EmmDev 2025-04-04 [Moments with Mark] Powerful Seed...

Powerful Seed...

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around Him was so large that He got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in His teaching said: "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." (Mark4:1-8)

Although we know this parable so well, the thing that people don't always notice is how powerful the seed is.

When it lands in good soil, it produces a harvest: thirty, sixty, even a hundred times what was sown. Imagine for a moment that the farmer sows equally, perhaps even generously on all types of soil. (He's probably wise enough to aim more at the good soil, but let's keep it simple.) Say one seed falls on each kind of soil: three get eaten by birds, scorched by the sun, or choked by thorns. But the one that lands in good soil produces at least thirty, possibly up to a hundredfold. So for every four seeds sown, you still get a yield of thirty to a hundred. Those are good odds!

So the good news is that the gospel is powerful and transformative.
We need to believe that it can change lives and maybe we need to be more generous about spreading it.
In this parable the farmer is generous - throwing the seed widely. Who knows, we could be surprised where it does grow!

We have a beautiful and amazing message: We are created and loved by a God who sent His Son who conquered sin, death and Satan for us. He sends His Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we can be transformed from the inside out and be part of God's life-changing and life-giving kingdom.

Maybe we need to take more risks: sharing our faith gently, easily, widely and naturally like the farmer does. He doesn't stress about what people might say about his technique and his knowledge about farming. He just trusts the seed.

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EmmDev 2025-04-03 [Moments with Mark] Unforgivable Sin

Unforgivable Sin

"But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit." (Mark3:29-30)

Many people are worried that they have committed the unforgivable sin.

To understand what this is all about, we need to remember that one of the main activities of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to the place where we can recognise Christ as Lord. The Spirit is always drawing us closer to Jesus. He wants us to recognise Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

Jesus talks about "blasphemy against the Spirit" in Matthew, Mark and Luke. In each case He is confronting the hard-hearted Pharisees and Saducees who persistently refuse to recognise who Jesus is:
- In Matthew they argue that Jesus does His miracles by demonic power
- In Mark they say that Jesus has an evil spirit
- In Luke the context is God's provision on the one hand and disowning Christ on the other and Luke puts it into the context of the final judgment.

So "blasphemy against the Spirit" is to reject His "core business" which is to help us recognise Jesus for who He is.

Theologians agree that this is a process and not an event. We don't commit blasphemy against the Spirit by accident or as a once-off. This is something that is a stubborn hard-heartedness and we don't care about it. To "blaspheme against the Spirit" is to stubbornly resist the "seed-planting" work of the Holy Spirit to the end of our lives or to the point that our hearts are so hard that we will never change.

The point: If we are resisting the working of the Spirit, then we won't care whether this is forgivable or not. And so I say to folk: "If you're worried that you have committed unforgivable blasphemy against the Spirit, then you haven't!"

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EmmDev 2025-04-02 [Moments with Mark] When the Religious Leaders can't see...

When the Religious Leaders can't see...

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit." (Mark3:22-30)

Between the verses about Jesus' family departing and then arriving to "take charge of Him" come our verses for today...

They have also travelled, coming 160km from Jerusalem to confront Jesus.
It is a bitter pill.
They should have recognised that He was the fulfillment of prophecy.
They should have been struck by the wisdom of His teachings.
They should have realised the significance of His healings and exorcisms
They should have been amazed at His miracles.

Instead they come with the childish tactic of attributing His power to demons.
Today people still "demonise" those they are threatened by or don't agree with.
"They're evil - I just know it!"

Jesus calmly and with almost childlike simplicity explains the foolishness of their argument.

• Why and how would Satan drive out Satan?
• Why come all the way from Jerusalem if your enemy is busy fighting himself?
  Why not just stand back and watch the divided house fall?
  Because, if Jesus is indeed Satan's lackey, then the lackey by healing and driving out demons is destroying Satan's work!
• And when it comes to demon possession, only someone stronger than the demonic forces can do that!

And so Jesus clearly shows up the foolishness of their argument.
But this is foolish to the point that it is downright insulting.
It is blasphemous because it does not recognise the true power at work - the Power of the Holy Spirit.

This is dangerous behaviour, dangerous enough for Jesus to warn about an unforgivable sin - and we'll dig into this tomorrow...

For today, let's consider the heartache of rejection Jesus experienced, both from his family and the religious people who should have been the first to recognise Him.

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EmmDev 2025-04-01 [Moments with Mark] When family don't understand

When family don't understand

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." ... 31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." 33 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark3:20-34)

In the closing of the section about choosing disciples, Mark writes "and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him."

This seems to trigger a line of thought about betrayal that Mark continues to the end of ch.3.

The first of the betrayals is difficult. Jesus is followed by the crowds to the point that it is even difficult for them to eat. Jesus' family in Nazareth hear of this and they set off to "come and take charge of Him" because, according to them, "He is out of His mind."
They will travel 30km from Nazareth to Capernaum - probably a two day journey on foot.

Then, for effect, while they are ostensibly traveling, Mark then segues to the resistance Jesus experiences from the teachers of the law. This "fills the gap" while the family are traveling. In verse 31 Jesus' mother and brothers arrive. They're figuratively holding the "restraining jacket" with a place booked at the local mental institution. They're here to "take charge" because things have gotten out of hand.

This is one of the reasons I love the Bible. It doesn't sanitise its characters. We're told the truth about each character, the good, the bad and the ugly. Mary, revered and elevated by some traditions, gets it wrong here. She does not understand her Son's mission and she thinks He's "out of his mind."

For Jesus, this is a tough moment. The teachers of the Law (who should recognise Him) have rejected Him. His family of origin who know about Bethlehem, shepherds, wise man and all the wonder of His birth, have succumbed to the sharp tongue of gossip and scandal and don't recognise Him either.

This still happens to people today and Jesus warns about it in Mark 13. Families can get divided over faith in Christ.

But there is another family - the family of faith.
This family of faith will accompany Jesus in His journey, but even they will abandon Him in Gethsemane.

Jesus ultimately walks this road alone, but brings them all back to Himself.
After His resurrection He appears to His disciples and to His brother James.
He rebuilds the bridges that were broken.
I think we can hope for the same.

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EmmDev 2025-03-14 [Moments with Mark] He them to be with Him.

He them to be with Him.

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve--designating them apostles--that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark3:13-19)

Mark has introduced us to a busy, controversial and compassionate Jesus. In only two and a half chapters we have seen baptism, wild temptation, compassionate healing, the promise of newness (new wineskins), humble healings and confrontational healings. He has portrayed Jesus as compassionate, focussed, prayerful, challenging and exhausting in His activity to reveal God's kingdom as a place where God is central, where love and justice hold hands and where hypocrisy has no place.

He has been with disciples in a general sense, but now He specifically and officially appoints the twelve. Luke tells us that He spent a night in prayer preparing for this moment.

Who did He appoint?

• They were diverse: Fishermen, Tax collectors, Zealots, and Youngsters.
• They were works in progress:
  For example Simon-Peter moved from Simon (means "Listen") to Peter (means "Rock")
  and Sons of Thunder (James and John) became the first martyr (James) and the "apostle of love" (John)
• Some were unschooled, some were worldly wise, some were on the fringe of society, others were outcasts.
• And one would betray Him.
• They were people like us...

And what did He call them to?

• To be with Him - And this is the most important. To be with Him. To hear His teachings, observe His ways, absorb His character and understand His kingdom
• Then that He might send them to preach - to share what they had learned and absorbed.
• To have authority to deal with evil - When we've absorbed enough of Jesus we will not be able to do nothing when we encounter evil and injustice. We will need to act.

Like the disciples we are called to the same things.
And it all starts with "being with Him..."

When Peter and John get arrested for healing the lame man at the temple gate, they surprise the Pharisees and teachers of the law (The "temple mafia") by being courageous, articulate and faith-filled. This is what Luke records: "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)

How do we change the world?
By being WITH Jesus!
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For the next two weeks there will be no EmmDevs. Brenda and I are going down to East London where I will be going through Sacraments and Going for Growth with our Denomination's probationers and then we will come back slowly camping along the way and taking the roads less travelled.

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EmmDev 2025-03-13 [Moments with Mark] Business as usual

Business as usual

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard all He was doing, many people came to Him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd He told his disciples to have a small boat ready for Him, to keep the people from crowding Him. For He had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch Him. Whenever the evil spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." But He gave them strict orders not to tell who He was. (Mark3:7-21)

At first glance we might be tempted to say that Mark isn't telling us much that is new.
He's describing another "usual" day for Jesus as he did in chapter one.

Bear in mind that one of the characteristics of Mark's Gospel is that he depicts Jesus as the tireless worker whose motto was "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

There are a few things to observe:

• Jesus is still relentlessly preaching, teaching, healing and driving out demons.
• People are coming from far and wide. The NIV Study Bible says: "Here we see impressive evidence of Jesus' rapidly growing popularity among the people." The areas mentioned are akin to saying people came from North, South, East and West and the furthest corners of Israel.
• Although Mark doesn't depict Jesus as teaching from the boat, he hints at it but points out how the boat was an escape and "distance creator" because Jesus was being swamped as He had healed many and people were desperate to have a part of that.
• Jesus continues to muzzle the demons, and it's for the same reasons as I have mentioned before, namely, it's not Jesus' time yet. For now He is revealing Himself as the Son of Man, and, when the time is right, He will be revealed as the Son of God. It also mitigates some of the crowding and discourages people from trying to make Him king by force.

So, although it looks like "just another day" Mark is demonstrating Jesus' faithful commitment to serve broken humanity. Healing and deliverance took place on an unprecedented scale bringing people from far and wide. It is a foretaste of the Kingdom of God.

But more importantly it is a glimpse into the huge heart of the King.

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EmmDev 2025-03-12 [Moments with Mark] Sabbath

Sabbath

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark2:23-3:6)

In comparison to other cultures and religions, the idea of a Sabbath rest day was unique to Judaism. It was a strange idea: Pause productivity, focus on your God and your family. (Ironically, today, with our levels of burnout and being "always available" through our devices, Sabbath is actually quite an appealing idea.)

For Jews, Sabbath became something that identified them and made them unique. Unfortunately, as time went on, people felt it necessary to begin defining what a good Sabbath looked like and so the lawgivers started making lists of do's and don'ts. The Mishnah, a compilation of laws derived from the Old Testament, listed 39 categories of prohibited activities on the Sabbath, with hundreds of additional rules expanding on them.

What was even more concerning was that compliance to these laws was used as a measure of faithfulness. It became a visible yardstick by which one could measure one's faithfulness and that of others.

The Pharisees pounced on Jesus and His disciples for taking a walk. Some of the disciples idly pulled at the ears of wheat as they passed. They rubbed the kernels they'd pulled off between their hands, freeing the kernels from the husks and blew the husks out of their hands, they then popped the kernels into their mouths and chewed on them as they walked. They weren't stealing or having a meal. They were probably remembering something they did as children. (I have similar memories of picking up a piece of sugar cane next to the road on the way to holidays in Durban and chewing it as we drove.)

The Pharisees turn this into a major transgression. Jesus reminds them that:

• their greatest king, David, once took holy bread off the altar to feed his companions.
  In other words - there are always exceptions where one priority overrides another.
• the Sabbath was made to help us, not to enslave us.
• the Sabbath is meant for us to see God clearly and worship Him more faithfully

Sadly, the Pharisees don't get it. They can't see God at work - even when they're at the synagogue. It's bizarre, they don't wonder about or doubt His ability to heal - they just want to see if He'll break their rules about the Sabbath in order to do it! (Biblical law, not just the Mishnah, allowed rescuing an animal from a pit on the Sabbath. How much more would it allow healing a person?)

It's so tragic. They can't see beautiful irony. The man has been struggling for years with his disability and on the "day of rest" he is given rest from his disability. To not heal him would be a tragic neglect. But they can't see it.

This causes them to hate Jesus even more. He won't fit into their rules. The Sabbath had become about their rules instead of being about being with God and family and shaking off the rat race.

Sadly, today we've gone in the opposite direction. We are no longer confined by Sabbath rules, but we have also lost sight of its purpose.

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EmmDev 2025-03-11 [Moments with Mark] Feasting, Fasting and New Paradigms

Feasting, Fasting and New Paradigms

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?" Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." (Mark2:18-22)

Fasting was part of the Jewish spirituality. Before the exile, the only prescribed fast in the Mosaic law was for the Day of Atonement. After the exile, four other fasts were introduced. Then the pharisees started fasting twice a week.

Fasting is a difficult practice.
On the positive side, it is a way of pausing from the rush, it's about taming our appetite(s), it is a way of putting God first and creating time to draw near to Him.
On the negative side, it can we seen as a way of "twisting God's arm" - as if God has to honour our "hunger-strike" (This is actually just an (illegitimate) attempt at manipulation.) The other dark side to fasting is that it was often done visibly with sackcloth, ashes and long faces so that others would see how dedicated and spiritual the one fasting was.

Some have suggested that John the Baptist's disciples were fasting because their teacher was in jail, but the Pharisees are also fasting and so it seems that it is actually one of the liturgical fasts. (We have no accurate way to discern which fast this is...)

Jesus does not condemn fasting, but He does put it in perspective. There's a time to fast and a time to feast. His presence in the world was a blessing, one didn't need to fast to hear or see God more clearly, He was in their midst! He alludes to the very joyful time of a wedding and how incomprehensible it would be to fast at that time.

He does point out a sombre moment - the bridegroom will be taken away - the cross was coming.

He then points out His coming is a new paradigm, a new way of thinking. The ground rules have changed. Law and religious observances are superseded by relationship with Jesus. The old ways won't work anymore. The new has come and it can't be "patched" onto the old ways and it can't be poured into old wineskins. His coming brings a new paradigm.

Fasting is a good servant, but a bad master. We should never be a slave to a liturgical calendar or an appointed fast because Christ has come and He is the Incarnate and Risen Lord who lives in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

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EmmDev 2025-03-07 [Moments with Mark] Hospitable Evangelism

Hospitable Evangelism

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to Him, and He began to teach them. As He walked along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with Him and His disciples, for there were many who followed Him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw Him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked His disciples: "Why does He eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark2:13-17)

Levi (aka Matthew) was a tax-collector. Tax collectors were considered sellouts and traitors by their fellow Israelites. Levi didn't have many disciple-making skills and he had a bad reputation to overcome.

However, Levi had two things that he could offer:
Firstly, he had a rag tag ragamuffin friendship group comprised of other tax-collectors and people seen as sinners and outcasts. These were people on the fringe of society. They would not easily join the crowds who went to listen to Jesus. In the second place it seems that Levi knew how to throw a good party and so when his life is overturned by Jesus' call, the first thing he does is to host a "Matthew Party". He doesn't organise a crusade or gospel rally - he just invites his friends to meet Jesus. He's just confident that Jesus presence and love will be enough. (Do you see the connection with the Roof Diggers? The best thing you can do for a friend is to bring them to Jesus!)

The "Holy Huddle" (Pharisees and Teachers of the Law) are incensed.
They're convinced that these "bad people" should be avoided and that Jesus should not love them.

Jesus answer is both beautiful and enigmatic.
"I've come to call the sick and not the healthy, the sinners and not the righteous."
The beautiful part is broken people are welcome at His table and to His love.
The enigmatic part is that those who think themselves righteous are not excluded by Jesus, but by their own pride. If people truly believe themselves perfect, they are saying they have no need for God. Once we admit our brokenness, we realise that there are not degrees of brokenness.
We either need forgiveness or we don't. We either need healing or we don't.

May we, like Matthew, take time to let our friends experience the love of Jesus, especially around a meal!

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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....

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

Roof Diggers #2

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)

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!

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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...

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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.

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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!

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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....

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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...)

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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!!!

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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:

1. What nets (entanglements) do I need to leave behind?
2. Do I have a clear picture of Jesus and His footsteps? What's the next step I need to take in following Him?
3. 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...

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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.

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EmmDev 2025-02-18 [Moments with Mark] Wild and Dangerous

Wild and Dangerous

At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended Him. (Mark1:12-13)

Matthew and Luke give us longer descriptions of the temptation of Jesus. They describe Satan's three temptations and Jesus' scripture-based responses.

Mark's version is raw and primal. It accentuates the absolute essentials and moves away from the theological-intellectual clash we see in the other accounts.

What do we see here?

1. It happens at once, the moment after Jesus' baptism. The die has been cast and now the Saviour's resolve is tested....
2. The Spirit sends Him into the desert. He isn't cornered/blindsided/surprised by Satan - this is an appointed moment.
3. He's in the wilderness - surrounded by wild animals. This is a place of primal testing. There's physical isolation, loneliness, danger and it's clear that this is a test, not only of the spirit, but of the body and mind too.
4. He was there for 40 days. Throughout scripture 40 is the number of preparation, testing and setting apart. It's an indication that this was the perfect period of preparation.
5. He was being tempted by Satan. When we read Luke and Matthew, we might be tempted to think it was three "intellectual-theological" temptations. Mark makes it more primal - especially by bringing in the wild animals. This all the wildness and brokenness of hell being pitched at Jesus in the attempt to disqualify Him for the mission He has had Himself baptised for.
6. Angels attended Him: They didn't rescue Him - they attended Him. In a world where hell pitches itself at Jesus and us, we are still being attended by angels. We are not alone.

We tend to intellectualise and spiritualise the temptation of Jesus. Mark helps us see it in the raw reality of what happened. In the moment Jesus formally set about His mission, all of hell tried to stop Him, but Jesus overcame.

In a video clip about the temptation of Jesus there is a caption: "For my 30th birthday, I gave myself some time away from it all, and NOW I'M BACK!"

(You can watch Matt Maher's song 40 days and the accompanying video here: https://youtu.be/NWKRhk-yYI0 )

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EmmDev 2025-02-14 [Moments with Mark] Baptism into Brokenness

Baptism into Brokenness

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Mark1:9-11)

People mistakenly think that Jesus was baptised to set us an example so that we should be baptised.

The other gospels tell us that John the Baptist was resistant about doing this believing that Jesus should baptise him. Jesus indicates to John that this should be done "to fulfill all righteousness."

Let's think this all through:

• John's baptism was not Christian baptism. Paul makes this clear to some folk in Ephesus who thought that John's baptism was sufficient. (Acts 19:3-4)
• John's baptism was for repentance. Did Jesus have to repent of anything? Is He not the sinless Son of God?
• God speaks from heaven. (One of three times in Jesus' ministry) The other two times are at the Transfiguration and in Holy Week where Jesus is explicitly heading to the cross in obedience to the Father's will. So, if God is speaking here, it is clear that Jesus is doing something significant and not just setting a good example.
• Jesus equates His baptism to the cup He must drink. In Mark 10:38 Jesus asks "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

From all these clues it is clear that Jesus' baptism is significant.
In His baptism Jesus is beginning His public ministry by identifying with sinful humanity.
Through a baptism meant for repentance the Sinless Son of God is connecting Himself to our sinfulness.
I like to use the analogy of climbing into someone's dirty bathwater.
Jesus is "taking on our dirt."

What an incredible moment! In this moment Jesus is Son of God and Son of Man, connected to and identified with our sin. Now He can take us and our sin to the cross. What incredible love! No wonder the Father loves Him and is well-pleased with Him.

Take a moment to contemplate this AMAZING love and give THANKS!

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EmmDev 2025-02-13 [Moments with Mark] The Forerunner

The Forerunner

And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Mark1:4-8)

And so John is Isaiah's "voice in the wilderness" who will "prepare the way for the Lord."

Mark has already told us that the gospel was a something God prepared far in advance. His inclusion of OT prophecies assures us that good news was always the plan.

Now he tells us that the gospel is something to be prepared for. John's life and message is about how we prepare for and receive the gospel. Let's look more closely:

• Repentance, Baptism and Forgiveness: The gospel addresses the most basic human need: our brokenness.
  I don't have to wax eloquent about this. We see it in ourselves, we see it on our screens. Science can't save us, psychology can't save us and we can't save ourselves. We are broken and we need a Healer.
• John's clothing and food is that of an ascetic - someone who has who has unplugged from the rat race - someone who has realised that we don't belong in this world. We are travellers, sojourners, pilgrims. We don't have to wear John's clothes or adopt his diet, but we do need to make sure we don't hammer our tent-pegs in too deep. We are in this world but not of it. To receive the gospel, we need to pilgrims...
• The gospel is a Someone. It's not a message, creed, lifestyle, concept, philosophy or mission statement. It is a relationship with Jesus - the one who came and is coming again.
• We need to receive the Holy Spirit. If we aren't willing to open our hearts to His life and influence we are not ready for the gospel.

And so, in John's message and example, Mark has shown us that:
1. The Gospel is about brokenness forgiven and this is received as a gift
2. It's about becoming pilgrims in this world
3. It's about knowing Jesus
4. and receiving His Spirit.

Powerful thoughts indeed!

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EmmDev 2025-02-12 [Moments with Mark] An Unusual Start - Longing

An Unusual Start - Longing

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" -- "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.' " (Mark1:1-3)

Matthew and Luke start their gospels with accounts of Jesus' birth.
John begins with a prologue that frames the birth of Jesus in epic cosmic and spiritual terms.
Mark jumps from Old Testament longing to the launch of Jesus public ministry.

The passage he quotes from is Isaiah 40. It is an iconic expression of the longing that gets louder and louder through the OT. You'll recognise it from Advent readings and Handel's Messiah. It's written during Israel's exile in Babylon, arguably their lowest and most devastating setback. Their moral and spiritual failures produced a socio-political decline which the warnings of multiple prophets did not avert. The ruthless Babylonian enemy came, Jerusalem and the temple were reduced to rubble and their people were decimated and exiled.

Yet the weeping Jeremiah believed that God's faithful love would be renewed.
The mourning Ezekiel believed that the dead bones would rise again.
And the lament-singing Isaiah was certain that God would send someone.

We think Mark wrote his gospel around 65-68AD. The timing is important:
- This is some 30 years after the ascension of Jesus.
- The original Apostles (Disciples) are getting older and some are dying violently.
- The church is moving into the next generation.
- Nero burnt Rome (64AD) and blamed Christians
- Jerusalem would be destroyed in (70AD)
This period marked the start of severe persecution for the church.

Mark realised that the next generation would be experiencing longing.
They'd need to be reminded that in dark times there is hope.
And so he starts his gospel with the expression of promise fulfilled.
He frames the coming of Jesus in the fulfillment of longing.

Are you in a tough spot right now?
Take heart - Jesus comes into our heartache and pain.
He comes into our longing.

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EmmDev 2025-02-11 [Moments with Mark] Meeting Mark

Meeting Mark

Dear Emm-Dev Friends
A belated and blessed new year to you! At the end of last year I indicated that EmmDevs would resume at the end of January, but the week (that's what it felt like) of January flew past so quickly that I struggled to find my feet for the start of devotions. But here we are, and I am looking forward to another year of EmmDevs and I pray you'll find them helpful.

I thought it would be good to begin with a series of devotions working through Mark's Gospel.
I'm calling them "Moments with Mark"

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark1:1)

Who wrote Mark's gospel?
Scholarly consensus holds that the Gospel of Mark was written by John Mark and that it was the earliest of the four gospels. Matthew and Luke are believed to have used Mark as a primary source when composing their own accounts.

But what do we know about John Mark?
From the clues we glean from the gospels, Acts, early church history and scholarly we can infer that:

• John Mark lived in Jerusalem with his mother and she provided the venue for the last supper.
• He is the young boy who followed Jesus and the disciples to Gethsemane and ran away when the soldiers came and they grabbed his garment and he ran away naked (Mark14:51-52)
• His mom continued to offer their home as a meeting place for the early church in Jerusalem
• He had an uncle named Barnabas who was an important figure in the early church.
• When Paul and Barnabas went on their first missionary trip and Barnabas invited his nephew John Mark.
• John Mark didn't cope with the pressures of the trip and abandoned them.
• When the second trip came up, Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark again, but Paul refused, causing Paul and Barnabas to part ways.
• Eventually John Mark became Peter's young assistant
• Paul and Barnabas reconciled and Paul and John Mark reconciled and Paul recognised his worth.
• John Mark wrote the gospel of Mark based on sermons Peter preached.

The Word "Gospel" means "Good News".
It's a word the church used to describe the salvation Jesus brought to the world and the gospel is best preached.
It is fitting that the author of the first Gospel, was someone who made mistakes and yet was redeemed and restored.
It is also fitting that the gospel was shaped by sermons preached by Peter.

So, let's take time to give thanks that God saves and rescues us, even if we have made mistakes.
Let's also give thanks for the faithful preaching of God's Word that still transforms lives.

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