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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