Mark 1:21-28

Mark 1:21-28 

English Standard Version 

  How many different distractions do you find when you truly need to buckle down and focus on something?  I might struggle to work from home full-time -- it's so easy to find ways to distract myself.  I wander into the kitchen every 30 minutes to find something new to eat, even though I've memorized everything that's in there and I haven't been to the store since the last time I looked.  One of the best ways to clean your house is to find some other deadline that's pressing in! 

  Here, Jesus is teaching, and people are amazed -- he teaches with authority that exceeds that of the current experts.  People are learning, and into the midst of this teaching, an unclean spirit disrupts the scene, preventing people from learning as Jesus teaches.  

  When we go to study, may we do what we can to minimize distractions.  Turn off the phone, set some time aside, give yourself the best chance to focus.  May we learn from Jesus as he teaches us through the Word.

Mark 1:16-20

Mark 1:16-20 

English Standard Version 

  If we were to launch a movement, we'd go to the most powerful universities in the land and pick the top achievers from each.  We'd find the most expensive consultants and ask them to design a program that would ensure the movement would last for centuries.  We'd carefully plot out every step.  

  And it would look nothing like the movement that Jesus launches when he calls his first disciples.  Jesus calls fishermen -- men who likely weren't chosen at some point to go on in synagogue school, men who weren't overly educated, men who didn't have easy access to the halls of power.  Jesus calls them, and they follow, and they are the beginning of something incredible, something remarkable, something that the world hadn't seen before.  God was doing a new thing, something that humans couldn't have conceived of on our own.  

  So let us marvel at how God's plans are different than our own, and let us accept that we don't always know what is best.  May we remain humbly and approach the throne of grace by acknowledging that we don't always get the whole picture.  May we trust in God and have faith in the next step, even when we cannot see it.

Mark 1:14-15

Mark 1:14-15 

English Standard Version 

  If you decide you love being healthy, you might have to give up donuts.  But if you love health enough, it doesn't feel like a sacrifice, because you're moving towards something.  

  Jesus loves us as we are... but he still calls us to change.  Being a Christian means we live in active repentance -- Christ doesn't call us to stay the way we are.  Christ calls us to repent, for each and every one of us is captive to sin, and it shows itself in different ways.  We repent not to earn the love of God -- that's given as a free gift -- but we do it as a response to Christ's love.  When Christ's love transforms us, we naturally want to be rid of every aspect of sin in our lives, so we turn from sin and all of its influences.  Sin pulls us away from Jesus and puts things between us.  It's a daily task required of us, to pay attention to the influence of sin in our lives.  It's a spiritual discipline to stop at the end of every day, to look back and see where sin led us from Jesus, and to pray for Holy Spirit wisdom to move away from sin and back towards Christ.

  

Mark 1:12-13

Mark 1:12-13 

English Standard Version 

  Some people out there preach that when you become a Christian, life will get easier and you'll experience wealth and beauty and all sorts of other things.

  The Gospels make no such promises.  

  Jesus Christ lived the perfect life, and at the beginning of his public ministry, what was his reward?  He was driven into the wilderness, where he was in direct confrontation with Satan for over a month.  Oh, and he was surrounded by wild animals.

  Life is full of trials.  They are not evidence that your faith is weak.  They are evidence that we exist in a broken world where sin and death and chaos still have influence.  These things do not determine the final state, but they still wreak havoc in the world and our lives.

  Take heart -- Christ suffered, and we shall, too.  But just as Christ overcame, we, too, shall overcome.  

  Thanks be to God.

Mark 1:9-11

Mark 1:9-11 

English Standard Version

  In some ways, we spend our lives seeking the approval of our parents -- all of us need affirmation, and when we don't get it from our parents, we seek it elsewhere in the world.  We spend our lives wanting to know that we're good enough, that we've done enough, that we've justified our existence.  In the movie Chariots of Fire, one of the runners discusses the 10 seconds that he's running as an opportunity to justify himself.  It's sad to think of that... but we all probably have something in our life that we use to justify ourselves.

  The good news of the Gospel is that we don't justify ourselves.  In joining with Christ through our baptisms, we hear the voice of the Father speak the same affirmation to us that God spoke to Jesus Christ -- we are God's beloved children, and with us, God is well pleased.  No matter what we have done, the grace of Christ covers us, and we are accepted as God's beloved and treasured children because of the gift of righteousness given to us by Christ.

  So close your eyes for a second and breathe that in deeply -- you are God's beloved, and with you, God is well pleased.

Mark 1:4-8

Mark 1:4-8 

English Standard Version 

  So John comes out of nowhere, and he's dressed in strange clothing, eating a strange diet, and not talking about himself -- and people stream to him.  Thousands come out to be baptized, despite this strange man in strange clothes with a humble message about what God is doing.

  We often feel so unqualified.  We even have a name for it now -- we call it the imposter syndrome, when we're convinced that everyone else is more qualified than we are.  It's rampant, because we feel unprepared for whatever is coming next.

  But John learned to trust the Holy Spirit and to focus on Christ.  That led him to new places, but he trusted in what God was doing.

  May we do likewise.  No matter how unprepared we feel, may we trust in God, and let the Holy Spirit lead, even if its uncomfortable and unknown.  God will lead us, God will not forsake us, and God will do amazing things through each and every one of us.

Mark 1:1-3

Mark 1:1-3 

English Standard Version 

  The beginning of the Gospel is rooted in what God was doing in the Old Testament.  

  John the Baptist doesn't show up out of the blue -- John's ministry is anchored in the ministry of the prophets who were active in Israel long before Jesus was born.  John came in the tradition of Isaiah, preaching the same message of God's radical love for people, of the need to hear God's voice and follow God's commands.  

  God had been preparing the way for Jesus for centuries before Jesus arrived.  

  Therefore, to fully understand Jesus, we have to understand the Old Testament, and then we can see the ways that God was at work -- that helps us grasp the ways God is at work through Jesus, and that helps us grasp the ways God is at work in the here and now. 

  There's countless great resources.  The best book I know is Christopher J.H. Wright's The Mission of God, which lays out how God's mission is consistent throughout Scripture.  The Bible Project podcast (https://podcasts.google.com/search/BibleProject) is a series of hour-long discussions about various topics, exploring how themes are consistent throughout the Bible.  There are a lot of great resources -- the better we understand the Old Testament, the better we understand Jesus, and we are often then left in awe of how God is at work.

Philippians 4:21-23

Philippians 4:21-23 

English Standard Version 

 We're so accustomed to doing things on our own in our modern world.  When we have problems, we take pride in figuring out an independent solution.  We curate social media experiences so it fits our personalities and tastes.  The world everywhere is filled with people with earbuds and headphones who often pay little attention to people around them.  Our faces are all buried in our own phones.  We miss so many people around us.

  Paul is constantly reminding us that we don't serve Christ on our own.  The church is comprised of individuals, but we are knit together through the work of the Holy Spirit to bear one collective witness.  We rejoice with one another, pray with one another, serve with one another, listen to one another, love one another.  Christ was focused on the community, and the gift of the Holy Spirit continues to remind us to focus on loving and serving one another.

  Who can you reach out to today?  Who can you contact to let them know they're not alone, to be reminded that you're not alone?  How can you tighten the bonds of community, or form new ones?  Every day, we can make that choice.

Philippians 4:14-20

Philippians 4:14-20 

English Standard Version 

  How'd you like to be the church that turned down the opportunity to partner with the Apostle Paul?  Probably not a great look -- I bet those guys regretted that when they read the New Testament!

  We don't know much about the future -- including what kind of people some individuals will turn out to be.  We often think we know everything about someone that we need to know, only to be continually surprised by people when we discover their capacity to surprise us.

  So may we enter new relationships with open minds and hearts, and give people the grace and room to develop into the people God made them to be.  May we default to saying 'yes', and trusting in the work of the Holy Spirit to knit us together into something beautiful.

Philippians 4:10-13

Philippians 4:10-13

English Standard Version 

 Imagine having a credit card where you never have to pay the bills.  You'd never be concerned about what things cost -- you'd simply put it on the card.  No anxiety over the price of gas, no second thoughts about what you buy in the grocery store.  When the car breaks unexpectedly, you'd just put it on the card.  When the hot water heater explodes... no problem.  Just charge it.  Imagine how peaceful you'd be, never worrying about money.

  That's a glimpse into the situation Paul is talking about.  The Gospel has thoroughly penetrated his heart, and so he can be content.  He might be getting beaten by Roman soldiers or enjoying a Corinthian sunset -- in both situations, he is confidant that the Creator of the Universe loves him enough to die on a cross for him, and Paul knows he is claimed by God for all of eternity.  Given such knowledge, what can the world do to him that might rock his boat?  If he's a little hungry, he doesn't have concern, because he is beloved by the God who knit together his innermost being.  Paul knows he'll be taken care of.  And if there's a task in front of Paul, Paul takes it up with confidence, because God has led him this far, so surely the next step will be covered in grace, too.

  You are loved just the same as Paul.  How does that change you?

Philippians 4:8-9

Philippians 4:8-9 

English Standard Version 

   Your thoughts will lead your heart.  Our hearts don't just come up with random ideas and lead us astray -- when we find ourselves in sinful situations, it's often because our thoughts have been dwelling on those, and they lead our hearts to a certain place.  

  What do you think on when you don't have anything else to think about?  Answering that will often reveal what our true gods are.  If we train our minds to think on Christ, then that will lead our hearts into love with God.  It's not easy, and requires constant attention... but the more we dwell on Christ, the more our hearts will be pulled towards Christ, the more peace we'll find in life, because we find confidence in Christ, and in Christ alone.

Philippians 4:4-7

Philippians 4:4-7

English Standard Version 

  When people think about what a Godly person might act like, I doubt that Philippians 4:5 is one of the verses they turn to, but perhaps they should -- wouldn't it be great if the church was known for churning out reasonable people.  Society could use more of those -- maybe our ad campaigns should invite people to come and find reasonableness.

  What enables us to be reasonable?  

  Our hearts are guarded by the peace of Jesus Christ.  When we trust in this, then we don't have to be anxious that something else will steal or destroy our hearts.  We are filled with a peace that the world cannot understand, because the world knows fear, but we know peace, and we rest in God, with the knowledge that everything that needs to be done has been done.

  Exhale...

Philippians 4:1-3

Philippians 4:1-3 

English Standard Version 

  Have you ever carried something tremendously heavy by yourself?  I remember when I was in college, a friend asked me to move her refrigerator at the end of the school year.  It was heavy and awkward and not easily done, but I struggled along and finally made it.  At the end of it, I realized how much easier it would have been with a partner.  I hadn't really thought ahead, and so I figured it was easier and faster to do it on my own, but looking back, I was terribly wrong.

  Many things in life are like that.  As we get older and life gets more complex, it's often not physical tasks that we're undertaking on our own, but relationship and vocational tasks.  Out of pride, we often try and tackle these on our own, not wanting to seem weak by needing help, but the reality is that these things are easier and often more enjoyable when we have a companion.  Paul is reminding the church in Philippi that he doesn't spread the Gospel on his own -- he had companions, Euodia and Syntyche, who worked side by side, along with others, in sharing the Good News of the church.

  So let us humbly admit that we need companions, and welcome the opportunity to share a burden.  We're often eager to help others but don't recognize that it can be a gift to allow others to help us.  May we form tighter bonds in our communities and help build new relationships by opening up our lives to allow others to help us out.

Philippians 3:17-21

Philippians 3:17-21

English Standard Version 

  There are so many opportunities to choose where we'll set our minds.  Paul speaks of people who set their minds on their bellies, focusing on what they take in, focusing on earthly things.  They miss out on the glories of heaven.

  We're told that if we set our hearts on heaven, we get earth thrown in, because we experience the peace that is possible through knowing God.  When we walk according to this path, we walk with confidence -- even if the world around us seems to be falling away, we are at peace, because we know the treasures of the Kingdom of God are with us.  

  We are being transformed, every day.  We can choose to let our minds be led by Christ's, to join with the work Christ is doing, or to set our minds on earthly things and miss out on the glories God is doing around us.

Philippians 3:12-16

Philippians 3:12-16 

English Standard Version 

  I've run a decent number of 5k events, and the hardest part is always from mile 2 to mile 3.  The easiest part is the last 0.1, as you hear people at the finish and it comes into sight, it's easy to forget the aches and pains and find some energy left in the tank to push to the finish.  Adrenaline kicks in!

  Paul is telling us that should be the feeling of the life of faith.  There's always a lot of aches and pains behind us, and we're often carrying those with us, but when we come to Christ and remind ourselves of Christ's promises and the glories of God's Kingdom, it should give us a foretaste, a sample, of the wondrous Kingdom riches that await us, and the overwhelming sense of God's glory should help motivate us to push on, leaving behind the aches and pains and being caught up in the adrenaline of sensing the nearness of God's glory.

  It's a beautiful image, and one I pray we can all find and maintain, that we might be caught up in the goodness of God and pressing on towards the Kingdom.  May the proximity of it fill our senses and help us strain forward in our prayers and service and fellowship and study, that we may be renewed and energized the Holy Spirit in all we do.

Philippians 3:8-11

Philippians 3:8-11 

English Standard Version 

  If I have a prayer for each of us, it's captured here in this passage -- that we value Christ so highly that everything else in this world pales in comparison.  It's not looking at ourselves for anything, but looking to Christ for everything, for in this, we stop worrying about ourselves and if we're good enough, and we simply accept the peace and power that comes through faith in Christ.  

  May we know this power, for in knowing this, we no longer fear death, for we have confidence in the resurrection.

  That's my prayer for you and for myself.  May we know this better, and love Christ more.  I heard once in a sermon that we should all repent for not loving Christ enough, and I think that's right... we don't love Christ as we ought.  So may the knowledge of God bring surpassing peace into your life, today and every day.

Philippians 3:1-7

Philippians 3:1-7 

English Standard Version 

  They say that if you want to be rich and successful in the world, you should choose your parents well -- the circumstances into which you are born shape much of the opportunity you have in this world.  If you're born into a tribe in the plains of Africa or deep in the Amazon rainforest, your life will look very different than if your parents are two Wall Street stockbrokers.  One of those lineages will open doors of power and give you opportunities for a very comfortable life by material standards.

  Paul is reminding the church in Philippi that he was remarkably qualified to be a religious expert.  When it comes to measuring up by religious standards, Paul was as qualified as anyone.  He could go toe-to-toe if they were trying to compare who was the most righteous person.  

  But Paul came to realize that all his religious qualifications still left him far short of God's righteousness, and that salvation was a gift from God.  Because it is a free gift, none of those qualifications mean anything in the new church -- because there is no hierarchy or need to prove yourself.  It's simply about accepting grace, and if you are tempted to use your worldly qualifications, then that's pushing you farther from the ecosystem of grace. 

  It's a hard thing for us to accept, especially if we're rich in terms of worldly qualifications.  But Paul came to see the truth of the free gift of grace, and may our hearts come to the same realization.