March 1st, 2020
Devotional
“First Last, Last First”
Mark 10: 17-31
Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com
Monday: “What Must I Do?” - Mark 10: 17
There is a popular Christian chorus that declares. “At the cross, at the cross, I surrender my life - I give it all to you.” Such commitment to surrender our lives to Christ is a journey - not a one time choice. It is a path that we choose to tread day in and day out.
Today’s text starts with an interruption. Jesus is on his way to the next town, but before he could leave a man ran up to him and begged him for the answer to just one question - what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Is that not a question that many of us have asked and heard over the years in its various forms: how can I be certain that I am saved? How do I get into heaven?
I remember a Bible study I was teaching a few years ago about evangelism - sharing our faith. One of the women in the room with the deepest spirituality I had ever encountered shared with the group that she wasn’t sure she was saved because she didn’t have an earth shattering moment where Jesus entered her life in such a way that she had what she dubbed “a salvation story to share”. Its one of the questions I hear most often from church folks, who like this woman, have grown up in the church hearing about Christ and growing closer to him each day, but wondering if that is truly enough.
What is the man asking with his question?
Prayer: God, we desire to follow your will and way, but at times, O Lord, it does not seem clear to us. Speak to us, O Lord. Light forth your path and give us obedient hearts to follow. Amen.
Tuesday: “You Know the Commandments” - Mark 10: 18-20
This man is wondering the same thing. How does one know for sure that they are going to have eternal life? But Jesus took his question and turned it on its head. First, he took time to instruct the man about God - directing that man back to the source of all that is good - God alone. Even before he could get to his question, the man seemed to get confused - referring to Jesus as the good teacher, not because he recognized him as Messiah and Lord, as Peter did in another passage of scripture, but because he noticed that Jesus seemed to have something special about his teachings and healings.
What about us? Are we just as confused as the man in this scripture lesson? Are we confused about who and what is good in our lives? Good isn’t just keeping the letter of the law, like the man said he did, good is keeping in the spirit of the law - which means doing that which honors God. Are we doing what we do because we think we should or because it is the law of scripture or are we responding to God’s goodness, power and love? Are we doing what we ought to do or are we lead to do as a response to God’s saving grace in our lives?
How do we define what is good in our lives?
Prayer: Lord, sometimes our thoughts and vocabulary need a theological makeover. We are so used to calling that which we like ‘good’, but you invite us to examine whether it is truly from you and you alone. Give us your eyes, O Lord, so we can truly perceive and respond to that which is good. Amen.
Wednesday: “You Lack One Thing” - Mark 10: 21-22
For the man, Jesus’s next response, next teaching for him was a hard truth - he may be keeping the letter of the law, but his wealth was getting in the way of knowing the goodness of God and responding freely to that goodness in his life. Before we start to chastise this man I think we need to examine our own hearts this evening and ask what is keeping our own hearts from receiving and responding freely to the goodness of God. Our judgment of others? Our need to accumulate wealth or possession? Our need to follow God on our own terms, instead of responding to the call of God on our lives? What could potentially block us from God’s goodness is going to be different for each of us. For this man it was his wealth. For us it could be something entirely different - but we need to stop and examine our hearts before we can renounce it.
This man was probably expecting from Jesus’s first question and response to hear that he was all good - that he was guaranteed an in for eternity - but once again Jesus didn’t give his second answer in terms of eternal life, but instead spoke about having treasure in heaven. It is as if Jesus is asking the man where is your heart? What’s most important to you?
What may be blocking you from fully following God?
Prayer: Almighty God, help us to recognize anything in our hearts and lives that may be a stumbling block, preventing us from chasing after you. Confront us, O Lord, and cleanse us, we pray. Amen.
Thursday: “How Hard” - Mark 10: 23-27
The man’s face fell and he went away. He was confronted by hard questions and even harder truths and it was more than he could bear. Sometimes when we look into our hearts and start to really ask what is most important to us, we may become shocked and disappointed with the answer. Perhaps you have been traveling along your journey with Christ and think that you have it all together - you go to worship, serve the Lord, and are feeling good about everything - only to hear the question of Christ - where is your treasure? And you start to look deep into your heart and realize that things aren’t as they seem. That you are following Christ but only the way you want to, only the extent you want to, instead of giving your very all to God.
Why was the man unable to follow Jesus?
Prayer: God of Grace, thank you for reminding us in today’s scripture that you alone have the power to save. May we trust in you, looking to the only one who makes this possible - Jesus Christ - as ruler of our hearts and lives. Amen.
Friday: “First Will be Last” - Mark 10: 28-31
The man couldn’t give up his wealth, because there as power, prestige, and privilege in his wealth and he was looking for that same power, prestige, and privilege from Christ telling him that it was all good, he was all set, and that he was on his way to inheriting eternal life. But Jesus, in the Gospel of Mark, teaches not about eternal life, but about the Kingdom of God - which is both ever present and yet to come. Christ teaches that the Kingdom comes from God’s very self, God’s goodness, and as he teaches about it more and more it starts to hit closer to home, becoming relevant and challenging. For in the Gospel of Mark, the Kingdom of God was much bigger than getting to heaven when you die - its the issue of surrendering your heart to the work of God here and now. And the man just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
The harder question is can we? Are we more concerned with where we are going to go when we die than honoring God with our lives here and now? Are we more about doing things within our own power, or doing the impossible for the sake of God’s kingdom? Can we surrender our lives for the sake of God’s Kingdom?
Let us take time this season to reflect on our own hearts asking God if we are truly surrendering our very selves for the sake of the Kingdom and if there is anything that is blocking us from God’s goodness.
How is the way of Christ a reversal of the way of the world?
Prayer: God, let our very beings be so focused on you and your Kingdom that it is the desire of our hearts. Amen.
Saturday: Preparing for the Word
You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic to prepare for worship: “Bartimaeus Healed” - Mark 10: 32-52
No comments:
Post a Comment