Saturday 10 January 2015

Bible Notes 1st February to 8th February 2015 by Philip Homes and Sue Draper

 

You can’t beat a good book.

 

Mark is one of those writers – direct, quick-moving, pithy – it’s all there! But like all authors, he has favourite language that he repeats. You’ll find this book a real page turner. Time and time again, Mark uses the phrase “Immediately” to convey a sense of excitement and action. Probably written by John Mark of Jerusalem, who was a companion of Paul, Barnabas and Peter, this account of the ministry of Jesus is the shortest and simplest of all the gospels. It can easily be read from cover to cover in less than two hours – and yet it contains the essence of what God has done in sending Jesus as the Saviour of the world. It opens with the words “In the beginning . . .” and ends with this affirmation of the impact of Jesus:

 

“And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said with many miraculous signs”  Mark 16:20 (NLT)

 

In this short period before Lent, Mark’s gospel is helping us to understand the context of the ministry of Jesus as a foundation for the events leading up to Easter. We could not choose a better focus than these early chapters from Mark’s gospel.

 

 

 

Sunday 1 February 2015:  Mark 1: 21-28

What distinguishes Jesus from other religious teachers?

 

Mark tells us that Jesus, when he spoke to teach, was “quite unlike the teachers of the religious law” (Mk1:22b).  I heard John Cleese talking about how he spent a few years as a young man working as a teacher. He openly admits that he just kept one page ahead of his students and that it did not take long for one student in particular to notice that he was lacking a love, a fascination and a depth of understanding forHistory. You know when you are in the presence of an expert don’t you?  A passion and a rich seam underpin everything they say – and you are left in no doubt that theirs is not simplyhead knowledge. It abides deep within them so much so that it overflows in all sorts of unlikely contexts!

 

We know that all sorts of rabbis were teaching at the time of Jesus. But it seems that people discern that the ministry of Jesus is distinctive – he is special and he stands out both in terms of how he expresses himself and also through the way in which he is active pastorally amongst the people. Indeed, one man shouts out “I know who you are – the Holy One sent from God” (Mark 1:24). This incident in the Temple court leads people to question what they have witnessed: “What sort of new teaching is this?” (Mark 1:27). There is excitement in the air and everyone can sense that they are in the presence of someone very special.

 

Question: What does it take to get you excited?  Is there a spark missing in worship? How can

we, as preachers and worship leaders, ensure that the people of God sense the presence of God amongst us with awe and wonder?

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 8 February 2015: Mark 1: 29-39

Jesus – the healer and the preacher

 

It has been a glorious day and the winter sun has sat low in the sky during the hours after noon. As evening approaches the deep crimson ball sinks towards the horizon and the air is still. It is an awesome sight as wisps of cloud dapple the winter light.  At such a time as this, people from all around Capernaum begin to gather. We are not told what inspired them to come to Simon and Andrew’s homebut soon a handful of people became a large crowd. Waiting and watching. And then, quietly and humbly, Jesus moves among them. He takes hold of an outstretched hand, he speaks quietly as he prays over the sick, and his majestic presence silences the demons.

 

Moments like this are rare.  Life is often much too busy to notice how God is working amongst us. Moments like this are rare – especially for those nursing a fever, for those feeling an overwhelming burden of sickness, for those for whom days fly by in the madness of work pressures, and for those who are so troubled in spirit that they cannot find relief in sleep.  Yet, Mark reminds us that moments like this can still be found when Christ meets with us in our circumstances and when he brings wholeness and blessing into our busy lives. The clue is to be found in verse 35. Although busy undertaking his Father’s work, Jesus makes time to be still and to pray. This daily priority is never neglected and it is for him the source of the strength that powers his preaching and his healing work.

 

Question: When we lead the people of God as they gather together for worship, what can we bring that will help us all see the Lord moving amongst us, meeting our needs?  How might the blessings of God be found more consistently in our corporate acts of worship?  

 

 

Sunday 15 February 2015: Mark 9: 2-9 (Sunday before Ash Wednesday)

Jesus – his glory revealed

 

Friendships are built on familiarity. Just when you think that you are on familiar terms with someone – the relationship has deepened to a level such that quirks and mannerisms go un-noticed. The physical presence seems normal and almostordinary, the inflections of language become predicable. And then, when you least expect it, something happens that causes you to stop almost in shock. Surely this is out of character? Is this the real person I know? What is going on?

 

Mark takes us to higher ground in chapter nine.  Peter, James and John make the climb with Jesus to a place of blessing. Though they did not expect it, they were brought to a meeting place where Jesus is revealed in all his glory. Peter records the event in his letter: “We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain” (2 Peter 1:18). It is a moment that seems so out of character with the other events that crowd the ministry of Jesus. And yet, it is such an event as this that transforms Peter’s understanding of who it is that he is following. It is a unique and fresh encounter with God. We realise that, sometimes, our unthinking response and even our words get in the way.

 

Question:If possible, can you walk up a local hill and spend some quality time alone with God? It can be a wonderful and surprising thing that may lead us to ask ourselves: “Do I make enough effort to climb the mountain?”  On reflection, is my own habit alittle bit like Peter - one of filling the encounter with words that are irrelevant?

 

 

 

Sunday 22 February 2015: Mark 1:9-15 (First Sunday in Lent)

Jesus – who do you think you are?

 

The popular television programme ‘Who do you think you are?’ helps celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past.  Some things are shocking: singer Lesley Garrett learned that her great-great-grandfatherwas suspected of killing his wife by replacing her medication with carbolic acid.  Happily, many discoveries generate pleasure and pride in the courage and achievements of family members in overcoming the challenges of their day.

 

At Jesus’ baptism, God confirms the family relationship with pleasure and pride.  Jesus, his Father and the Spirit experience the special moment together.  Yet at once the Spirit sends Jesus alone into the desert for a challenge that is as much a preparation for his future ministry as was his baptism.

 

Satan tempts Jesus, and more detail is found in Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13.  At the heart of the three main temptations are questions of identity: do you really have that power?  Can you trust God to do what he says and not to let you down at the end?  Are you really his son?  Underneath is a deep stab at an insecurity with which many of us identify: who do you think you are?  Can we as preachers take encouragement from Jesus to acknowledge our own insecurities and challenges about identity and purpose?

 

How does Jesus respond?  Mark tells us very simply that he gets on with his mission, proclaiming the good news of God, demonstrating he is secure in knowing exactly who he is and that he has a clear purpose for his life.  

 

Question:How do we face up to or put aside our insecurities about our own identity and purpose?  Many of the Psalms remind us of God’s faithfulness and care when we falter.  Look back at the good things God has done in your life and give thanks.

 

 

Sunday 1 March 2015: Mark 8: 31-38 (Second Sunday in Lent)

Jesus – “Do you know where you’re going to?

 

Diana Ross famously sang those words, followed by, “Do you like the things that life is showing you?  Where are you going to?  Do you know?”  These are important questions for individuals and churches.  Some people seem to have them answered whereas others have no idea, and everyone else is somewhere between.  

 

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, “the world’s greatest living explorer”, is a modern example of someone with vision, a clear purpose, and an unswerving commitment to achieving that purpose through high quality planning, preparation and training.  He leads both solo and team expeditions, doing things no human has done before.

 

Jesus explains to the disciples where he’s going in his life journey.  He is focused on his purpose and disposes of distractions swiftly.  His life up to this point has been preparation and training for the final stages, when he will achieve what no human has done before: life in all its fullnessthrough the cross and resurrection.

 

Jesus then challenges a wider crowd to consider their own purpose in life and examine their commitment to it.  He explains that things aren’t always what they seem and it’s important to prioritise on the right things.  I’m sure SirRanulph would understand it, based on his experiences of the unexpected in the world’s most challenging and unpredictable environments.  What is the loss of a few finger-tips from frostbite when trying to walk solo to the North Pole?  Perhaps that sounds shockingly harsh: maybe we need to hear Jesus’ words afresh because they too are shocking.

 

Further in the song Diana sings, “Do you get what you’re hoping for?”  We rejoice that Jesus did, so that we can live in God’s love and glory forever.

 

Question:How can we help people to have confidence in where they are going in their personal lives, and together as a church?  How do we sustain commitment to our priorities when there may be a personal cost?

 

 

Sunday 8 March 2015: John 213-22 (Third Sunday in Lent)

The unexpected Messiah

 

It’s a shock when the unexpected happens. A BBC news reader, Sue Lawley, was interrupted in 1988   when protesters managed to gain entry to the TV studio and get their message across. In a crowded shopping centre, people become aware that someone is singing and that others are starting to join in – it’s a spontaneous and blessing-filled performance of Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus.  There can be nothing more calculated to make us stop what we are doing, look up and pay attention, than an unexpected happening.

 

Like all good Jewish men, Jesus is to be found in the Temple at Passover. But he is not just one of the crowd of people gathering together to celebrate the way in which God chose to rescue his people from Egypt. He is here to bring a new message of salvation and, in order to do that, he begins to do something that no-one expected. The comfortable market place becomes the centre of considerable hullabaloo. Voices are raised. A protest is underway. So the Temple authorities step in to quell this disturbance (v.18) and get more than they bargained for. From this point on, the rabbi Jesus becomes the talking point all around the city and there followed miracles and rumours about the Messiah.


Question: How often does church feel like the place of comfort and routine? When was the last time that the unexpected happened?  While we sing “Jesus is Lord”, do we expect God to surprise us and make us stop, look up and pay attention?