eDevs

Thursday, March 6, 2025

EmmDev 2025-03-06 [Moments with Mark] Roof Diggers #3

Roof Diggers #3

Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" (Mark2:4-12)

In this passage we have the beginnings of the tension between Jesus and the teachers of the law.

It is a sobering tension.
They have knowledge, scripture and theology.
They have been trained and are part of a beautiful spiritual tradition.
And yet they don't recognise Jesus.

The problem with knowledge, education and tradition is that it can calcify.
The beauty of worship and the magnificence of the rituals can dull with repetition.
The depth of spiritual truth contained in Scripture can become cold doctrine if confined to the head and not allowed into the heart and hands.

We are not very different from the Teachers of the Law.
We have tradition, scripture, knowledge and theology.
The only thing that will keep us different from them is if we allow these gifts to move from our heads to our hearts and hands and if we remember that our faith is a relationship and not just knowledge to master, rituals to observe and commands to enforce.

This is where the teachers of the law went wrong.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and began the season of Lent where we hope to draw near to Jesus and know Him personally.

It's the season where we practice NOT being the teachers of the law....

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

EmmDev 2025-03-05 [Moments with Mark] Roof Diggers #2

Roof Diggers #2

Can you imagine how all-consuming paralysis must have been?
And yet, when the paralysed man's amazing friends take the bold action of digging open the roof, Jesus identifies a different priority.
- Not the fact that he couldn't walk
- Not the fact that he needed his friends to help him with everything
But his need for forgiveness.

Now we don't know the man's heart. Was he resentful and bitter from his illness and had that consumed his heart? Was there some guilt from his past that he believed had caused his paralysis? Or was his paralysis psychosomatic?
We'll add this to my long list of interviews for heaven.
I'm going to go and meet with this man and get the whole story.

But when Jesus sees him, He discerns that before this man can be healed of physical paralysis, he needs to be healed of guilt that paralysed his soul and so Jesus, the sinless Son of God and the Messiah who is the Lamb of God, forgives him.

The teachers of the law are incensed and, if it had been anyone else pronouncing forgiveness, they would have been right to be incensed. Their theology is correct: "Only God can forgive sins." It is their hearts that are malfunctioning - they can't recognise that Jesus is the Son of God.

And so Jesus heals the man. The healing of a paralytic was unheard of - only God could do it. It is definitive proof that Jesus is the Son of God and that He can forgive sins.

In one beautiful moment Jesus heals the man - INSIDE and OUT.

Hallelujah!

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

EmmDev 2025-03-04 [Moments with Mark] Roof Diggers #1

Roof Diggers #1

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." (Mark2:1-5)

This healing story is a favourite for many.
It's so gripping:
- A crowd (probably because the healed leper didn't keep quiet.)
- A tragically sick man with really really good friends
- The drama of the wrecked roof
- The strange approach Jesus takes to the healing
- The criticism of the teachers of the law answered

We'll spend a few days on this one. For today I just want to reflect on beauty of friendship and faith in youth.

The fact that this paralytic man had four friends willing to make the efforts and take the risks they did says a lot - both about the man and his friends. One can only assume that carrying him around was "old hat" to them. I can imagine the quips, jokes and banter amongst them. So when it becomes known that Jesus is in town and that He's even healed a leper, they don't hesitate. "Let's get you to Jesus!" (That's still the best thing one can do for a friend: to bring them to Jesus.)

The building is crowded, people are wedged in tight, nobody's moving, not even for a paralysed guy and his four buddies. So they make a radical and downright crazy decision: "Let's go through the roof!" (This is what convinces me that they are young men... Older guys would just not be so impulsive - they'd be more cautious - "let's just wait till the crowd goes...") And so one guy is sent off for rope while the other three tackle the combination of grass, clay and interwoven sticks that made up the roof.

Imagine being in the house while Jesus is speaking. All of of a sudden there's scrabbling and dust. Some of the smaller bits of start falling through. "What on earth? Look out! Here comes a stretcher." I think Jesus is grinning from ear to ear at this point as he witnesses love in action. I think He'd be breathless with beauty of faithfulness and devotion. And healing must most certainly follow.

Later that day or early next morning four friends and their newly walking buddy return to the house to repair the roof. Their hearts are full, their eyes are shining. They went on an adventure of faith together and it was worth it all.

Maybe we all need to be a little more like them...

Friday, February 28, 2025

EmmDev 2025-02-28 [Moments with Mark] What love is.

What love is.

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark1:40-45)

There are a number of thoughts I could offer about this passage:

Leprosy was considered impossible to cure/heal. It was believed that only the Messiah could do it.
This is a very significant moment.
The man was asked not to make a public fuss.
He ignored Jesus' "strong warning" and spread the news. It resulted in Jesus being swamped and made His ministry more difficult.
This fits in with the thinking we explored two days ago about the "Messianic Secret."
Mark's "immediately" is applied to the healing too.
The man is immediately cured - the leprosy packed its bags and left him.

But the thought I want to emphasise is Jesus' COMPASSION.

The man has leprosy. It is highly contagious.
People recoiled from those who had leprosy.
They chased them with literal and verbal sticks and stones.
The man comes and begs from his knees.
The disciples and crowd probably gasped and retreated.
All of a sudden Jesus isn't being mobbed or crowded.
They're all ten steps back.

The man is begging and Jesus is standing there.
"If you are willing... " the man implores (being as un-threatening as he can on his knees.)
Jesus is filled with compassion.
(The Greek word indicates that it comes from the gut, heart and basically wrecks Jesus.)
Instead of stepping away - Jesus steps in.
Instead of recoiling - Jesus touches - probably embraces.
And the man is immediately clean.

This is what love is.

Thursday, February 27, 2025

EmmDev 2025-02-27 [Moments with Mark] Replenishment and Focus

Replenishment and Focus

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"
Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark1:35-39)

Mark has already shown us how busy Jesus has been.
Teaching,
Healing,
Exorcising
and Exercising as He travelled around the countryside.

How did He manage?
How did He keep up the pace?
How did He avoid the kind of mistakes that could have disqualified Him?
How did He keep on loving people when they swamped Him for miracles?

In this introductory overview of Jesus' ministry, Mark does not only describe Jesus' output, but he also clearly shows us His input.

Jesus (1) got up early in the morning, (2) took some quiet solitary time, (3) ensured His environment was conducive, and He (4) prayed. It was an island of peace in a busy maelstrom of activity and demands.

It seems He has barely said "Amen" and the disciples are all over Him: "Everyone is looking for you."
BUT Jesus doesn't sigh or groan.
His reserves have been replenished.
His focus has been renewed.

"Let's go to a new space" (i.e. renewed demand and desperation)
"I must preach there - that is why I have come."

My tank gets empty and I sometimes forget why I am here and how I was saved and called.
I know I need to learn from Jesus!

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

EmmDev 2025-02-26 [Moments with Mark] Muzzled Demons

Muzzled Demons

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So He went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark1:29-34)

One of the things the commentaries on Mark talk about is the "Messianic Secret".
This refers to a phenomenon in Mark's Gospel where Jesus doesn't allow demons to speak because they identify Him as the Son of God. Also, often when Jesus heals people, He instructs them not to make it public.

There are two reasons for this, one practical and one principle.
The practical reason is that when it becomes known that Jesus can heal and drive out demons, He gets swamped by those in need and those who want to watch a show. On more than one occasion in Mark we will see that someone is not discreet about the healing they've received from Jesus and it results in masses of people thronging about Jesus and this makes it very difficult for Him to exercise His teaching and preaching ministry. Also, if the talk of Jesus being the Son of God, Messiah and King of Jews got too loud and reached the ears of the Roman army, it could result in them interfering in His ministry. On Palm Sunday it was time for His full identity to be revealed and He was crucified within a week.

The principle reason lies in Jesus mission statement in Mark 10:35 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." The demonic proclamation that Jesus was the Son of God was not untrue, but, during His three year ministry, Jesus wanted to exercise and emphasise His ministry as the Son of Man. As with the first reason, the right time for "Son of God" was at the end of His three year ministry.

So the so-called "Messianic Secret" was not so much a secret as an emphasis. The emphasis was that the "Word had become flesh" and needed the freedom to "dwell among us. It is perfectly feasible that Jesus could have "powered up" (like at the Transfiguration) every time He dealt with demons so that everyone could see that He was not to be messed with. But Jesus' focus was not on Himself or His ego, it was on reaching us.
And the demons trembled anyway....

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

EmmDev 2025-02-25 [Moments with Mark] Hard working Servant of God

Hard working Servant of God

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So He went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark1:29-34)

Mark portrays Jesus as the "Son of Man" who came to "seek and save the lost".
He presents Jesus as relentlessly and tirelessly preaching, teaching and healing.

One of his favourite words is "euthus"(εὐθὺς) which appears 40 times in his gospel. On average that's about 2.5 times per chapter. This word "euthus" means "suddenly", "at once", "immediately" and "as soon as". Mark also loves the word "and" ("kai" "καὶ"), often beginning sentences with it. "And Jesus did this and Jesus did that..."

Our passage today starts with "kai" and "euthus" - "And as soon as".
It gives the narrative a breathless atmosphere - as though Jesus is rushing from one thing to the next. Sometimes being plunged into one thing after another.

He's just preached and taught in the synagogue and set a possessed man free and heads to Simon and Andrew's home. It seems that Simon Peter is a widower, because he has a mother-in-law but there's never a mention of a Mrs Simon Peter.
Said mother-in-law is not well - she's in bed with fever. In the Greek we read "and immediately they told Jesus about her." This conveys some sense of urgency - Mark is either demonstrating how relentless Jesus' schedule is, or how sick his mother-in-law is. Or maybe a bit of both.
But Jesus heals her and she makes a dramatic recovery. The fact that she's immediately jumping up to play the hostess seems to be surprising - another indicator of how sick she was.

And then the townspeople track Jesus down and make "housecalls." The "after sunset" speaks of those who could only come after they had knocked off work, but the oncoming night also conveys a sense of desperation and fear. Just picture the scene: hardscrabble working class folk at the end of a long day, bringing relatives and children trapped by evil, burdened by illness, needing healing and hope.

And, even after a long, long, long day - Jesus heals them.

Sometimes after a long, long, long day we don't always feel like going to our evening Bible Study or getting up early to go to church... Maybe Jesus' example speaks to us...

(Tomorrow we'll talk about muzzling the demons...)

Friday, February 21, 2025

EmmDev 2025-02-21 [Moments with Mark] Authority: Felt and Demonstrated

Authority: Felt and Demonstrated

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at His teaching, because He taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey Him." News about Him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark1:21-27)

Authority is a strange thing.
It can be enforced, but then it is often resented and accepted begrudgingly.
It can be demanded from a position of strength, but then it often elicits obedience, but not loyalty.
It can be usurped, but will most certainly lead to rebellion.

Jesus has a different authority.

It is felt in the force of His whole person and not in merely in His personality. He doesn't just sound impressive (a trick of personality and oratory) but He is impressive. He doesn't wheedle, cajole or try to empower or intimidate. He is simply Himself. It is also felt in His message which is not a guilt trip or a moral inventory, it is Good News: challenging, life-altering, but Good News.

And then His authority is demonstrated. Someone possessed by an evil spirit has fallen far into darkness. The man who confronts Jesus has made a series of bad decisions and succumbed to a series of temptations that has led him to actively making himself available to be inhabited by darkness. He has hardened his heart and seared his conscience. He is in a lot of trouble and in the grip of great evil.

He confronts Jesus, with insight that only Satan could have given him. He recognises that Jesus is no mere teacher or guru - He's the Holy One of God. Ironically, one of the strongest titles that could be given to Jesus is begrudgingly admitted by His enemy.

Jesus deals with this fearsome evil force and broken man with simple and brief authority. He addresses the evil spirit like a naughty child "Be quiet - get out!" and it happens quickly: for the sake of the man and the crowd watching.

Jesus: the simple carpenter from Nazareth
has authority,
speaks with authority and
acts with authority.
WHY?
Because He is the Holy One of God and He is on a mission to save us.
Hallelujah!!!

Thursday, February 20, 2025

EmmDev 2025-02-20 [Moments with Mark] Jesus CALLS

Jesus CALLS

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," He said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed Him. (Mark1:14-18)

In Graeco-Roman times students chose their masters, learners chose their teachers, and philosophers like Plato and Aristotle had followers who chose to be with them.
Jesus does things differently. He calls us.

Did Jesus know Simon, Andrew, James and John beforehand? There is speculation... There are some who suggest that Salome, mother of James and John, may have been the sister of Jesus' mother Mary which would have made the brothers (aka "Sons of Thunder") cousins of Jesus. Even if they were not cousins, Jesus had been around Galilee for a while and may have come to know them. It is also possible that Jesus was simply guided by the Spirit. The gospels record that He spent the night in prayer before appointing the twelve and so we know that His actions are deliberate and focussed...

What is important for this conversation is that Jesus calls. We are not here by whim or accident. We are called.

What is the nature of this call?

It's away from our nets. This doesn't mean that we all have to quit our jobs, but it does mean that I am not first and foremost an accountant, lawyer or teacher. It's about identity. I am first and foremost a follower of Christ.
We're called to Follow Him. To go where He goes, to hear His voice, to see what He does, to experience His presence, love and grace. We don't have His physical presence like the disciples had, but we have the Scriptures and the promptings of the Spirit. We're to "walk in His footsteps" as Peter puts it in his letter to the church in Asia Minor.
We're called to be fishers of souls. Our new passion, our new identity, is to be focussed on reaching others. We will do this reaching out Spiritually with the Gospel and Practically and Emotionally with charity and working for justice and equity in our society

Although we talk about "giving our hearts to Jesus", the truth is that we can only do this when we hear His call.
May you and I respond afresh to this call:

What nets (entanglements) do I need to leave behind?
Do I have a clear picture of Jesus and His footsteps? What's the next step I need to take in following Him?
Can I open my heart to people afresh and anew? He died for them and wants me to reach them.

Use these questions as a measure for where you are right now...

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

EmmDev 2025-02-19 [Moments with Mark] The essence of the gospel

The essence of the gospel

How do you launch a movement that will change the world?

We'd wait for good weather, book a big venue and a good sound and light system. We'd get a good MC and a great caterer. We'd invite dignitaries and make a big splash.

But how does Jesus do it?
(In this short passage Mark uses a number of significant and loaded Greek words. I'll try not to geek out too much, but convey the essence.)

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," He said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark1:14-15)

Launching your movement when your fore-runner has been put in jail doesn't seem like good public relations, but in this case it's indicative of the fact that the gospel is often proclaimed in adverse circumstances. As Paul said to Timothy: "Be prepared - in season and out of season." We can't wait for the "perfect" opportunity... Those seldom (if ever) come.

Jesus goes to Galilee - not the rich and famous, but the average salt-of-the-earth people.
There He PROCLAIMS the Good News (GOSPEL) of God. (Both these words are loaded words, they point the mystery of preaching and proclamation and that the gospel is a message that needs to be spoken and heard.) 2000 years later, the message of Christ is still proclaimed by the Word being preached as Good News.

Jesus urges His hearers to respond. The word He uses for "time" is not the usual "chronos" which refers to the linear flow of time, but "kairos" which points to a significant moment - a moment that should be recognised and a moment that must be marked and responded to.

And what is the content of the message? "The Kingdom of God is at hand" - it's breaking through - it's emerging in society." From His later teachings we'll learn that the Kingdom is wheat among the chaff, yeast in the dough, a seed bearing fruit and a net catching fish. This is a subversive kingdom, it's love instead of hate, grace and mercy instead of law and condemnation. It's going to change everything and yet some might not see it...

And how do we respond? "Repent and Believe." The Greek word "metanoia" is used of an "about turn" and a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, it's about the transformation of a life and it is always coupled with faith and trust in the King of the Kingdom...

So in a nutshell, Jesus comes, in the midst of troubled times, to ordinary people proclaiming (pronouncing with urgency for response) that a moment of decision has come because God's love is breaking into our broken world and we need to let it change our lives as we trust in Him.