not recognize sin.
You would think that the disciples would have known if they had betrayed Jesus or not. I mean, it takes a conscious decision to go to the enemy and say, “I will lead you to Him.”
But that type of betrayal wasn’t on their radar. Even though Jesus had said He was going to die, the disciples didn’t really believe that.
So, they were probably thinking some small betrayal.
But the deeper issue is that the disciples didn’t recognize their sins. Their did-I-do-it questions show their uncertainty about what was or wasn’t sin.
They should have because they had the law. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Mt. 5: 17 ESV).
We shouldn’t overly bite on them. We can be just as clueless — and we have Scriptures written down. If we don’t have a Bible (or two or three), we can jump online and access it.
We can be just as clueless if what we are doing is a sin. We look for the degrees.
We shouldn’t approach it as we want to go just up to the line and stop before we sin. We should want to be totally obedient to how God wants us to live.
Father God. Your laws are just and perfect. We want to follow them because they change our character to be like Yours. Amen.
The Struggle to Submit
“And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled” (Mk. 14: 33 ESV)
Yes, Jesus was human. While He was at the Passover meal, He could keep it together and keep focused on the why this was happening.
But stop the forward motion and rest and reflect — and here comes all the worries. How is this going to come down? Here comes the humiliation. How badly is this going to hurt?
Remember, Jesus “… emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2: 7 ESV). That means He emptied Himself of His heavenly glory.
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To me, that means Jesus could not tell what would happen in the future. He wouldn’t be able to experience the uncertainty we do if He did know what would happen.
Jesus had to go on trust. He had to put His faith in His Father and act accordingly.
Just like we do.
Jesus struggled with what was going to happen — and chose to follow God’s Will.
Father God. Help us to, just like Jesus, follow Your Will for our lives. Amen.
By Which We Are Known
“But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear” (Mk. 14: 47 ESV)
We are known by our actions.
I thought it was interesting that Mark didn’t name the person who cut off the servant’s ear. I guess he thought he was protecting the person.
We all know it was Peter. Brash, impulsive Peter.
How are we known? We are known by what our actions tell others.
Do they show God’s love and influence in our lives? Or do they show we are following the worldview?
Glossary
Father God. May all that we say and do point to You. Amen.
What do you think?
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