Mark - Could not..

Could not...

Good morning class.  I hope you have all had a wonderful week.  

The Question of the Week:  What are you most looking forward to about Christmas this year? 

This weeks lesson looks at two short stories.  

READ: Mark 6:1-6

A Prophet Without Honor

6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

What are your thoughts about this story? 

Did anything stand out to you?

As a child, frankly even the heading here and in most bibles, implies that the "point" the reason for this parable is to acknowledge that prophets are less likely to be listened to by people in their home community.  That is it. However, today I would like to argue that perhaps that isn't the point, or at least it isn't a good point.  

I know it is what Jesus says, it is the quote.  Yet what comes next is so important.  

"He could not do any miracles there..."

"He was amazed at their lack of faith."

We are too easily drawn to lists.   List give us the ability to cross things off and feel better about ourselves.  Or if it is a list of what not to do or how not to be, then we love looking at lists and saying that doesn't apply to me, I'm not so bad after all.  

In this story if we look at the main point, being that prophets aren't listened to in their own town, then we check it off our list and feel great about ourselves and perhaps we miss the lack of faith and that Jesus could not do something.  

These two things, are so important.  

1. Could not... Could not do. 

We talk all the time about how "God is in control." How he is all powerful. Yet here we see that he can not do something.  Why? 

It all comes down to love.  Love never imposes, forces, or dictates.  Jesus is Love!  Where he is not wanted, where people don't have faith, he CAN NOT perform miracles. 

2. Their lack of faith.

Why they lacked faith is less important that the fact that they DID lack faith! Jesus didn't grow up a child in your neighborhood or in your church, but is there anything else that keeps you from having faith.  Faith, I know I personally need to exercise faith more often.  Focus on my faith. What keeps me from having faith?  Their lack of faith tied the hands of Jesus.  Their lack of faith kept miracles from happening for them and their neighbors. 

This has really challenged me this week.  Faith.  Real faith.  How does that change my life?  What does it look like?  In these crazy times we live, how does living a life of faith change us? 

I want you to stop for a moment, and look at what has been weighing most heavily on your heart.    

Now, overlay a strong covering of faith in who Jesus is and how does that change?  How does our reaction to the heaviest weight change.  

I'm not sure I'm making myself clear.  

Close your eyes.  

Think about that heavy weight.

Now imagine Jesus walks in the room, you can see the scars in his hands, you can see His smiling face looking at you.  Now he says,  "Beth... insert your name here....I've got this. I promise everything will be alright." 

Even if you don't instantly see a change, how does this change your reaction to the weight? 

I really believe that is how I need to be walking through this life.  KNOWING that because of Jesus and His life, because of what he has done and will do and IS DOING, I CAN and MUST live with a NEW kind of JOY and freedom that is impossible otherwise!  

There are so many of us struggling right now!  This life is HARD! REAL HARD!  I am not trying to minimize it but because of our faith in him, we can live with a freedom and deep abiding JOY even in the midst of it all!

Let's continue reading: Mark 6: 7-12

 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

I wish Mark had included some of the things that Luke did when talking about this, but I will save that for when we study Luke.   Having said that there are still some real gems that go right with the first story of the day. 

What are some principles that we learn here that were also in the last story?

1.  FAITH  How do we see faith being spoken about here?  His instructions to them, makes them almost look unprepared.   

I love prepared people.  I tend to not be as prepared as I should so I really admire those who are.  My favorite prepared story is about Amy King.  We were on a subway in New York City with the Drama team from MPA and a students shoe broke.  I don't remember how but it was not going to be wearable at all.  I just thought in that moment, "well I guess this kid is going to be barefooted in February in NYC..." But then, Amy opens her purse and pulls out another little zipped bag and then brings out super glue.  She then proceeds to take the kids shoe and with her super glue fixes it.  By the time we were ready to get off the subway the shoe was back in working order and the student walked off like anyone else.  Prepared, is a gift and I admire it!  Here though Jesus clearly tells them to be unprepared.  To not take a fully stocked magic bag.  Just go.  Why?

2. LOVE  How do we see love in this story?

The obvious way we see love is the choice.  "Go where you are wanted, but if you are not wanted leave."  The power of Jesus is not going to be forced ever! We also see love, in the love of the disciples for Jesus, their willingness to go... to work for Jesus.  There is certainly love in that too.  

Perhaps I am making this too simple, but both of these stories today, break down to Faith and Love.  The choice of Love, and the power of Faith.  

Today, will you choose both Faith and Love?  I know we are all struggling in one way or another!  I know church isn't the same, Christmas isn't the same, our health isn't the same, our finances maybe aren't the same, we are all challenged in different ways, but.... the Love of God is never changing, HE is the same!  He love you so much, and can and will today, walk into your home, look right at you and tell you that He is with you, and He has got this all!  The question is, do we believe in Him?  Do we have faith that He can, will, is? 

I challenge all of us to focus this week on taking the weightiest weight in our lives, and having faith, and giving it to Him.  "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Do you believe that.  What are you heavy laden with?  Take it and with even the faith as small as the mustard seed will you hand it to him and see how that changes your way of negotiating life?