Just a reminder... we are taking a break until next Monday. See you then as we continue the journey into Luke.
P.A.

Read Mark 16 (click here for link)

--SORRY AGAIN FOR THE DELAY--ANOTHER TECHNICAL GLITCH--

Have you ever read the word of God, heard and understood His promises, and yet still not get it when it happens? Unfortunately, that seems to be our nature. We struggle with the contradiction between common sense and “faith sense.” We hope and expect, but our minds tell us that it just can’t be. So why are we so hard on the people that we read about in the scriptures; they are ordinary people just like us. They experienced the pain and watched the events unfold that would forever shape the path of history. Unlike us, they didn’t have the advantage of looking back at an historic account of the events. This is why we often read that the disciples didn’t get the significance of many things until much later when they were able to look back and “connect the dots”.

Jesus tried to prepare them on many occasions:

“He took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:32-34)

Like the disciples, our ccommonsense defies the message of Jesus Christ raised from the dead. In our world, many would say that this text is nothing but a fairytale. In fact, even the women who witnessed it had a hard time excepting it. The angels told the women in Mark 16, “Don’t be afraid. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." Yet the earliest manuscripts of Mark end with verse eight: The women running away terrified, afraid to say anything to anyone. Perhaps they didn’t understand yet!

We may not run in fear today from the preaching of the resurrection, but sometimes I think it is easy for us to put it aside. We wonder, “Does it actually affect me now, today?” As we continue with our read through Scripture, continue to ask this question. Paul says that without the resurrection, our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15). As people of the resurrection, new life is in you. Ponder what that means for you.

Once again, for the sake of Pastor Aaron's sanity, we will take a week break before beginning the Gospel of Luke. Thank you for all who are still continuing this journey with me. God's peace to you during our break.

Pastor Aaron

Read Mark 15 (click here for link)

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. –Mark 15:21

Isn’t that how it is in your life sometimes? You’re going along just fine and dandy, and turn a corner and suddenly you are forced to bear a cross—a loved one receives a serious diagnosis from the doctor, or someone hurts your feelings. Yes, crosses come in all shapes and sizes. But it is how you bear your cross that matters; because in this way, God is glorified and Christ receives honor. After all, Jesus said, “Anyone who does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27

The crosses that are laid upon us because of our faith in Christ are much, much more than simple persecution for our faith. That would be too simple. No, our crosses are any bad thing that happens to us in life. But the way in which you bear up under such things—the way you handle yourself as a person of faith—either gives glory to Jesus or dishonors him and shows the cross to be a week and paltry thing. If stress from work leaves you angry and bitter in life, than perhaps you must re-evaluate what it means to pick up our cross and follow Him. If financial burdens leave you contemplating how you might skip out on our taxes, than perhaps you should ask yourself, “Am I a Christian? Has the cross saved me?”
We are not just passer-by’s observing Jesus from a distance—admiring him and his work but never getting involved. No, we are much like Simon of Cyrene; crosses are simply laid upon us. As Christians, we are inseparably connected to Christ. We now live under the cross, in the cross and through the cross. Our crosses are now a sign of the Glory of God which is upon us. It is through our crosses that God strengthens us and, yes, even gives us peace and calm and serenity. Because we know that in all things—the worst of things and even the everyday little bothers that we face—the cross of Christ means salvation for us. It means healing. It means that even in the here and now of this sinful world, we have hope of a blessed end with Christ.

Apparently, Simon’s faithful service to the Lord had a lasting impression. Mark identifies him as the father of “Alexander and Rufus.” Apparently these young men were well known to the Christian community to which Mark is writing. Simon’s willingness to bear the cross influenced his sons. Even Paul writes about a certain faithful Rufus (could it be the very same one?) in Romans 16:13. Simon’s example reminds us that when we faithfully bear our crosses in life—be they big or small—we testify to Jesus Christ in ways that often speak louder than words.
Pick up your cross and follow him!

Pastor Aaron

Read Mark 14 (click here for link)

Mark 14 is one of the most heart-wrenching passages of the Bible. Our Lord is left all alone and is abandoned by his disciples. It seem so strange that Jesus would be led away in chains like a common criminal. This was the man who calmed storms and healed the lame. This man had control over demons.

Yet, sometimes scripture also give us intriguing information as well. Who is this young man who flees, leaving his cloak behind? Some have suggested that this is a reference to John Mark, who wrote this gospel -- these verses don't occur in any of the other Gospels -- and that this is his signature placed with the Gospel to insure its authenticity. If this is so, it is yet another reminder that even those who secretly tried to follow Jesus during his Passion were run off by the violent mob that attacked the Lord, leaving Jesus completely alone, without a friendly face when surrounded by a crowd thirsty for blood. No matter who this young man may have been, he is a reminder of a host of those who followed the Lord about whom we know little or nothing. Yet their presence and support of the Lord at other times were crucial to the spread of God's Kingdom and the triumph of the Gospel.

Yes, we have all disowned him and left him at some time or another, but our Lord calls us back through grace and forgiveness. His grace and forgiveness over your sins is his victory over you. You are called into the service of God's Kingdom and the spread of his Gospel.

His peace be with you,

Pastor Aaron

Read Mark 13 (click here for link)

None of us wants to offend a family member because our faith conflicts with their actions. None of us wants to offend our friends or co-workers because our faith conflicts with their lifestyles. And yet, in the back of our minds we hear Christ’s words echoing: “There will be wars and rumors of wars. . . Nation will rise up against nation. . .Brother will betray brother and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents. . .” These things will happen because of our faith, because of the hatred that exists for Christ’s name. And this will not be the end. Christ warns of earthquakes and famines; of political persecution; of false teachers and deceivers. Yet, all these things will be but the “beginning of birth pains,” as Christ says—the beginning of the end.

So what do we do? Do we run and hide from this hatred? Do we hide behind our jobs, our friendships, our nice houses, or our political correctness? Do we hide our faith and confession behind the closed doors of our church and between the dusty covers of our Bible? On account of Christ, do we ever make a stand, or do we try to camouflage ourselves with the things of our culture (money, friends, and new cars) in an attempt to blend in?

Thankfully, the answer is NO! We (in faith) take Christ at his word. We look past all this prophecy promising persecution. We fall on our knees and hear the blessed words of Christ who says: “. . . he who stands firm in the faith will be saved.” It is to this single word — saved — that we cling. For Christ promises more than just persecution. He promises us salvation—won for us by his suffering, his death, his blood and broken body. He is a savior calling us to the comforts of eternal life. He says, “I go to prepare a place for you;” “do not suffer the little children to come unto me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” He says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And yet he promises us even more. He promises us the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit. He says, “. . . do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” “ Do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

We are not alone. We have a God who promises even to give us the words we need. It is our faith and the firm and bold confession of that faith that assures us of our salvation, especially when we are tempted to hide from the awkwardness of sharing our faith with others.

Today’s Reading is Mark 12 (click here for link)

Sometimes the Christian life means great sacrifice.

But not always! That is the difficult thing. Today Mark tells us about the widow’s two mites. Jesus says hers was the greatest offering, because she gave all that she had—it was a sacrifice. But where do we go from here? To say that our offerings must emulate the widow’s is perhaps too extreme, yet sometimes that is the conclusion drawn from this text. Remember too, that Jesus told the rich young man, “Go and sell all that you have…”

Are we all sinning because we are withholding from our Lord?

But you might argue, “I have a family to support.” Yes you do… but what about that nice set of golf clubs you bought last year? What about the manicure you treated yourself to? Could you not have gone without and given to the Lord instead? After all, the widow did! Yet… somehow I don’t think that is the point Jesus was making. Otherwise, why would he not have stopped Mary of Bethany, who broke the jar of precious perfume and poured it on Jesus' head, it was an act for which no one else saw any occasion; the disciples said it was a waste. But Jesus commended Mary for her extravagant act of devotion, and said that wherever His gospel was preached she would be remembered for it.

Yes… sometimes the Christian life means great sacrifice.

But not always! That is the difficult thing. To sell everything you have and give it to the poor until you yourself are poor and your family has nothing to eat would be foolish. You would be testing God. On the other hand, to live your life with the hope of increase or running after leisure would certainly lead you away from God, as well. Instead, the life of sacrifice is the life of walking the fine line. Sacrifice without reason can quickly become waste.

In this way, the Gospel is always surprising us with its endorsement of the unexpected—the great sacrifice. There are times when it is necessary. But not all the time! The difficulty lies in trusting the plan of God when he calls you to sacrifice.

Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me… ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" John 7:38

Jesus has a purpose for each of us, and His purpose is not the development of a man or a woman. His purpose is to make you exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain, but what He pours through us that counts (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).

Good wine comes from good grapes. God’s purpose is not to make us plump little grapes to be left on the vine. That is not His intention at all. He desires to squeeze the sweetness right out of us when the time for harvest is near.

Will you lay it all down when he calls?

Pastor Aaron

Read Matthew 11 (Click here for link)

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark 11: 24-25

God is generous with his forgiveness! Aren't we glad? However, just as God is generous with forgiveness, he is also adamant about our forgiving of others. Remember, we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” and “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Therefore, what Jesus says in our Gospel reading should chill us to our soul. Forgiveness is not just a heavenly thing—it is lived out here on earth. We will be forgiven the way we forgive others. (See also Matthew 6:14-15 to have this point reinforced!)

Holding grudges blocks the Lord's graciousness from our lives. Or perhaps it is that we block out the graciousness of the Lord from our lives by holding grudges. Either way, when we hold on to grudges and anger it is our will that we are doing and not the Lord’s. You must ask yourself, “Do I believe that Almighty God is the source of my will?” (You claim your faith in him each time you say the creed.) Yet, God not only expects you to do His will, He is in you to do it. THANK GOD! His Spirit dwells in you through Christ.

So, when you hold a grudge, you wage war against God, who is in you and that is a battle you cannot win! Forgiveness can never be compatible with hate.

Today, let's be children of our Father -- generous in forgiveness, quick to love, and slow to condemn.

Pastor Aaron

Good morning everyone. Just wanted to apologize for the late postings. Our internet is out at the house so I have to wait until I get to the office to post the devotional. I hope to have this problem resolved soon.

Today's reading is Mark 10 (click here for link)

Today, Jesus teaches on marriage and divorce. This is always a prickly issue.

In the Old Testament, Moses had allowed for divorce. In Deuteronomy 24:1-5 the law stated:

If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.

This clause, was not meant to give license to sin. Divorce was never seen as ideal or a good thing. In fact, few would say that divorce is ever “good.” It brings hardship and pain no matter how inevitable it may sometimes be. In Deuteronomy, God allowing an option for divorce was meant to provide a means of living as holy of a life as possible even in sinful situations. In Jesus’ day, there were two prevailing interpretations of this passage. The first interpretation emphasized the clause: “…because he finds something indecent about her…”. The second interpretation emphasized the preceding clause, stating that divorce was acceptable if a wife should ever “displease” her husband in any way—even if it was burning his supper.

The Pharisees pose this devious question as an attempt to trap Jesus. However, as conservatives themselves, many of the Pharisees probably agreed with the first interpretation. But they were hoping to get Jesus in trouble with Herod, whom John the Baptist had denounced for unlawful marriage to his brother’s wife(Mark 6:17-18).

Jesus clearly sides with the more conservative interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1-5. In the Matthew parallel, he qualifies exactly what “indecent” behavior is, adultery and abandonment (if we also consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 7:10-15). Yet Jesus grounds his authority not in a law taught by Moses, he instead refers back to the very first marriage. He grounds the authority of marriage in God’s original intention that man and woman live as one flesh. For man to put asunder what God has joined together is blatant sin. Thus the bonds of marriage go well beyond what any courts may decree. This indeed makes divorce a prickly issue!

Sadly, divorce is sometimes inevitable. Marriage bonds are made in sinful world and we know that the “wages of sin is death.” Sin brings death to everything it touches and sometimes this may mean the bonds of love and trust between a husband and wife. While marriage bonds may sometimes fail in this sinful world, on union we must never put asunder is the union of our sin to Jesus Christ on the cross. God has given each man and woman complete reconciliation through his son. Through this “marriage, God has Christ’s righteousness to our sinfulness. We are righteous in God’s eyes even though we still may sin and even though our marriage may fail.

Living as a reconciled child of God in this sinful world is not easy, just as living out Christian love and forgiveness is never easy in the midst of a divorce. However, Jesus warns here in Mark as the scriptures do elsewhere, that in this world even the most basic social institutions may fail, yet even despite the pain and brokenness of this world, there is mercy for sinners. However, his gracious mercy should never obscure the fact that in all things, loving and faithful relationships between husband and wife should be cherished and cultivated. In fact, it the ideals of marriage that best reveal to us the relationship we have to Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33). We are joined to Christ forever. His love and his faithfulness will sustain us!

What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Pastor Aaron

Read Mark 9 (click here for link)

“After six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.” Mark 9:2

We have all had times on the mountain, when we have seen things from God's point of view and have wanted to stay there; but God will never allow us to stay there. Never! It must be the way of things, because the true test of our spiritual life is strength in the valley. For sure, it is a great thing to be on the mountain with God, but our lives are lived beneath the mountain, among the devil-possessed (which is the entire world); it is our work to lift them up—to bring them to the vision of God we have seen.

Oswald Chambers wrote: “We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle.”

I think Chambers got it right. Remember, what Jesus said yesterday in our reading, that whoever would be his disciple “must deny himself and bear up his cross and follow me.” Notice his remark about “denying” oneself. Spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mount. We feel as though we cannot go on unless we receive some mountaintop clarity. We believe we could talk like angels and live like angels, if only we could stay near the clouds. Indeed, such times are exceptional, they have their meaning in our life with God, but they are meant to be like the energy drink before the final sprint—eventually we are going to have to start running!

In this morning’s text, Peter thought it would be a fine thing for them to remain on the mount, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mountain into the valley, the place where the purpose of the vision is run out.

“…if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Mark 9:22

It takes the valley to root the skepticism out of us. Look back at your own experience, and you will find that until you learned “who” Jesus was (really saw his power for you), you were a bit doubtful about His power. After all, how many of us believe that the miracles we read in scriptures are not really for us? But then we receive a mountaintop vision; God does something amazing for you. You believe! But how long does it last?

It is easy to believe just about anything when you are up on the mountain, but what about the times when you are up against the hard facts of life in the valley? It is hard to testify to the mountain vision when we are bearing the burden or humiliation of a cross down in the valley. So hang on to those mountaintop memories. The God who has been faithful will be faithful still. He is with you in the valley too, but he is teaching you the power of the cross.

The last time you were on the mount with God, you saw that all power in heaven and on earth belonged to Jesus - will you be skeptical now in the valley?

Perhaps we find the prayer, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief,” a familiar one.

Pastor Aaron

Read Matthew 8 (click here for link)

“Get behind me, Satan!”

Notice that Jesus does not say, “Get behind me, Peter.” Instead he says, “Satan.” Was this Jesus’ way of suggesting that Peter’s advice was so evil, that Peter was so taken over by Satan, he had lost his identity and had become Satan in Peter’s clothing? Or was this Jesus way of pinpointing the real enemy on this occasion—Satan and not Peter: “But this is your hour [Satan] and the power of darkness (Luke 22:53)?

No doubt, both explanations are correct.

Yes, while Satan does not play a prominent role in the Gospels, he is certainly there. At the beginning of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the ministry of Jesus begins with an assault by the persuasive power of the Devil. After spending 40 days in the dessert fasting, our Savior is tempted by suggestions of Satan for food, fame, and power. But what is the real purpose? Satan doesn't just want Jesus to listen to him and obey his petty suggestions; rather, Satan wants Jesus to avoid one thing, the cross. Without the cross, Satan wins! Without the death of the Son of God for man, death reigns! And thus, today in our reading, Satan works through on of Jesus closest friends, Peter, to keep him from heading toward the cross.

Consider these words from the popular hymn:

1. When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of Glory died;
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the death of Christ, my God;
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

3. See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown.

4. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

The cross truly is our greatest treasure despite its horrors. It is the only legitimate defense we have before an evil enemy and a righteous and perfectly just God. Thus Satan will do anything to keep us from the cross just as he tried to keep Jesus from his cross. Even as Jesus took his final breaths, Satan was there trying to prevent Jesus’ great work of salvation through the cross. Read Mark’s description of Satan in those final hours:

“And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!" So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.” Mark 15: 29-33

Yes, those who “wagged their heads” and mocked him at the foot of the cross saying, “Come down” and “Save yourself” sounded very much like Satan asking Jesus to cast himself down from the Temple tower to be acknowledged the Son of God in Luke 4 and Matthew 4. But Jesus’ love for us was even greater than the temptation. He now asks us to follow him in the way of the cross; for it is there that we truly avoid the work of Satan in us and through us. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

In Christ,
Pastor Aaron

Today’s Reading is Mark 7 (click here for link)

Last night I was at Epiphany’s Missouri City campus teaching confirmation again for the first time since the Christmas break. The kids are studying the 2nd Article of the Apostles Creed: “[I believe] in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord…”

The confirmation kids were asking great questions, but then I noticed something… the answers aren’t always so easy. We believe some rather fantastic stuff. We believe in a Savior who is 100% God and 100% man; we believe in a Savior who died for the sins of every man, woman, and child—one for billions; we believe that his body and blood are even now, still present each time we eat the bread and wine; we believe that even though this Supper is served on literally thousands of altars around the world each Sunday, there is always enough of Jesus body and blood to go around; we believe that even though Jesus ascended into heaven, he presently dwells there with his human body; we believe that this very physical Jesus will one day descend and raise up all the dead—even those who are nothing but dust and ashes now—and give them back their physical body; we believe that all of us then will live eternally with God.

It is rare that in an adult Bible class there is anyone as brave as those confirmation students--brave enough to ask directly about such things. Adults don’t like to appear ignorant. And so too often they pretend. We shake our heads and acknowledge the seemingly fantastic and absurd tenets of our faith. We may believe but perhaps we are afraid to understand.

But not confirmation kids! They question everything!

This morning, in our text the Pharisees question Jesus. Of course, these are not innocent questions, it is meant to be a trap. They want to know why the disciples don’t follow the most basic ritual observances of Jewish law, such as washing of hands before eating.

Obviously, they are wrongheaded and have nothing but evil intentions, but ironically, the Pharisees are not so far from the truth in their insistence on the need for washing. Truth is, we are all in need of washing—thorough, thorough washing. However, not just our hands need a cleaning but our very lives. No matter who we are and no matter what we have done, there is baggage that we all carry around with us—dirty baggage. We need to be clean. Scripture is clear that this can happen in only one way: Baptism through the life giving Word of Jesus.

Scripture speaks of this in many and various poetic ways: Revelations 7:14 says we must wash our robes and make them white in the blood of the lamb; 1 Corinthians 6:11 says that unless we are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus…; Hebrews 10:22 says that our hearts must be sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water; Acts 22:16 proclaims “Arise” and “be baptized;” Ephesians 5: 26 that we have been made holy by washing of water by the word; and Psalms 51:7 reports that we must be purged with hyssop and made whiter than snow.

Perhaps such language seems at times too abstract or philosophical in the ears of the average adult in adult Bible class. Yes, we believe it and nod our heads acceptingly, but are we afraid to probe too deeply that which we don’t always understand.

The tenets of our faith are not absurd at all, they are fantastic. You have been saved through baptism into the life of Jesus. His life means life for you. His peace means peace for you. The reality of “God with us” in Jesus Christ means amazing things will happen to you. Don’t stifle the questions. Engage the confirmation student in your life and see if you can answer his questions.

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

Read Mark 6 (click here for link)

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. –Mark 6:34

On December 23 I quoted from Isaiah 53. Read again a brief portion of this prophecy of the suffering Servant, Jesus Christ.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away.

Afterwards, I closed that blog post with these words:

It would be untrue entirely to build a theology on the premise that God forgives us our sins because he loves us. Yes, he does love us, but he hates our sin. Jesus Christ on the Cross is the proof of his hatred for sin. We must never believe that God has sympathy for us sinners. There is no sympathy from the perfect justice and righteousness of God; He does not sympathize with sin. He condemns it! If God does forgive sin it is only by the death of Christ. This is the mercy of God: that he sent Jesus to become the curse that was hanging over our heads.

The past week I have had a few people make comments to me about the above words. Some took offense at the statement that our theology should not be built around the fact that God loves us. That is indeed a shocking statement—and scary! But it is entirely true.

God does indeed love us—he loves all his creation. But the moment we begin to base our status before God on his love for us, a dangerous thing happens, we forget the terrible act that God performed to save us—Jesus Christ crucified.

The only love we know from God is through Jesus. Apart from Jesus there is no love from God—only damnation. It took the blood of God to bring out the love of God for us. That is a terrible thing. But for us it is SALVATION.

Thus it is entirely appropriate for Jesus to have compassion on sinners in our text from Mark 6.

He is the love of God made flesh.


Francisco de Zurbaran, "Agnus Dei" (1635-40)

…He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. –Isaiah 53

Pastor Aaron

Today’s Reading: Mark 5 (click here for link)

He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.

I think I get a small sense of déjà vu reading this account of Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead. The King James Version here translates verse 40 as, “They laughed him to scorn.” This sounds strikingly similar to another death and resurrection account we recently read—Matthew 27. In fact, this text from Mark 5 greatly foreshadows Marks description of Jesus passion, where like in Matthew’s account, Jesus too is mocked and derided by synagogue rulers, soldiers, the crowds beneath the cross, and finally by a criminal hanging beside him; each of them ridiculing him for his claim to be the Christ; each of them laughing because their hard hearts could not understand.

"You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

“He saved others, but can he save himself?”

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

"Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?"

"His blood be on us and on our children!"

“He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.”

(From Matthew 26, 27 and Mark 15)

They laugh him to scorn at Jarius’s house and they laugh him to scorn at the cross. Yet in both places Jesus performs his greatest miracle—he reveals his sacred purpose: He brings life from death. The dead girl rises up and eats! Jesus after three days rises up and eats a meal of fish on the lake shore.

Who is it that has the last laugh?

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One… [But] he who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury. O why do the nations rage, and the people plot in vain? (Psalm 2)

This morning we witness a small taste of the great victory. Talitha koum reminds us of the angel’s words in the early light of Easter morning, “He is risen, he is not here.”

The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. (psalm 37) On that day every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. There will be no laughing on that day. (Philippians 2)

Dear Christian friends, whatever may trouble you today, hear these words: "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8)

Come quickly, Lord… raise us up from our suffering.

Pastor Aaron

Read Mark 4 (click here for link)

Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?
—Mark 4:30

In Mark chapter 4, Jesus uses several analogies about seed to describe the kingdom of God. And yet the crowds—even his own disciples—have a difficult time understanding him. But isn’t that the way God seems to work in your life, as well? Things are never as we expect them to be. You keep looking for the kingdom of God to manifest itself in your life, and just when you begin to despair, you turn a corner in life and suddenly it unfolds right before your very eyes.

Lately, I have been thinking about such things. As a pastor here at Epiphany, there are many things that I am responsible for and ministries that I oversee. But sometimes it can start to seem more like busy work. The new small group program that will begin this January is a good example. Working toward this has been a huge stress in my life the past few months. I keep thinking and distressing about it. I worry…

What if it doesn’t work?

How am I going to get everything organized when I have sermons to write and other things that need to get done?

What if people don’t sign up?

But you know what… the kingdom is out of my hands! God’s kingdom is like a seed. I may plant it, but I can’t make it germinate; that is entirely in God’s hands.

Jesus assures us today the Kingdom of God is outside our every expectation. In fact, it often turns up where we least expect it—like a small seed which quickly grows into a healthy plant. Your challenge is to trust the calling God has given you and the work you are doing for him even when it seems you are tilling barren soil, because if just one of those seeds you are sowing sprouts, it will grow into a mighty and fruitful tree.

Sometimes, I just have to remember to keep working hard. God will be faithful. His kingdom will come. The question is: Am I hoping for my will or His will be done?

One thing is for sure, it is lot less stressful if you simply pray for His will to be done—because it always will! Then you have nothing to worry about.

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

Today’s reading is Mark 3. (click here for link)

In church (the Lutheran church, for sure) we preach the truth of the Gospel that all our sins are forgiven because of Jesus Christ. We do our best to proclaim Jesus as a Savior strong enough to forgive even the most evil acts of any person—the worst of the worst. The key is faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

However, it surprises me how often people will respond to me when I invite them to church, “Pastor, you don’t know the things I have done.” They seem to be convinced that God cannot or will not forgive them. How I wish I could sit them down and teach them about our gospel reading today. Jesus so clearly describes himself, not as a fickle minded judge who is quick to condemn sinners; but rather, he describes himself as a thief who is able to break in into a strong man’s house, tie up the strong man, and steal his prized possessions. Jesus is speaking of Satan’s hold over us. Satan wants nothing more than to keep us locked up in our sin, believing that we are too separated from God to receive forgiveness. However, Jesus is stronger.

In fact, Mark more than adequately demonstrates this by recording more of Jesus’ exorcisms than any of the other gospels. Jesus entry into the world according to Mark, was like a thief into a strong man’s house. He literally went about his ministry tying up Satan and casting him out. Yet, surprisingly, no one recognized this lowly Galilean as the Son of God—no one except the demons, but by the time they recognized him, it was always too late.

Our Savior comes to steal us back from the grip of the strong man, Satan, and once we are in his hand, no one can snatch us away from him (John 10:28). There is no length our Lord is not willing to go to make us His own. Just read 1 Timothy 2:4 (click here for link).

The only way Satan wins is if we reject the power of Jesus. To refuse to believe in the power of Jesus is to refuse the very Holy Spirit who reveals that truth to each of us. In this way, forgiveness can never be obtained.

Don’t let Satan pull the wool over your eyes. You have forgiveness in Jesus. He calls you by name in this gospel. He says you are his brother, or sister, or mother. In Him you are no longer under the power of Satan. You are in Jesus possession now!

Many Hallelujahs!

Pastor Aaron

P.S. Sorry for the broken link yesterday. I hope things work better this morning :)

Read Mark 2 (Click here for link)

This morning Jesus says, “Follow me.”

This past Sunday morning, in Bible class, pastor Jon made the comment that Christians who were raised in the Church often have a tendency to take things for granted concerning Christian “calling,” “sending,” and “mission.” At times, my own experience has been this. Sometimes it takes a real conscious effort to step out of our own self-imposed status quo and take a fresh look at our Christian lives. Do we perennially ask ourselves the questions: How is Jesus calling me? Will I come when he calls?

It would seem that one of the greatest hindrances in coming to Jesus is the excuse of temperament. We make our temperament and our natural affinities barriers to coming to Jesus when he calls. The first thing we realize when we come to Jesus is that He pays no attention whatever to our natural affinities. We have the false idea that we can more properly discern how our gifts, talents and time can be used in his service. But the truth is, how can you give what is not yours? Such things are gifts that have been given to you by our Lord.

Consider the words of the great devotional writer, Oswald Chambers, who said, “If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you. God's experiments always succeed.”

In this New year, take to heart your calling as a child of God. You are not your own any longer. You are called to a greater purpose. Pray about it!

But heed also Oswald Chambers warning: “If you abandon to Jesus, and come when He says "Come," He will continue to say "Come" through you; you will go out into life reproducing the echo of Christ's "Come." That is the result in every soul who has abandoned and come to Jesus.”

Have I come to Jesus? Will I come now?
LORD HELP ME…
Pastor Aaron

P.S. Sorry for the tardiness of these last two posts. I will work on that.

Today’s Reading is Mark 1 (click here for link)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you all had a great holiday week. Perhaps many of you won’t be reading this until a little later because of the late night spent waiting for the ball to drop. I, however, went to bed at 9:30 last night. I guess that is what having young kids does to you. Yet, despite going to bed early, I am up late this morning. It is almost 8:00 and I am first now writing this. But what else is a Holiday for?

This morning we began reading through the Gospel of Mark. This gospel is interesting particularly because of its “immediacy.” In other words, everywhere that Jesus goes and everything he does, he does it “immediately” or “at once” (depending on the translation). Just try counting the number of times this word is used in each chapter. Consequently, because Jesus does everything “immediately” and coupled with the fact that this gospel is only 16 chapters long, it would seem that according to Mark, Jesus’ ministry lasted not much more than a matter of a few months. Which, for example, is in sharp contrast to John’s recording of Jesus’ ministry which he indicates was at least 3 years long.

Of course, reading the Gospels this way (one after another) will tend to make the differences between them stand out. However, don’t worry about any so called “inconstancies.” Each of these gospels was written for future generations of Christians to record for them the amazing things that Jesus did and the amazing things he taught. Each writer had his own manner of doing this; each writer wrote with specific style and purpose; furthermore, none of the writers wrote with the expectation or knowledge that their gospel would be bound side-by-side with other gospels in the Bible. They simply wrote what was necessary to reveal that the man Jesus was truly the Christ—the Son of God. In this way, it is actually quite remarkable just how similar the four gospels really are. Each of them testifies 100%that Jesus is the Son of God, who died on the cross for atonement of our sins and was raised on the third day and seen by many witnesses.

Concerning Mark, specifically… We learn from ancient sources that he was a disciple of Peter. Mark followed Peter around later in Peter’s ministry. By this time, Peter was an old man. He would get up in front of a church to deliver his sermons, and no doubt the congregation would see the light his eyes as Peter recounted the amazing things he experienced as a disciple of Jesus. Peter would tell these stories about his days with Jesus and Mark would be sitting somewhere in the back writing them all down. Later, Mark would organize all these “sermon stories” into one orderly account, which we now know as the Gospel of Mark.

That is the story as we have it from the ancient Church… but who really knows? I believe the testimony of the ancient Church, but we may have to wait until kingdom come to know for sure. Until then, I think we can rely on what Mark records as his purpose for writing. He says in Mark 1:1—“The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” He doesn’t mince any words, he tells us straight up: THIS IS ABOUT JESUS, THE SON OF GOD. Any book that makes this claim is undoubtedly one to which we should pay careful attention.

Enjoy!!!

Pastor Aaron