Reflections: Mark 16 - March 8, 2010

"1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.

2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb

3and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6“Don't be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

((The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9–20.))

9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.

11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.

13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." - Mark 16

"Defeat" has never been an attractive word. "Surrender" doesn't really appeal to man either. But this is why God's plan was so wonderful, so beautiful, and so perfect, that when in the eyes of man they thought that Christ is dead once and for all, the truth was, the Lamb wins!

The ultimate sacrifice resulted in the ultimate victory. The torture, agony, and seeming defeat of Christ on the cross actually won our souls from the enemy and reconciled us back to God.

I remember the teaching why we don't believe of an image of Christ in the cross. It's true that it's a reminder of what Jesus had done for us, but it's because that it's the resurrection that proved His power over sin and death. His resurrection rendered Satan powerless and ultimately defeated him.

I believe God is reminding me - and all of us - that the enemy no longer has any hold on us and that by Christ - if we accept and believe in Him - we are set free. Take off the mindset of still being in chains, still being bogged down and tortured by sin. Christ has set you free. Christ has set the chains loose. Live in the freedom, victory, and authority God gave you. You are free and forgiven.

His grace and mercy is forever!

Reflections: Mk. 15:1-15 - March 4, 2010

"1Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

2“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.

3The chief priests accused him of many things.

4So again Pilate asked him, “Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”

5But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

6Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested.

7A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.

8The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

9“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate,

10knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.

11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

12“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

13“Crucify him!” they shouted.

14“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

15Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." - Mark 15:1-15

The very reason why Pilate did what he did is in verse 15: "Wanting to please the crowd..." Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and that the Pharisees had only captured Him out of jealousy. Yet because he knew he had to satisfy the people, he gave them what they wish.

Think about what Jesus may have been thinking. He is the Son of God, yet He was wrongly accused and condemned unfairly. Surely this wasn't the way you treat the King of Kings! It's ironic to think that these were also the very same people who welcomed Him in with palm leaves a few days ago and now they were accusing Him of false crimes. Yet Christ kept silent, kept His eye on the mission, and every step to His death He accepted. Jesus fully surrendered to God;s will and had faith.

How about us? 

 

Do we fully surrender or do we lack faith?

Do we follow despite the circumstances?

Or do we turn away?

 

 

Reflections: Mark 14:53-65 - March 2, 2010

"While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.

67When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.

68But he denied it. “I don't know or understand what you're talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.†

69When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.”

70Again he denied it.
After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”

71He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don't know this man you're talking about.”

72Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.† Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice† you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept" - Mark 14:66-72

The name "Judas" has been synonymous with "betrayer". People usually call the betrayer of a certain character in a movie or book "his Judas". And it's true. Judas did betray Christ and was the very reason why Jesus got into the hands of the Pharisees. But did you ever realize that while there was Judas the betrayer, there was also Peter the betrayer?

Peter betrayed Christ by vehemently denying any involvement with Him.Verse 71 says "... he called down curses on himself and swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about." So much for the man who vehemently denied earlier that he would deny Christ.

Yet these two people, though similar in this aspect, ended up very differently. Judas killed himself. Peter went on to fulfill Christ's prophecy of him being the rock on which the church will be built on. How could this be when Peter betrayed Christ too?

The difference is in their responses. Judas, after handing in Jesus, knew had head betrayed innocent blood. He wallowed in his grief, let it consume him, and ultimately it was the driving force of his decision to hang himself. Peter, on the other hand, did grieve, but repented. He grieved he betrayed and denied Christ, but instead of meditating on his grief, he turned back to Jesus and asked forgiveness.

God has reminded that we all sin and that we hurt Him everyday. It may be in what we say, what we do, or what we think, but we sin against Him everyday. But God has reminded me it's what you do after that matters. Will you condemn yourself, wallow in self-pity, and tell yourself you'll always be a sinner? Or will you run back to the arms of God, ask forgiveness, and experience His love and grace? As we can see from Judas and Peter, the response decides where you'll end up.