Tag: Mark 8

Links for today’s readings:

Feb 27 Read:  Proverbs 18 Listen: (2:23) Read: Mark 8 Listen: (4:29)
Feb 28 Read:  Proverbs 19 Listen: (3:09) Read: Mark 9 Listen: (6:16)
Mar 1 Read:  Proverbs 20 Listen: (3:19) Read: Mark 10 Listen: (6:42)

Scripture Focus: Mark 8.29-33

29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Reflection: Hating or Loving Jesus’ Plan

By John Tillman

Jesus tells his disciples his plan. They hate it.

Biblical writers never glamorize the “heroes.” They show them up close, with all their flaws. Peter is one example. Mark (most scholars agree) was close to Peter and used him as the primary eyewitness for his gospel. Despite Mark’s gospel being from Peter’s perspective, it doesn’t conceal Peter’s failures.

This story shows one of Peter’s best moments right next to one of his worst.

Mark is building his story to a climax. Jesus’ miracles and signs proved his authority and power. His disciples believed in him. Peter declared Jesus was the promised Messiah. Then Jesus revealed his plans plainly. I’m going to suffer. I’m going to die. I’ll rise from the dead.

In Matthew’s account, when Peter calls Jesus the Messiah, Jesus praises Peter so expansively that some corners of Christianity think the church is literally built on Peter, instead of Jesus, and that Peter personally holds the literal keys of Heaven, greeting us, like a hotel porter, at its gates. Mark skips that glowing (and confusing) praise, jumping straight to Peter’s low point.

Peter thought he had to talk sense into Jesus. But “sense” wasn’t what Peter was listening to. Satan whispered in Peter’s ear and Peter passed the message along like a game of infernal telephone. Jesus recognized the message’s source. He calls Peter “Satan,” saying that he is only thinking of human concerns.

We wish God would tell us his plans plainly. One reason he might not do that is because we might not understand those plans and would reject them. We are not immune to Satan’s whispered doubts. We, like Peter, are likely to pull Jesus aside and repeat these doubts to him. Surely not, Lord. I can’t really do that. Send someone else. I’m not worthy to do that. I’m afraid. I’m too sinful. I’m not strong enough. My faith is too weak.

Jesus knows well what Satan’s temptations sound like. (Matthew 4.1-11; Luke 4.1-13) Hear Jesus say, “Get behind me, Satan” as he rebukes doubts, fears, and lies. Hear also from Jesus, “Release your human concerns. Set your mind on God’s concerns.”

What is Jesus’ plan for his disciples in plain language? “Deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Do you hate it? Or do you love it? The way of the cross is the only way that leads to life.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. “ — Matthew 16.24-25

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Beyond Femme Fatales

Temptations no longer stay on dangerous corners. Temptations leap right into our bedrooms and living rooms through our televisions, apps, and devices.

Beyond Femme Fatales

Read more: Greed Versus Integrity

Greed and integrity are enemies. Integrity short circuits greed. Greed corrupts integrity.

Greed Versus Integrity

Scripture Focus: Mark 8.17-18
Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? 

From John: It is important for us to intervene when we see injustice, or become blind to it. It is important for us to respond when God prompts our hearts, or become immune to his influence. It is important for us to obey when he speaks to us, or become deaf to his still, small voice. May this repost from 2019 help keep open our eyes and ears and soften our hearts. 

Reflection: For Those Yet Unseeing — Worldwide Prayer
By John Tillman

Often people of faith express the wish to be able to stand among the disciples, seeing and touching, and experiencing Jesus first hand. There’s nothing wrong with such a fanciful wish as long as it is simply a wish to stand in his presence. (We know in faith that we will stand in his presence, and bow down.) 

Often, this wish comes with assumptions. 
We assume that faith comes easily when we witness miracles. 
We assume that the disciples were ancient simpletons and that our quick modern minds would easily decipher Christ’s pedagogy of parables. (We ignore that science tells us that our species’ intelligence has been identical for eons.)

We are wrong on both those counts.
Those who witnessed the miracles of the Bible still struggled to have faith.
Some modern scholarship has not brought us greater understanding of Christ, but has muddied the waters with doubt, conjecture, and fringe theology presented as “faith” accompli—as if it has always belonged to the mainstream.

Junk science is rejected by an overwhelming percentage of scientists. Junk theology is rejected by an overwhelming percentage of theologians. It is ironic that some who reject junk science are willing to accept junk theology and some who reject junk theology are quick to accept junk science. Both groups are blind, deaf, mute, and immobile.

When we pray this prayer of intercession for the blind, deaf, mute, and immobile in our culture, may we not forget to include ourselves.

A Prayer of Intercession from Great Britain
Thank you, God, for the Church,
Help us to share fully in the church family.

We pray for people who are blind:
Help them to see Jesus.

We pray for people who are deaf:
Help them to hear Jesus.

We pray for people who cannot use their legs:
Help them to walk with Jesus.

We pray for people who cannot speak clearly:
Help them to know that Jesus understands.

Please help us all to serve you.
Fill us with the fruit of the 
Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

*Prayer from Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, Dr. Tony Cupit, Editor.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
When your word goes forth it gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. — Psalm 119.130

Today’s Readings
Genesis 38 (Listen – 4:24)
Mark 8 (Listen – 4:29)

This Weekend’s Readings
Genesis 39 (Listen – 3:08) Mark 9 (Listen – 6:16)
Genesis 40 (Listen – 2:59) Mark 10 (Listen – 6:42)

Read more about Forgiveness to Soften the Hardened
There is no level of spiritual achievement or growth at which one is not susceptible to hardening of the heart and the spirit. Christ’s call echoes again. Calling us deeper into every discipline we pursue.

Forgiveness to Soften the Hardened :: Worldwide Prayer

Read more about God of the Weak and Doubtful
When God shows us his doubtful children, he comes to where we are, puts his reassuring hand on our shoulder, and claims us as his children as well.

God of the Weak and Doubtful