"Beautiful Worship" (Mark 14:1-11)

As Jesus sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on Jesus’ head (Mark 14:3).

We will look at this act, both in comparison to the other people mentioned in the text, and also in its own right. This, I believe, teaches us a lot about worship. This is an incident covered in all four Gospels. There are differences in the various accounts, as you would expect when the information comes from different witnesses (and has passed for decades through the oral tradition). But the central point is the same in each case. A woman makes a sacrificial act of worship towards Jesus, which others do not understand, or oppose outright, but Jesus highly commends.

We see clearly in Mark the contrast in approaches to Jesus. One woman did an extraordinary thing, a beautiful act of worship. Surrounding this are some very different responses and attitudes to this woman’s particular act. This passage asks me, ‘How much do I want to worship Jesus’? And, ‘Is there anything holding me back’?

The passage starts with the reminder that “the chief priests and the scribes” were looking for a way to arrest and kill Jesus. This was outright rejection. The passage we have read concludes with Judas deciding to betray Jesus (and help the “chief priests” with their plot). And in the middle were the detractors – those who couldn’t understand or couldn’t accept such a worshipful act, or perhaps couldn’t see themselves acting anything like this woman did. We’ll come back to this.

The woman herself, we suspect, was a woman whom Jesus had previously ministered to – Luke, in his version, calls this woman a “sinner” … which was probably code for a prostitute, while John, in his version, says she is Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus. Thus she was probably a woman who had encountered Jesus on an earlier occasion, been ministered to … and gratefulness had welled up in her (gratefulness that now spilled over). How do we show our gratefulness?

This woman entered the house where Jesus was, and while Jesus was eating at the table, broke open a bottle of very expensive perfume, and poured this lovingly over Jesus’ head. I like in John’s version the comment, that following the anointing of Jesus, “The house was filled with the fragrance of perfume” (John 12:3b).

The “alabaster jar” (v.3) was an elaborate vessel, with a long neck, made from expensive Egyptian marble. The contents were a fine fragrant imported perfume (probably made from the root of a rare plant found in India). The value is suggested to be at least three hundred denarii – equivalent to around a full year’s salary!! Thus you would expect that this perfume would normally  have been used quite sparingly!!

But on this day, a fresh bottle was broken open, and the whole contents were used in one go! None of the perfume was held back! Is this our response to Jesus? Or would we be more liable to measure this out a little? Would we be more likely to consider what was more convenient or conventional? We will refer later to the depth of what this woman was indicating by this act. But returning now to the detractors …

How did some of the other dinner guests react?? In terms of ‘waste’. A ‘waste’ in relation to how the worth of the perfume could have been used to help the poor. Or, were the poor more of an afterthought, or an excuse, and they really thought it was just a waste giving this much attention to Jesus. The woman’s action could have just been seen as strange, unusual or even irrational, and out of these people’s comfort zones. And certainly they were unable to see beyond the act itself to its deeper meaning.

Just jumping ahead to clarify something – Jesus' reply concerning “the poor” in verse 7 … “for you always have the poor with you”, has been often misused to suggest that this is sort of a fait accompli – that this is something we should just accept and not worry about. This is of course not what Jesus is saying at all. Jesus is saying that we can care for the poor anytime (and of course on the basis of Jesus’ general teaching we should care for the poor at all times). It’s just that right now, in this moment, Jesus can be served, while the moment exists. It’s not either/or, but both!! I reckon Jesus would wholly endorse Deuteronomy 15:11, which reads, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land'.”

In John’s version of this story, Judas is named as the one who was most concerned about this ‘waste’. Mark leaves it to later to identify that Judas was displeased about the nature of this act of worship. Why would this have really been a problem for Judas? John (12:5f) tells us that it was Judas who said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor”? But then John comments, “He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it”. What was Judas’ problem?? He had a problem maybe with money, or selfish motives! Maybe, he was disappointed that Jesus was not attending to his agenda? Maybe his unresolved issues were keeping him on the fringe of things? Maybe Judas was unwilling to undergo the sort of personal transformation and growth that would’ve kept him on track? Maybe he hadn’t let himself get to know Jesus well enough?

[It could be that the other disciples were being more than accommodating with Judas, possibly knowing what was happening with the common purse, but still trying to keep Judas within their number.]

As an aside, we might wonder what other dinner guests thought … the ones who hadn’t said anything? How do we react to lavish outbursts of worship from others?

We are told that particular guests … the ‘detractors’ … “scolded” the woman!!! Fancy being scolded for such a beautiful act! How hurtful! How discouraging!! Here displayed was a ‘critical spirit’, which was almost abusive, and certainly unwelcoming. Fortunately Jesus was present to override this discouragement with warm words of support. Jesus confronted them about unnecessarily bringing trouble to this woman.

Let’s look more closely at this woman’s beautiful act of worship. How would you describe it??? Some might say ‘outrageous’ or ‘extravagant’, but meant hopefully in a good way. Radical! Elaborate and unbridled! Pure and uncomplicated! There was no hidden agenda. It was unmeasured – there was no weighing up. Spontaneous, and trusting!! Just like the children Jesus used as an example of natural recipients of God’s Kingdom (Mark 10:15). Repentant! There was a thoroughness, a wholeheartedness; such love and devotion! All the sort of descriptions that our worship should have.

Lest we think that the dripping wet Jesus didn’t appreciate what the woman did … Jesus called this act (verse 6b) … “a good service for me”. The Greek word translated here as “good” could also be translated ‘beautiful, useful, precious, desirable’, leading to the NIV translation – “She has done a beautiful thing to me”. This certainly rises way above mere duty. This woman did the best that she could with the best that she had! This woman did all that she could with all that she had!!

The most specific “service” she offered was anointing Jesus’ body before his death and burial. It was customary for the dead to be prepared like this for burial; just like the women were seeking to do later when they found Jesus’ body missing from his tomb. The exception would be someone crucified as a criminal – they would not normally be anointed for burial. This also resembled the traditional anointing of a ‘king’. So, what did this woman understand that others had not seen? That Jesus was to be the Saviour of the world! That Jesus was a Servant King! This was worship as testimony … testimony to the One being worshipped! This woman was acknowledging that what Jesus was about to endure was on her behalf; and she was announcing her commitment to him. [Maybe she didn’t fully know the implications or meaning of what she was doing, but humbly followed anyway, whatever intuition or leading she had.]

As part of his defense of the woman, Jesus said, “… you will not always have me” (v.7b). This was true … Jesus would be crucified within a week of this event. What does this mean for us do you think?? We shouldn’t take our opportunities of worship lightly or for granted.

Jesus said that the story of this beautiful act of worship would be “told in remembrance of her”. It would be remembered and noted well for its importance. But Mark’s Gospel doesn’t identify this woman by name! Perhaps it was the actual act that was most important – that it happened – and that it could have been any of us!

Jesus and Children (Mark 10:13-16)

Today we are going to look at how Jesus acted towards and taught about children.

1.     Importance of Children

There was something about Jesus that made parents want to bring their children to him. It was common for devout Jewish mothers to bring their children to a revered rabbi for a blessing. So at the very least, these people acknowledged that Jesus was an honourable teacher. But there was likely to be a bigger reason than this … something about Jesus’ openness to people, especially the powerless.

Imagine how these parents felt when the disciples blocked their path! Jesus had just taught his disciples about not being a “stumbling block” to others, and here they are being precisely that – a ‘barrier’ that gets in the way. We shall come back to this. The Gospels are very honest about the disciples … the fact that they often didn’t get it. But we should note that the purpose of this honesty about these disciples, is for the reader to look deep into themselves.

The disciples would have argued no doubt that Jesus was busy, and his time and energy were in great demand. However sometimes we have to assess priorities with good clarity. In days gone by, people used to say that children should be seen and not heard, and such like. Adults have first call on the air space. But the way in which Jesus speaks about children is surely contrary to this. All children are of the highest value (and they need to be heard). Whatever our agendas are as adults, we should take into account our high level of accountability for how well the children in our networks are nurtured.

Do we ever repress the excitement of children because this is too inconvenient? Can we be ‘kill-joys’? Can we miss potentially special moments? Can we paint very rigid (or even grim) views of God? It is very important that all children leave church gatherings with a keen sense that God loves them, and that God’s people love them too.

We can hark back here to the verse in the previous chapter (9:42). If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.

A “stumbling block” is a hindrance, a barrier, or a hurdle – that someone might trip over. In this context such a “stumbling block” is both unnecessary and inappropriate. Such “stumbling blocks” disrupt growth and obstruct faith. The context of this verse certainly allows us to see “little ones” as referring especially to children. So, how is it that the church, generally speaking, has at times been so inattentive to this? We know that evil people can go about quietly doing evil things, but how can it ever be justified to cover this over?!? Well, it can never be justified; and segments of the church have rightly taken some heat! Repentance is required!

But then the governments of all persuasions have to look at themselves as well. What “stumbling blocks” are still being erected between children and their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being? Right throughout the whole Bible, God’s people are taught and challenged to look after, with priority, the most vulnerable. A change of direction is required!

The ethical and spiritual health of a society can be assessed in terms of how well we treat the most vulnerable and powerless – the elderly, the unwell, the disadvantaged, AND THE CHILDREN. And we should look beyond our own borders to the children of the world – where continual cutbacks in foreign aid literally cost lives.

What other “stumbling blocks” may we put up that become barriers to children experiencing God’s love? Lack of forgiveness, lack of care, lack of patience, lack of tolerance, lack of understanding, lack of listening, lack of guidance, lack of boundary-setting; or an inability to control anger? A change of heart may be required!

For those who place “stumbling blocks” before “little ones”, there is a harsh judgement; one that would be worse than having a huge heavy stone hung around the neck on the way to being thrown into the sea. I think the treatment of children is being taken seriously here (in the Bible)!!

So of course, Jesus, rightly annoyed and offended, said to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them”. And there’s more! “… Do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs”. Children are the natural and rightful recipients of all God’s blessing. And within such children we can detect the image of God in which they were created. [Refer also Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-14]

Let us not get in their way, hold them back, or push them away. So the opposite to being a ‘hindrance’ or ‘barrier’, would be to welcome children, just as Jesus did here. Jesus wanted to hold and bless every one of them, for each was very valuable. With each new child, there is an opportunity of a better world!

2.     Welcoming Children

For this more on this we can also go back to 9:36-37. Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me”. Welcoming others, in this case, children, is the way in which we can welcome God into our lives. Or to put this another way, to lack in welcome, hinders God wholly welcoming us. This is because, if we look at the context, we can be too interested in our own desires, to be fully open to others. We need to have an attitude of servanthood, rather than an attitude of privilege. In the society to which Jesus spoke, this would have been a big stretch; for children were not held in high regard and were afforded no particular honour – culturally speaking, serving them would never bring any prestige … to welcome unknown children (rather than the rich and famous) would normally bring no honour. But Jesus has a different view … quite the opposite – to welcome and serve powerless children, actually welcomes the most powerful dynamic imaginable into your life.

So, what are some ways of being ‘welcoming’??

·        Children should be fully appreciated, shown warm acceptance and loving consideration, encouraged, given wise training and a place to belong. Their readiness to comply with the wishes of their parents is related to their perception of whether they are receiving unconditional love.

·        Children need to be listened to, in an attempt to discover their personalities and interests, rather than having things imposed on them. Children need to be afforded patience. It is in this way that any discipline that needs applying, will be done in the right way and in the best interests of the child.

·        Praying for our children.

3.     Children as Example

In verse 15, Jesus holds children up as an example of how we can be ready to enter the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the realm in which people live according to God’s will and purposes. What is it about children that make them naturals for the Kingdom of God? What is it about children that we can emulate?? What characteristics or qualities do they reveal???

·        Innocence – pure, unspoiled; for adults who have made mistakes leading to feelings of guilt and shame, seeking and receiving forgiveness is the return path to innocence.

·        Spontaneity – excitement, enthusiasm; when I see a puddle of mud I step around it … I see muddy shoes and dirty carpet – kids see a mud puddle and sit in it … they see dams to build, rivers to cross and worms to play with! Adults can easily become tired, over-stretched or tied up in knots. Connected with this is …

·        Unclutteredness – being empty-handed, freedom; adults can be weighed down by possessions or the continual pursuit of things, generally carrying too much baggage. Adults often have to declutter their lives before it’s too late – deal with things that are holding them captive.

·        Dependence – having no feelings of self-sufficiency; adults tend to want to do their own thing, run their own race, make their own decisions, rely on their own abilities, be accountable to as few people as possible, try to limit responsibility … be independent. Children best reveal that we all remain interdependent – we have been created as social creatures who need each other and primarily need God. Connected with this is …

·        Simple trust – a natural response to the love and welcome of others, a seeking for love; unfortunately many adults have lost the ability to trust because life (i.e. people) has brought some hard knocks, they have felt let-down in relationships, or been used and abused. The discovery of a completely faithful God who suffers with the suffering is the pathway back to trust.

·        Openness to learn – inquisitive, receptive; rather than the adult who thinks they know it all. Knowing our need and ‘humility’ leads us to God.

When all the complexity of adolescence and adulthood impacts us, we may need to recapture some of the characteristics of a child (if we are to effectively respond to God’s invitation into His Kingdom).

So as Jesus took those children up into his arms that day and blessed them, he is also offering us a blessing as well. Jesus did more that day than even those parents asked of him. They wanted Jesus to just touch their children … give them a little high-five. Jesus took them up in his arms, each one of them, embraced them, and gave them his blessing. This is actually what he wants to do for all of us. But to receive this blessing, we sometimes need to return to being as uncluttered, trusting and receptive as children.

Easter Sunday message: "Resurrection Hope" (John 20)

For the original disciples of Jesus, all hope seemed lost when Jesus was crucified.

Many of them had staked their whole future in following Jesus.

They’d left everything else behind. Jesus was their friend; and following Jesus

seemed to be the most exciting and compelling thing they could possibly do.

And now Jesus had been executed by a foreign power on a brutal cross.

Jesus had told his disciples a number of times that this was bound to happen,

but it still didn’t make sense to any of them.

None of what they had experienced with Jesus made sense …

if it all ended on a cross, or so they thought. They were confused, disappointed,

discouraged, grief-stricken, defeated, maybe even depressed.

We ourselves can lose hope when life seems to turn against us.

Many people have lost hope – life has become too hard or lacks meaning.

There are times when we think we have failed, or times of desperation where

answers seem to allude us, or times when we just feel broken.

An evil injustice may have been done to us. Sickness and pain can get on top of us.

Broken relationships break hearts. Maybe we think that we are wasting our life.

It could seem that those big dreams we had … have been killed off.

The character of Fantine in the musical version of Les Miserables,

who was so badly treated by so many people, sings “I dreamed a dream in days

gone by … now life has killed the dream I dreamed”.

If this is not true for you, it easily could be for someone you know.

Those lacking hope need to experience something new –

something that reassures them, lifts them, offers them a new way forward.

This is what Easter Sunday is about. Hope is generally defined as,

“a desire with the expectation of fulfilment”.

When the disciples started following Jesus, their desire for meaning had gained

high expectations. Such expectations had been suddenly dashed, but now,

just a couple of days later, there was to be new reason behind their hope.

Life was to take a new trajectory, yet again.

The original disciples of Jesus were going to receive some very good news.

God had raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus was alive … he is risen!

So, for them, the worst of situations had now turned into the best of situations.

For these first disciples, a deep sense of hopelessness turned into exciting new hope.

This was worth celebrating then, as it is worth celebrating now.

Some people need more convincing than others.

We have read about one of these – his name was Thomas.

Why wasn’t Thomas with the others when Jesus first appeared to them following

his resurrection? Maybe this reveals the depths of his despair at this point –

not feeling able to be with others or talk about it.

Perhaps Thomas shouldn’t have needed so much evidence, but he did!

He has been called ‘Doubting Thomas’, and maybe many of us would have been

like him if we were in his position. Had we seen Jesus die on a cross,

we may have wanted more proof as well.

So is this really Jesus? Let me see his wounds! Let me touch where his body was injured!

Maybe these are fair enquiries – Thomas didn’t want his hopes dashed again!

The Bible tells us that Thomas did get that opportunity, just a week later,

to see and to touch the One who was unmistakably Jesus.

Jesus did not castigate Thomas for being slow or dumb or anything like that;

rather Jesus just makes himself available to Thomas. Then,

with love and understanding, Jesus said to Thomas, “Stop doubting and believe”!!

Take a step of faith – you have seen enough!

Thomas indeed gained new faith and hope as doubt was dismissed. What did he say?

One of the moment famous responses in the Bible: “My Lord and my God”.

Those feelings of hopelessness and discouragement that Thomas had experienced …

surely they could now be overcome.

If Jesus could rise from the dead, then anything is possible.

The fact that Jesus had risen Jesus, meant everything to Thomas.

The Gospel of John is quick to apply this to the generations that will follow:

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”.

The blessing of the resurrected Jesus is for everybody! Or as Romans puts it,

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (10:13).

Like Thomas, when doubt gives way to belief, we can also say to Jesus,

“My Lord and my God”! A blessed people are we, when we believe in Jesus!

These first disciples had not only re-established their relationship with Jesus,

but now they had an exciting and challenging new phase in their lives.

They were being sent on mission. They were going to be peace-makers.

They were going to receive the Holy Spirit. They were going to live like Jesus lived.

They were going to work as a team. They were going to care for the poor,

comfort the sick, encourage the lonely, visit people in jail,

and stand up for the oppressed.

They were going to set a new standard for loving their neighbour.

They were going to share the Gospel and talk about the path to forgiveness.

Now that’s purpose! In all this there is great hope for making a difference.

Was the resurrection real? The first witnesses were clearly convinced!

That the first disciples risked their lives, often against severe opposition,

to share in the loving ministry of Jesus to the world, is a pretty good reason to

believe that they were on exactly the right track.

The significant growth of Jesus-followers, leading to the celebration of an

Easter festival over the centuries,

shows how important Jesus has been to so many millions of people.

Jesus will abide with his people and give them his very special personal peace.

Whereas we may have not felt very good about ourselves previously,

now Jesus will say, ‘You’re forgiven … you’re okay … you’re acceptable …

you’re valuable … you belong to me’!

We can and should open ourselves up to a relationship with this Jesus –

a relationship that will make all the difference.

In the end, it will be Jesus the person, who is our hope.

Not all of our worries will disappear straight away.

Many issues will still have to be worked through.

But the resurrection of Jesus does offer a whole new perspective,

a whole new way of thinking, a whole new bag of purpose –

we actually shouldn’t limit the possibilities of what a relationship with the

resurrected Jesus might mean for us. We may be able to start dreaming again.

God will do something good in us – it might just take us a while to recognise what it is.

I’ve met up with some pretty excited people this week, enjoying the prospect of

celebrating and worshipping God today. Not all of these people have everything

together by any means, but they do have hope and purpose.

Another one of these early disciples was Peter.

Peter had had his own moments of fear and failure – denying even knowing Jesus.

The Gospel of John goes on to tell about Peter’s recommissioning and the

reestablishment of his relationship with Jesus. Peter had learnt something through his

bad times, and now any lingering guilt for his past actions had been forgiven by Jesus.

Later, Peter would write these words:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through

the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).

Jesus is alive … hope lives on!

People continue to find forgiveness, restoration and new possibilities in life because of

what happened at Easter. I invite you to deeply consider all this again today.

Good Friday message: "Radical Forgiveness" (Luke 23)

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (v.34).

Forgiveness is what the cross is all about.

Humanity was given life and a beautiful environment in which to live, and both of these gifts – life and creation – have largely been abused. Yet God’s love is such that he desired that no one would be lost. When God observed the brokenness and frailty that often affects human beings, Jesus came into the world; and despite the heavy cost, he acted on our behalf. This redeeming love has always been God’s heart attitude. We read in the prophet Ezekiel (34:16a), “I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak”.

God desires to establish relationships with all people. And, it is as people reconcile with God, that lives, communities and creation itself can be redeemed, transformed and set free.

This was not what most people expected. We recently read about how his disciples did not understand this way of acting. However Jesus would indeed confirm that he was Son of God through his Saviour role on a cross.

So we can bring our sin to this cross and find forgiveness there. Jesus takes upon himself our burden of guilt and deals with it. Jesus, despite the weight and pain of this, did so willingly. And soon we will also experience the full potential of all this as we are drawn into new life.

We see forgiveness play out in our bible text from Luke in two main ways: a radical forgiveness that even comes within the grasp of those who were responsible for torturing and crucifying Jesus; and also a radical forgiveness that sees a criminal under a death sentence reach “paradise”.

Some people might say that they are beyond forgiveness – what they have done is just too bad and could never be forgiven. Well, who was Jesus forgiving from the cross? Firstly, there were the Jews who conspired to destroy Jesus because he didn’t meet their expectations as a ‘messiah’. They preferred their own way of doing things to the way Jesus was directing them toward – they just couldn’t see things any other way than their own comfortable pursuits and their power over others, and they simply refused to change. Their leaders “sneered” at Jesus, and spoke to him like the ‘devil’ had earlier (in terms of diverting from God’s plan) – v.35b. Jesus could have saved himself, but he wouldn’t – he would give of himself to all humanity.

Who was Jesus forgiving? Secondly, there were the Romans, who were responsible for carrying out the crucifixion. For them … anything to keep the peace! They were happy to execute an innocent man just to silence the noise. Roman soldiers also mocked Jesus (v.36) and gambled over his clothing, perhaps wanting souvenirs to show their friends (v.34b). Then previously there was the crowd – they were given an alternative, but kept yelling out “Crucify him, crucify him” (23:21). Some of these may have called out “Hosanna” a week before (19:37-8), but quickly had changed their minds. No, if all these ones can be forgiven, then there is no limits to forgiveness; surely we can be forgiven.

I reckon even Judas, a friend turned betrayer, could have been forgiven, if he had stayed around long enough.

No doubt Jesus was laden with disappointment and frustration, at what was being said and done around him. But ultimately he only acted out of love. How huge is this! Treated so badly, yet so ready to love and forgive. Such understanding of the human condition and the negative cultural influences around us. Sometimes we simply succumb to sin despite our best intentions. Yet there is such understanding displayed here: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (v.34).

Where Jesus had earlier taught his disciples to love their enemies and pray for their persecutors, Jesus did precisely this.

In Cambodia, during Pol Pot’s four years in power through the 1970’s, approximately 2-3 million people died of starvation, overwork, or executions. Mass graves discovered in the 1980’s introduced the world to Cambodia’s horrors; eventually, the phrase “killing field” was coined to describe the immensity of Pol Pot’s genocide. One Khmer Rouge general under Pol Pot’s command, who was at the helm of this killing spree, has been redeemed through the cross of Jesus. It is hard to imagine a bigger sinner than this, being forgiven. He used to kill many people before he came to know the Lord Jesus as Saviour. Now, he has planted about 100 churches along the border of Cambodia and Thailand. God is using him powerfully to make disciples for His Kingdom.

Other people may say that they don’t need forgiveness. But who hasn’t hurt another person at least once … either physically or emotionally. Who hasn’t acted in a negative way causing a troubling outcome at least once. Who hasn’t ever looked into the eye of injustice and baulked rather than acted. As we have seen, some gambled over Jesus’ clothing, some so called “leaders” sneered at Jesus, but we also read that other people “stood by watching” (v.35a). They were watching, but what would be their conclusion? Was this just another Roman crucifixion, or was this something a whole lot more significant. There was a greater level of interest than normal in this event, with quite a variety of responses. Is there something here for me?

Who is it that has never slipped up with their tongue. Has there ever been a person who has not been selfish at least once? I think that anyone who claims no need for forgiveness, has not truly accepted the communal nature of life … they are too wrapped up in themselves. We might call them ‘proud’ … the Bible certainly does. Yet, nonetheless, here from the cross there is forgiveness for them too.

It is as we view the cross and open ourselves to our possible need for forgiveness, that we are humbled and actually realise that forgiveness is exactly what we need. There is a hole that only God can fill. And there is a burden, that only Jesus can lift; for we will never be able to fix it ourselves.

This leads us to the second way forgiveness plays out in this text. In the face of one of the criminals on a nearby cross joining in with the mockery toward Jesus, the other nearby “criminal” has come to see all this in a completely different way (v.40-42). There is an accounting to be made … there have been offences committed against God and other people – “Don’t you fear God?” – “We are [being] punished justly … getting what our deeds deserve”. Here is the necessary humility and openness required for forgiveness to kick in. Here is the beginning of confession and repentance. “This man [Jesus] has done nothing wrong” … not one comment thrown at him will stick, for he is guilty of nothing – he must be here for us!

He will “save us”, and this will happen via sacrifice on his part, and humility on ours. Jesus was here to offer this very man ‘mercy’.

What a sincere statement of faith we now read: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (v.42). This man has come to see that this Jesus will conquer death and return to lead a kingdom. Through this man’s own agony, he reaches out to Jesus, knowing that he needs more than help, he needs forgiveness. He opens his heart, he believes, and speaks … “Jesus, remember me”. And, of course, this man was not going to be disappointed. Jesus grants this desire; and not just at any time in the future, but “today”! “Today, you will be with me in paradise” (v.43). Forgiveness takes immediate affect!! What a turnaround!

Two men met that day. Both were pain-ridden, gasping for breath and dying. But was One was dying as a gift to the other. A connection was made. A relationship began.

Ultimately forgiveness leads to an experience of “paradise”. Perhaps this is like the “paradise” of the ‘Garden of Eden’ where the inhabitants had intimate, natural, unspoiled relationships with God – until sin got in the way. Such ‘sin’ began with a desire to do things our own way. Paradise lost! But this “paradise” would also indicate the road we are on (as forgiven people) – an eternal road heading toward God’s beautiful presence and ultimate peace. This is a new reality to be experienced straight away, from the very moment we say, “Jesus remember me (when you come into your kingdom)”. ‘Jesus, accept me’; ‘Jesus receive me’.

Do you believe that you are really forgiven? The story is told of the office manager who kept every piece of paper that ever arrived on his desk. When another staff member suggested a bit of a clear-out, the manager reluctantly said that this would be alright as long as they photocopied everything first. Some people seek forgiveness, but having received it, don’t really think or act as if they have been forgiven. They remain limited and constrained by feelings of guilt, failure or shame. But what Jesus did on the cross is complete – Jesus said, “It is finished”! And we should sense this “paradise”, a place where we have been liberated, set free, and given another chance … free of past mistakes. This is like arriving at the footy before the players run out and seeing that the scoreboard says 0-0. If we continue to dwell on past sin, we compromise (and almost waste) what Jesus has done for us (in terms of where this should lead us). Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”.

The curtain in the temple has been torn apart, representing open access to God through Jesus. Here is forgiveness … receive … take this gift.

Would anyone like to experience such forgiveness today??

"The Way of the Cross" (Mark 8:27-34)

1.     Overview

(a)  Verse 31 gives us the first clear statement in Mark’s Gospel of where Jesus is heading.

(b) It is preceded by the conversation about who people are saying that Jesus is.

(c)  And it is followed by Peter’s reaction to what Jesus has said about his death, which is in turn followed by Jesus’ rebuke of Peter.

(d) So these verses not only inform us that Jesus knew where he was heading, but also reflect on how we might respond to this! Who do we say that Jesus is? Is this who Jesus really is? Can we possibly get it wrong? Are we thinking of “divine things” or “human things”; and why does this matter?? When Jesus chooses the cross, what significance does that have for us?

2.     To speak or not to speak

(a)  Verse 30 compared with verse 32a … why the silence, then the publicity?? This is explained by what follows. There was a real possibility of misrepresentation here. Even though Peter could identify Jesus as the “Messiah”, he clearly did not understand what this identification really meant. Verse 30 could be rendered, “Be quiet about this Messiah business, because you don’t understand it”!

(b) When we talk about Jesus, it would be good for us to know who we are talking about. Is it the convenient Jesus that we might conjure up for ourselves, or the real Jesus? Peter would need to learn to talk about Jesus, not in terms of power, but rather in terms of love.

(c)  We should hasten to add, that this was all part of a process for Peter, that culminated in a very positive beneficial way – soon Peter would know exactly what he was talking about. Sometimes though, to get where we need to be, we have to be confronted.

3.     The “Messiah” (v.29)

(a)  Peter to his credit was willing to speak up. Jesus asked all the disciples the question “Who do you say that I am?” – it was Peter who was prepared to answer. And he got it right, in a way. Peter said the religiously correct thing – he identified Jesus as the long-awaited ‘anointed one of God’. However he clearly did not understand what this title meant. Peter had fallen into the common belief that the “Messiah” would be a politically commanding figure who would automatically solve Israel’s national problems by over-throwing the Romans. Humanly thinking, this was the sort of “Messiah” Peter wanted. This would be a quick fix for Peter’s immediate concerns and desires. In this view of ‘Messiah-ship’ there was earthly power, which these disciples might just be able to share in (giving them special status). Thus Peter found it impossible to believe that Jesus would simply be killed. This is not how ‘leaving everything’ was meant to turn out. [And thus, the “rise again” bit … also did not resonate at all with Peter.]

(b) Peter lived on the edge and reacted! We would not doubt Peter’s love for Jesus, nor his sincerity as a disciple. It’s just that this suffering and death thing did not make any sense to him. ‘Great suffering’ … “pardon me”! “No, this can’t be”! But Peter had missed something! Prophets from seven centuries earlier, especially Isaiah, had talked about this “Messiah” (the One whom God would send) in terms of being a ‘suffering servant’. For example, Isaiah 53:5 … “But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed”. Why did Peter miss this? Maybe he wasn’t open for it.

(c)  First and foremost, Jesus would have deal with the depths of the human heart. Israel as a nation had been liberated many times, but still the human heart lagged behind where God would have it be. If the world was going to be better … if the will of God was going to be done on earth as it is in heaven … if injustice was going to be defeated, and if love was ever going to be the controlling dynamic, then the human heart would have to be changed. There would have to be spiritual transformation on mass. Thus there would have to be a new path toward repentance and forgiveness. Jesus’ way was not the way of privilege or status, but rather the way of the cross … the way of (costly) sacrificial service.

4.     The “rebuke” (v.33)

(a)  Let’s consider how Jesus responded to Peter’s objections. This was a strong ‘rebuke’ … brutal you might think – “Get behind me, Satan”! Clearly Peter’s words had impacted Jesus, with this level of response. [When anyone says something to me that takes me by surprise or presses one of my buttons, then there can be a bit of an edge to my immediate response.] We also read that Peter had the temerity to actually ‘take Jesus aside’ (v.32b) and tell him off. Matthew’s Gospel gives us more details of the words Peter used (16:22), “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you”. In Matthew’s telling of the incident, Jesus also calls Peter “a stumbling block” – “you are a stumbling block to me” (16:23). Not great … being seen as a hindrance like this! “Satan” is the opponent of God’s will – obstructing God’s best intentions – distracting people from the main game – seeking to disrupt God’s plans. As a disciple, this is not how Peter should have been described … far from it!

(b) Peter here was actually behaving like the ‘devil’ had previously when tempting Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). This ‘devil’ was seeking to disrupt and divert Jesus from adhering to the plans and ministry set before him by God. Jesus also successfully resisted this temptation, saying, “Away with you, Satan”. The rebuke for Peter was not quite as strong as this, but not far away. Peter wanted Jesus to fit into his own desires and expectations (which would not include suffering and death). Peter may have liked things the way they were … not thinking of the big picture at all.

(c)  So Jesus was saying, ‘Don’t get in the way’! ‘Get with the program’! Disciples of Jesus need to be on the same page as Jesus. The horse has bolted, and there is now only one way! Jesus was saying that Peter could not be in ‘front’ with his own agenda, for he would get in the way, but rather needed to fall in “behind” his leader … where he could follow and learn! To “set our mind on divine things” is not ‘airy-fairy head in the clouds stuff’ … far from it. “Setting our minds on divine things” is to try to see everyday life from God’s perspective, asking ourselves what God might be seeking to achieve.

(d) With what sort of emotions did Jesus say this to Peter??? Ridicule … NO! Anger/frustration … maybe a bit!?! Disappointment … probably! Love … CERTAINLY! Understanding/compassion/concern – yes! Jesus understands what it is like to be us!! And we remember how Jesus lovingly restored Peter to ministry following his resurrection.

(e)  We should also note that this message wasn’t for Peter alone. The verse begins, “But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter …”. Peter’s views could have been representative of all the disciples of the time. Is there anything here for us? Is there any ways in which we oppose Jesus? Do we at all oppose his will? Do we live contrary to his ways? Do we make a bad name for Jesus? When we identify Jesus as our “Messiah” – is this authentic? Could we ever be a hindrance … maybe even through apathy or indifference!?!

5.     The ‘compulsion’ (v.31)

(a)  We can look at the death of Jesus in a number of ways. We can see it as an injustice or a crime … committed by the Romans in league with corrupt Jewish officials on the basis of trumped up charges. Isaiah 53 (v.8a) brings this out too: “By a perversion of justice he was taken away”. This certainly leads us to see Jesus’ death as an innocent sacrifice, for he was guilty of nothing. We can also see this as the inevitable outcome of Jesus upsetting the status quo like he did. But of course there was far more to Jesus’ death than this. This is best captured by John’s Gospel (10:18a): “No one takes it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord”. Jesus here buys into the greatest outpouring of love of all time.

(b) There is a little three letter word in the Greek text – “dei” – that is crucial here (verse 31). It is generally translated as “must”. This word indicates necessity – it “behoves” me. Jesus is compelled to act in this way … not forced; there is a strong motivation to take this path. This was according to ‘Divine will’, and would also fulfil the Scriptures (as they had always pointed toward the merciful activity of God). God was seeking to set things right – giving humanity every opportunity – bringing forward the ‘new covenant’.

(c)  So we can look at the cross (and the torture that led up to it) as something horrific … for it was. And we can also think of the reasons why it happened – beyond just the mindless political corruption … to the general declining human condition … to our own sin. But we can also see the cross as something glorious … for what it represented – Divine self-sacrifice, unparalleled self-giving, astonishing love; and also for what it achieved – my forgiveness and your forgiveness. Jesus endured suffering so that all people of all nations could be redeemed. Suffering is never good in itself, however can lead to positive outcomes, not necessarily personally, but in the big picture of what God seeks.

6.     Being on the Way of the Cross (v.34)

(a)  Verse 34 points out that our way is also ‘the way of the cross’. To say that we “take up our cross and follow Jesus” must have a direct connection to the way Jesus approached his cross. Jesus acknowledged that going down God’s path of compassionate self-giving love likely involved suffering. This should not surprise us. This should not deter us. Following someone like Jesus would most likely, in most situations in this world, be counter to the norm, and thus draw some negative reaction.

(b) People might just not quite get us because of our priorities. We might just cast a little bit of a contrast when it comes to forgiveness, peace-making, reconciliation, compassion, gentleness; or just by being positive, hopeful, encouraging and generous. We should be known for addressing injustice, abuse and cruelty like Jesus did, but this may not lead to winning a popularity contest. Having said this, integrity does often gain respect.

(c)  Where the Jesus way is lived with integrity and sincerity, there will many positive and joyous outcomes. This happened time and time again in the Gospels, as people responded to and connected with Jesus. And happily this happens today as people have their lives transformed because they come to know Jesus.

(d) We are then left with the call to the disciples (and any potential follower) to “deny themselves” in this participation in the ‘way of the cross’. What does that mean? In this context, to “deny ourselves” is to see God’s agenda as primary. And as already said, “Setting our minds on divine things” is to try to see everyday life from God’s perspective, asking ourselves what God might be seeking to achieve (through all our interactions and relationships on a daily basis). The more we focus on these “divine things”, the more we are drawn into the life of God!!!

"Sharing in God's Resources" (Isaiah 40:25-31)

INTRODUCTION

Is our Christianity working for us?

Do we sense that we are really following Jesus?

Are we growing … growing into the likeness of Christ Jesus?

Is this “new life” we are living, or just a bit of a reordered “old life”?

Are we just doing appearance management?

Are there relationship tensions in your life?

Do feelings of spirituality come and go?

Does your strength waver?

If these questions resonate at all with us, then we should come to this scripture in Isaiah and really meditate upon it.

Doubts had been expressed about God’s capacity to help us, and such doubts were addressed in very elaborate language.

Sometimes life is harder than at other times. Also, some people do have a harder journey than others.

However, having Jesus in our lives, should be making a tangible difference.

This should be our witness today to all those we encounter!

The faith that we profess should be working in reality?

The ancient people of Israel often found themselves pressured, threatened, or separated from their land … forced to live in exile in a foreign country.

Often before and during their times of trial they doubted God … doubting God’s capacities to help them and liberate them.

[On another tangent, after deliverance from trials the people of Israel often then took God for granted! Also these people sometimes confused what they wanted with what they needed according to God’s purposes for them.]

It’s okay, quite human, to doubt God – but what do we do with our doubts?

Dwell on them? Let them persist and grow? Or take them to God (and to God’s Word) … take them into prayer?

When so-called doubting Thomas resolved his doubts, how did he respond to Jesus???

“My Lord and my God” (John 20:28)!

The prophet Isaiah related God’s Word on this:

God is incomparable – no one or thing can do anything for us like God can.

Have a look around you! “Lift up your eyes on high and see” (v.26a). Lift your vision. God is mighty.

God doesn’t miss anything … from the biggest elements of the universe, to a bird fluttering in a tree – to the deepest needs of a human soul.

We might at times feel disregarded, or removed from God’s gaze.

Is it possible that my complicated situation has escaped God?

Has God not seen my need? Could God have possibly forgotten me?

What can we say about that? What does God say?

We are reminded about what we have experienced in the past.

We are reminded about those good things we have been taught (v.28).

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

The “everlasting God”! There is no time when God is not aware of us … seeing us … caring for us.

The “Creator of the ends of the earth”!! There is no place hidden from God’s view.

God is there, God is here; wanting to show us something, wanting to teach us something.

“God does not faint nor grow weary”!

God has a high level of investment in how our lives turn out.

So, God never loses sight of us; God never tires from his interest in us.

God knows our frailty, and loves us intensely. God holds his arms out to us.

“God’s understanding is unsearchable [or, immeasurable, unlimited, outstanding, perfect, awesome]”!

We can’t quite fathom it all – but we can say that God’s understanding is awesome!!

So … there is certainly no deficiency in God’s resources, availability or knowledge.

What does this mean for us?

God can lift us up when we fall down.

When we feel weak, God is still strong. God can bring us through the most challenging trial.

This means the way we look at things can be completely changed from the negative towards the positive.

This can lift our heads. This can un-hunch our shoulders (because our burdens become lighter).

This can bring smiles to our faces. This can mean that we can glide slightly above the ground.

Jesus, our Saviour, took our most pressing burden … the burden of sin, guilt and shame … upon himself on the cross.

Jesus continues to help carry our earthly burdens (as our greatest friend).

What was it that Jesus said (totally consistent with the God Isaiah teaches us about)?

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

It’s like when we go hiking and our pack just weighs that little bit too much. A bigger stronger friend might take over our pack for a bit, while we recover our equilibrium.

Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus came alongside people and caringly addressed their needs and burdens – physical sight through to spiritual sight; debilitating illnesses and destructive demons; addictions to certain behavioural patterns or simply to money. Jesus helped people with every known problem.

Even the most youthful of us, even the most mature of us, even the most confident of us, even the most faith-filled of us, will grow weary in our human capacities, and will find a challenge or two to be very testing; but what can we do?? What does verse 31 say???

“Wait for the Lord”, or, “wait on the Lord”!!??!!

With what result???

Renewed strength, the capacity to fly, the ability to persevere and keep going forward (and run the race with joy).

“If you want to fly like an eagle, don’t hang around with turkeys”!?!

Well we shouldn’t take this too far, but accept the main point.

We should not live according to a very low common denominator – just what everybody else is doing or taking to be normal.

God is seeking to take us to new places – the ways of “heaven” we might say.

We are not to be defined by negative judgements {ours or others}, rather we are to be defined by what God is doing in our lives (or, who we are becoming = ‘the reward’).

When do you feel you are flying? Not as often as you want to!?!

What does it mean to “wait for the Lord”, or wait on God?

·        Often translated in terms of “hope” and “trust”; so,

·        It is to acknowledge that God is the centre of our best future

·        It is to accept that God has our best interests at heart

·        It is (absolutely) to have trust in God on a constant basis – it takes focus and faith for trust to become our default position

·        It is to put all our hope in God for the present and the future

·        It is to see trials and difficulties, no matter how regrettable, as opportunities to learn and grow (and deepen your relationship with God)

·        It is to know that, even if we can’t see it (clearly) now, we will surely see it in due course

·        It means that we faithfully continue the journey while God answers our prayers

·        It means to have a patient expectation that God will be present.

NB. This is all the very opposite of worry and frantic activity!!

What does it mean to have our strength renewed?

·        New coping mechanisms

·        New energy, enthusiasm, motivation

·        New effectiveness, influence

·        New faith

My moment of understanding!!

Verse 31c relating back to verse 28c “He does not faint or grow weary”.

·        Receiving the capacities of God

·        Sharing in God’s resources

·        Replacing or exchanging our old worn out strength with God’s ever-resilient effectiveness

·        This is a giving God … engaging with our frailty and weakness to provide fresh strength

What do I need to do?

1.     Wait upon God i.e. trust God completely, (patiently) knowing that He is present with me

2.     Focus on God, and not so much on my problem areas; and seek wise counsel when I run into blockages

3.     Share life with good friends – tell my stories, hear their stories, and find out more about this giving God who wants us to fly like eagles

4.     Don’t allow myself to stall, constantly hesitating for everything to fall into place (or to be resolved) – embrace the journey, live in the present, without retreating

5.     Worship God with all I have … in the company of other believers.