WHY DID JESUS COME (CHAPTER 1)
2 RIDDLES – 4 ANSWERS (CHAPTER 4)
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (CHAPTER
5)
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IF
(CHAPTER 9)
THE GREATEST TEACHING
(CHAPTER 11)
Mark, Chapter 1
Four
centuries had passed without any prophecies, without any words from God, and
then… a bug-eating prophet dressed in camel skins steps out of the wilderness
and into the Jordan River to inaugurate the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.
But what
was this ministry about? What did Jesus
come to say? What did He come to do?
First, He
was baptized - then tempted. The
sinless One identified Himself with sinful humanity. Then He preached. His
text? “Repent, and believe in the
gospel.”
The
miracles Jesus performed proved He was the Son of God. He healed many, but when He was sought for
more healing, He was found praying in a secluded place. His disciples said, “Everyone is looking for
You!” We must not miss the impact of
His response. He did not say, “Let’s
get busy. How many are there? What are their diseases? Are they hurting badly?” No, in fact, His answer seems at first to be
insensitive.
He said,
“Let us go somewhere else…so I can preach there also.” And then He says what may be the most
significant six words in the Bible:
“That is why I have come.”
It wasn’t
to physically heal, although He healed many.
It wasn’t to change water into wine or curse fig trees, although He did
that. It wasn’t to bless children and
curse scribes, but He certainly did that.
It was not even to walk on water, rebuke storms, or command demons, but
He did that (and still does)! As
wonderful as it all is, the Word was not made flesh for that.
Jesus of
Nazareth, the Son of God, came to present the good news of salvation, both
verbally, by teaching and preaching; and visually, by suffering and dying.
Why? -To provide sinful humans access
to a holy God. “That is why I have
come.”
Chapter one
closes with Jesus saying to the leper, “I am willing.” Leprosy is a physical picture of what sin
does spiritually. Jesus was willing to
cleanse the leper, and He is still willing today to deliver you from whatever
threatens your soul. Trust Him! That is why He came!
Prayer:
Thank you, Father, for Jesus.
Thank you for hope. Thank you
for restoring the intimacy that was lost in the Garden. Amen.
Ó
2003 C. E. Briggs
THAT YOU MAY KNOW
Mark 2
In chapter one, Jesus revealed a secret that many today are still unaware of. Turn your television to the right channel and almost any time of day, you can find those who teach that Jesus came to heal every physical problem in this life and make every bank account overflow with money. Ironically, the self-proclaimed prophets who teach these things, as well as those who they pray for, get sick themselves and die. The statistics are overwhelming – one out of every one person contracts the same disease and dies. The disease is called physical death. It may be cancer, car-accident, drowning, leukemia, organ failure – the list is almost endless. The results are always the same. Jesus did not come to seek every person with a physical problem and heal them.
The leper from chapter one knew this, and he respectfully, bowed to the lordship of Jesus Christ and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus said, “I am willing.” Jesus did not rebuke the person for weak faith. Instead, Jesus was “filled with compassion.” Wouldn’t it be nice if more people would yield to the will of Jesus instead of their own wills?
When four men lowered their friend through the roof of the house where Jesus was, “Jesus saw their faith” and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” In fact, Jesus did physically heal the paralytic, but why did He do it? Listen to His own words, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” Jesus showed that physical healing was a secondary concern – but spiritual healing was primary.
If you are in great physical need and you know that Jesus is able to heal you, and you are willing to surrender to his will, he sees your faith, and you can be sure that He has healed your soul, and you can be sure that if He is willing you will be healed physically in this life.
Some say our healing is guaranteed in the atonement: “By His stripes we are healed.” And they are absolutely right. But don’t miss the context of the Bible as a whole, life as a whole, and common sense. We know by grace through faith that our souls are healed, and we know that in the resurrection our corruptible bodies will put on incorruption, and we will enjoy complete physical victory! (1 Cor 15:54)
Yes, we have a guarantee in our hearts, sealed by the Spirit of God (2 Cor 1:22). Certainly God does bless us in this life. He knows when the sparrow falls, and He is concerned with the most trivial details of your life, but never forget: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (Jn 6:29).
It seems perfect that chapter 2 should close with Jesus words, “So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.” Surrender to His Lordship today, and discover eternal healing.
Ó 2003 C. E. Briggs
JESUS KNOWS
Mark 3
It has been said that
everyone is either:
- Coming out of a serious problem,
- In the middle of a serious problem, or
- Heading into a serious problem.
So, where do you stand in
this formula? What are you going
through today?
In this third chapter of the
Book of Mark, Jesus proclaimed Himself Lord over the Sabbath, and He continued
to heal on the Sabbath. This made the
religious leaders furious, because even though Jesus used no ointments or
herbs, they still considered Him to be practicing medicine, and that was
considered work, which was forbidden on the Sabbath. But this was just one of many ways that the religious and
political leaders tried to discredit Jesus.
Often the crowds He drew
were fickled, at their best, and deadly, at their worst.
In chapter 3:
- He was falsely accused of corrupting the
Sabbath.
- He selected the twelve apostles of which one
would deny Him, one would betray Him, and all would abandon Him in His
agony.
- Religious leaders accused Him of casting out demons
by the power of Satan.
- His own family even tried to kidnap Him because
they thought He was insane.
No wonder the writer of
Hebrews said “we have a High Priest Who can sympathize with our weaknesses, but
was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
I don’t know what you have
been through, what you are going through right now, or what you are about to go
through, but Jesus does and He wants you to know He personally cares.
The certain fact is: Jesus
knows and understands.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, we approach you through Christ Jesus, Your only unique
Son. May we learn this day to be more
gentle and humble in heart like Jesus.
Be glorified in all we do and say - in our homes, our workplaces, and
our communities. Amen.
Ó
2003 C. E. Briggs
Mark 4
I’ve got a riddle for
you. What do birds, rocks, and thorns
have in common? The answer? Well, actually there are two answers. 1) They can all mess up a perfectly good
planting season; by eating the seeds, preventing strong roots, and choking out
young plants. 2) They represent people
who hear the Word of God and respond, but are sidetracked by Satan, lack of
devotion, and selfish desire for partying, more money, and nicer things.
I’ve got another riddle for you. What do good soil, a sleeping farmer, an elevated lamp, and a
tiny mustard seed have in common? You
probably have already guessed: I have two answers to this one also. 1) They all represent things that appear
useless at first, but can produce amazing results. 2) They all represent the Kingdom of God, which starts with a
seemingly insignificant Carpenter, a small group of odd characters, the good
news of God’s salvation, and the sovereign grace of a loving Father, and ends
up with a global family of people who love God, and love others so much that
they are willing to share the truth about sin and salvation.
This chapter begins and ends with Jesus speaking in a boat
on the sea. His words result in
rejection, curiosity, fear, and peace -- rejection by those who prefer to
remain in sin rather than attempt to understand the words of Jesus; curiosity
in those who seek to understand His words; fear in those who underestimate His
power; and peace in those who surrender their lives completely to Him.
The disciples asked the question in the last verse, “Who is
this Man…?” We know how they eventually
answered that question (Mt 16:16). But
how do you answer?
Prayer: Father,
break our hearts into fertile soil, plant the Gospel seed, protect us from
evil, and insure a bountiful harvest in our lives. Through Christ we pray – Amen.
Ó
2003 C. E. Briggs
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Mark 5
In this
chapter Mark gives us three unforgettable encounters with the Lord Jesus. A twelve-year-old girl (the good) had just
died, a powerful and crazed demon-possessed man (the bad) who wandered among
the tombs (but Lara Croft had nothing on this Tomb Raider!), and a desperate
woman who suffered for twelve years from a bleeding condition (the ugly) was
nearly dead.
Jesus
demonstrated His authority over evil spirits by delivering the demon-tormented
man. He demonstrated His authority over
nature by healing the hemorrhaging woman.
And He demonstrated His authority over death by raising the little girl
from the dead.
Jesus did
not perform these miracles as an end in themselves, and Christians should not
view them that way either. Jesus
demonstrated His supernatural powers to authenticate His message of salvation.
Perhaps you
are a “self-made” man or woman, financially independent, physically fit, and a
respected benefactor of your community.
You are confident that you are in control. But how confident are you?
Each day you look in the mirror, and as much as you do to prolong the
inevitable, you know the day approaches when you will become sick (as the woman
was), and stressed (as the man was), and will finally die (as the child
did). All the money in the world, all the
beauty in the world, and all the confidence in the world will not hinder your
appointment one bit. The person in your
mirror -- is not in charge!
But we know
Who is in charge, don’t we? The
Carpenter from Nazareth has proven that He created, sustains, provides for, and
redeems this universe that you are part of.
And He loves you with a special love.
Trust Him
today with your soul – with your family, your finances, and your health.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, there is so much we struggle with in our minds, but
our search for meaning outside You leads nowhere but to despair. Our quest for hope in any other but You is
like searching blindfold at the edge of the abyss. We surrender all to Christ, and because we do, we know that all
is well. Amen.
Ó
2003 C. E. Briggs
Mark 6
There is a terrible storm near the
end of chapter 6 of the book of Mark, the second writing of the New Testament
portion of the Bible. The disciples are
very frightened for their lives. Jesus
approaches, walking on the water, gets in the boat, and calms the storm.
The chapter begins, with Jesus
teaching in the synagogue, and the subsequent rejection of His teachings by the
Nazarenes. So we might say, at least
for Jesus, the chapter begins with a storm.
Later in the middle of the chapter
the disciples are dispatched by the Lord for evangelism and His instructions to
them let us know that, for the disciples, the storm has also begun.
In fact, the storms never ceased for
Jesus and the disciples while they walked on this earth. Consider it:
In
chapter 6 Jesus was rejected, slandered, disbelieved, accosted, exhausted,
disrupted, empathetic, bereaved, and misinterpreted. His audiences included faithless relatives, slanderous neighbors,
thrill seekers, jealous ministers, distorted rulers, suffering invalids, hungry
crowds, and hardhearted followers. This was what many today would call
"having a Monday." And from
the events of chapter 6, the intensity only increases, the persecution only
worsens, and in the days to come the events will become more and more
stressful.
But of course it should be noted
that Jesus did heal some in Nazareth, and He did teach many, and He did feed
more than five thousand, and He did walk on the water, and He did calm the
storm. Not bad - for a “Monday!”
This chapter powerfully reveals
Jesus Christ as both Son of Man and Son of God; Lord of Heaven and Earth; Lord
of glory.
So, why the title, The Perfect
Storm? Because, lets face it, no
one is ever really out of the storm.
From the trauma of child birth to the frightening sting of death, life
is a raging journey. Loss of a loved
one, or a job, or a home; retirement fund gone - cancer test positive –
marriage collapsed - insecurity and terror threaten around every corner! Not to mention the lesser challenges we are
bombarded with everyday.
What is the answer? What is the purpose? Is it found in this life? Or is it found in the Giver of eternal life?
The storms rage - the waves toss,
but even in the chaos there can be calm.
This chapter lets us know, the perfect storm - is the one engaged
by the Peacemaker, Jesus, the Lord. He
knows what you are going through and He offers peace - peace that is found
through surrender to Him. Simple faith
– it may not make the storm stop, but it will keep you above the harsh
circumstances. Won't you give all to
Him, now - today?
Ó 2003 C. E. Briggs
Mark 7
Right now you’re thinking, “Ok, I give up! What on earth does it mean?” Well, keep reading – you will see!
We do not usually think of Jesus as a celebrity or megastar,
and yet His presence drew crowds like nothing or no one, before or since. Everywhere He went His reputation always
arrived before Him. He often sought
rest, but instead was met by more crowds, more needs, and more criticism.
In the seventh chapter of Mark, Jesus and His disciples
journeyed about 250 miles. From Galilee
to Syria to Decapolis, they traveled by foot, preaching the Gospel of the
Kingdom of God.
Several remarkable encounters are recorded in this
chapter. We see Jesus facing frantic crowds,
arrogant religious leaders, ignorant disciples, a desperate mother, and a deaf,
mute man. As the chapter closes, we
read that Jesus touches and heals the deaf man.
Now when He touches this man, He sighs and then says
something that sounds odd. It is only
one word and it is different from anything we have read before. Instead of the usual Greek, Mark records
this word in Aramaic, and so it comes to us that way in our English Bibles. Thankfully, Mark translates it for us.
Jesus touches the deaf man, and says (with a sigh),
“Ephphatha,” or “Be opened.”
Amazing! Only one
funny sounding word, and yet, it beautifully summarizes the entire ministry of
Jesus, for you see, this word is a term of liberty, of peace, and of joy!
The deaf man heard, and told everyone he could. “Ephphatha!”
The desperate Syrian mother heard, and found her
once-tormented daughter resting peacefully.
“Ephphatha!”
The curious disciples heard, and were rescued from the
bondage of legalism. “Ephphatha!”
Ironically, only the religious leaders closed their ears to
the message of freedom…even as the Lord was calling for them to listen (vs.
14). “Ephphatha!”
Regardless of how you pronounce it, you will certainly know
when Jesus speaks this word into your heart.
The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The gates of Heaven and the door of the heart are closed because
of sin.
But! Even now, if
you listen closely, you can hear the voice of the Lord Jesus, speaking to your
heart (and to those gates):
Ephphatha! Be
opened!
Ó 2003 C. E. Briggs
Mark 8
Finally,
she had the salesman within 300 dollars of the price she had planned to pay,
but he would not budge. And neither
would she! Her husband and her brother
both advised her to “take the deal!”
But it would be her deal or no deal.
My daughter got her price and took the car home last week. She’s a tough negotiator (just like her
father).
“What
would you be willing to pay?” I hate
that question when a salesman asks it, but when Jesus asks it, we better
listen. It is not a bad question. It actually is a good question to ask myself
about cars, houses, clothes, and according to Jesus of Nazareth, we should ask
it about our souls. There can be no
question more urgent.
In
the eighth chapter of Mark, after dealing with the spiritually and physically
blind, Jesus asked the question,
“What
will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
The
Lord answered the question with another question,
“What
does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”
That
is a very uncomfortable question, I suppose because the logical answer is so
obvious, and yet so many choose the world.
We
see the negotiations going on all the time - people giving up so quickly -
selling their souls so cheaply. Our
society is a society that has everything and wants more, and the negotiations
are on. A child of our culture says,
“Take my money – I’ll get more – but I have to have
that! I can always work more – I can
always rest less – I can always produce more – I can always care less. Just give me bigger, give me better, give me
faster, louder, smaller, younger, prettier, stronger, older, easier! And on and on and on. And I am soooo tired! I have lost the very essence of life! Where did it go? I have lost my very soul!
The temporal for the eternal – and I sold it so cheaply.
“What price? – This soul of mine. Will I barter my soul for dust, for moths,
for rust, for decay? Or will I give all
for the joy of the Lord?”
Jesus
cuts right to the chase. He doesn’t
speak of cars and careers, houses and accounts, clothes and makeovers. How about the whole world, but a condemned
soul?
What
price? It’s a no-brainer. Receive Christ as Lord, today!
Ó 2004 C. E. Briggs
Mark, chapter 9
I guess
everyone knows the last book of the Bible is called Revelation. According to the first verse it is the
Revelation of Jesus Christ. But we have
been surveying the Book of Mark for this series of devotionals and here in
chapter 9 our eyes are filled with revelations of Jesus Christ.
For
instance, in verses 1-9 He reveals His divine glory to Peter, James, and
John; verses 11-13 reveal His divine knowledge regarding Elijah and the
future; verses 14-19 reveal His divine indignation toward the faithless;
verses 19-21 His divine compassion for a suffering boy; verses 22-29 His
divine power by delivering the boy from his affliction; and verses 30-32 reveal
His divine mission in His own death and resurrection.
He then
reveals His divine flow chart when He says, “Anyone who wants to be
first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
And in the
final verses He reveals His divine mandate to be salt or seasoning to
everyone around you. Preserve your
purity by separating yourself from anything that causes you to sin and then you
will have a purifying and preserving effect on the world around you.
It is
truly a chapter of revelation! And it
reminds us that the entire Bible is a revelation of Jesus Christ.
I was
especially struck by Jesus’ words to the desperate father of the suffering
boy. First the man said to Jesus, “Have
mercy on us… Do something if you can.”
Then Jesus said, “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” (NLT)
This
surprises me because in chapter one you might remember the leper who said to
Jesus, “Lord, if You are willing, You can heal me.” The leper was clear about the Lord’s ability, but he would not
presume about the Lord’s will. And
Jesus said, “I am willing. Be healed.”
It is ok
to be unsure of the will of God in a matter, but it is not ok to be unsure of
God’s ability. I talk to people often
who claim that something is the will of God, when they spend little or no time
in His Word. They actually do not know
His will at all. They simply
superimpose their will in place of the will of God.
But let me
make one thing clear. While I may not
be able to tell you what God’s will is in a matter, I can certainly tell you
what His ability is in a matter.
Perhaps you are ill and desperate – God is able to help; maybe you are
unable to pay your bills and despairing – God is able; or your child is in
trouble and it seems hopeless – God can; you realize you are going to die and you
are afraid – God can. Listen folks, God
can ----- and ----- God has!
God’s
abilities are not limited by your problems and his grace is not limited by your
sinfulness.
He loves
you. Come to the Cross today.
Ó 2004 C.
E. Briggs
(Mark 10)
Three men approached Jesus - a Pharisee, a rich man, and a
beggar. They had one thing in
common. Each one, in his own way, was
unable to see. Two of them went home
blind, but one received his sight.
The Pharisee did not see that Jesus is the promised Messiah. You may remember the Pharisees – the religious guys who kept trying to get Jesus to say something they could use to have Him arrested. They would ask a question designed to make Jesus look bad no matter what He answers. So they would ask Him about something everyone knows is wrong, and yet accepts as right. They chose the subject of divorce. Some things never change!
Jesus
lovingly told the people that divorce is not a plan that God came up with. He said from the beginning of creation it
was God’s plan that one man and one woman would join as one
unit for one lifetime. But
the heart of mankind has not always been sensitive to that plan.
And the
Pharisee went home blind.
The rich
man did not see his sinful condition. Like most people, he thought he was a pretty
good person. But he was not comparing
to the perfect standard of God’s holiness.
The fact is we have all fallen short of God’s glory. It is only the righteousness of Jesus Christ
that deserves eternal life. The rich
man wanted to work out his own destiny.
He had wealth and fame, and he wanted to add Jesus to all these other
assets, but Jesus is not an add-on.
God’s plan requires complete trust in the willing sacrifice of the Son
of God Who fulfilled God’s perfect standard (John 3:16). Jesus offered the rich man a chance to
become truly rich but first he had to discover how spiritually poor he really
was. Jesus offered a lifeline, but the
man had to release his grip on the things of this world, and he would not do
it.
And the
rich man went home blind.
Finally, the
blind beggar did not see the physical world. And he cried out to Jesus. Jesus healed him and said, “Go your
way.” The man instantly received his
sight and followed Jesus. But Jesus did
not say, “Follow Me.” He said, “Go your
way.” Question is, “Is your way God’s
way?” The beggar could see that his way
led to a dead end, but God’s way to eternal life.
And the
beggar received his sight and followed Jesus.
May God
open our eyes today!
Ó 2004 C. E. Briggs
Mark 11
The
eleventh chapter of Mark is a chapter of great things.
First,
there is the scene of the Great Entry of the Lord into the City of
David, Jerusalem. The modesty of this
scene is amazing – a miracle working Carpenter, riding into town on a donkey
surrounded by cheering crowds.
Then there is the surprising record of the Great Hunger
recorded in verse twelve. “Jesus felt
hungry.” That may be the most amazing
paradox in history! The Commander of
the winds and the waves - the Healer of the lame and the blind, “felt
hungry!” How could it be? Some people see Jesus as just a man; some as
part man and part God. But the
Scriptures show Him to be 100% Man and 100% God. And that is why He understands what you are going through!
Jesus responds to this hunger by walking over to a fig tree
where He expects to find some fruit, but there is no fruit on the fig
tree. And so He issues the Great
Curse, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” The fig tree withers away (and the message
to us is glaringly clear).
Then there
is the record of His Great Anger as He violently drives the merchants
from the Temple of the Lord. These
greedy men hindered access to the mercy of God by making sure the spiritually
needy could not worship God without first paying up. [I wonder what Jesus would do in some of today’s churches!]
The
chapter ends with a Great Debate in which (once again) Jesus silences
the priests and religious teachers who are trying to trap Him in His words.
Yes, Mark
11 is a chapter of great things, but the greatest thing is not the Great
Entry, the Great Hunger, the Great Curse, the Great Anger,
or the Great Debate. One thing
is more important than capricious crowds, growling guts, fickled figs, greedy
grubbers, and hushed hypocrites.
And that
one thing is what Jesus taught. In fact, it may be the Greatest Teaching
in history.
He began
with words about faith and praying, and trusting God as your Provider. Then Jesus stops them all in their tracks
with His next statement. He says,
“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a
grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins also.”
(Vs. 25)
The Greatest
Teaching from the Greatest Teacher is not a popular lesson. The mindset today is to pray for the bass
boat or the mortgage payment (or the mortgage payment on the bass
boat!). Who cares if we are angry with
the neighbors? They deserve it!
But Jesus
said, before we pray, we must forgive.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it will set you free. Forgive that relative, that neighbor, that
coworker – release that grudge – turn loose of the bitterness. You will never regret it.
God bless.
Ó 2004 C. E. Briggs
Mark 12
The Temple of the Lord was so busy that day, she almost disappeared
in the crowds, but He saw her clearly.
By worldly standards she was worth less than nothing – down to her last
two cents – no husband – no money – no hope.
Lonely, tired, hungry, and heartbroken, she moved through the gate,
across the courtyard, through the parade of religious folks, and past the
watchful Galilean. He just sat there
and watched the people drop money into the collection box. Some were rich and gave large amounts; some
gave less. But He took special notice
of the poor widow as she dropped her offering in the box and worshipped
God. One clink and then another; her
last two pennies fell.
I doubt
she knew that the transient Rabbi sitting near the collection box was the Lord
of all creation, but He knew her and according to Mark, chapter 12 -
He called
his disciples to him and said, "I assure you, this poor widow has given
more than all the others have given. For they gave a tiny part of their
surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."
In this
chapter of the Bible, Jesus faced off with the Pharisees, the Herodians, and
the Sadducees – 3 prominent religious and political groups of Jerusalem during
that time. These 3 groups did not like
each other at all - and none of them liked the Carpenter from Nazareth. In fact, they disliked Him more than they
disliked each other, even joining forces to wreck His ministry.
But He
continued teaching. He taught the
people through stories, and through questions and answers. His lesson was that everything on this earth
ultimately belongs to God. We are only
the stewards of His resources. And when
we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; our attraction for
the treasures of this world changes into an attraction for the treasures of the
Heavenly Kingdom - treasures without price, such as:
Love for
others,
Joy that
transcends the ups and downs of this life, and
Peace that the
frantic quest for earthly satisfaction can never bring.
The list goes
on – kindness, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and
self-control. The treasure chest is
full and Jesus is the key.
He taught
this lesson in several ways in Mark 12, but I think His most effective lesson
was this last one – the crown on the whole chapter. The poor widow gave her last two cents worth. Why?
Because she had discovered this treasure – treasure not of this earth -
treasure so valuable that all of the wealth of Bill Gates could not compare
with even one jewel.
This same treasure is available to you - right now. Won’t you come to Christ?
Ó 2004 C. E. Briggs
Mark 13
In this chapter of the Bible Jesus is speaking to His
disciples about things to come. This is
called prophecy and much of the Bible is written this way. There have been many books of prophecy
written but the thing that makes the Bible different than any of the others is
its degree of accuracy, which is 100%.
Anything less than 100% accuracy is not from God, and only the Bible has
a perfect track record.