40 Days of Jesus ~ Day 12 (Mark 12)

by Roseanna White | Feb 23, 2016 | Bible Study

Mark 12

Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 2 Now
at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might
receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5 And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. 6 Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 “Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not even read this Scripture:

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
11 This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 And
they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they
knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went
away.

They knew the parable was about him . . . and acted exactly as the evil vinedressers in it anyway, seeking to lay hands on the Son and kill him.

13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When
they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true,
and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but
teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or
not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”
But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” 16 So they brought it.
And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
17 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
And they marveled at Him.

Why did they think they could trip him up with the tax question? I suspect it’s in part because they were still expecting anyone claiming to be the Messiah to be preaching freedom from Rome, not freedom from sins. This man was being proclaimed as the Christ, the King of the Jews . . . but he wasn’t acting like David or Solomon. He wasn’t trying to set up a kingdom on earth or denying the authority over the empire who ruled them.

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”
24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

In usual Jesus fashion, he sees right through the trip-him-up question (that failed to trip him up) and to the heart of the matter. The Sadducees didn’t really care what his answer was to their question, they were just trying to prove the concept of a resurrection ridiculous.


I love Jesus’s answer here though–our God is a living God. He is I AM. And is a living, eternal God the God of the dead? Is a living, eternal God alone throughout eternity? Is a living, eternal God incapable of creating man so that his breath of life lasts longer than a mere 80-or-so years? I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. But He, the living God, is not defined by the dead–he’s defined by LIFE. Here and forevermore.

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
But after that no one dared question Him.

I feel like cheering–a scribe who actually perceived the truth! Who understood the point of the law! Because they can indeed all be summed up in those two commandments. Love God first and best and with all that you are; love your neighbor as yourself. If you’ve got those two, everything else falls into place.

35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’

37 Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

And the common people heard Him gladly.

38 Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

This harkens, I think, to that same idea of expecting an earthly king. The scribes are teaching that there will be another king like David–and Jesus is pointing out that the Messiah is a different kind of king, one who was king before David. Not one who will aspire to the same earthly majesty, but one who David recognized as reigning ultimately.

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

 Are we giving to God only out of our abundance–the things we won’t miss? Or are we giving him our all?

40 Days of Jesus ~ Day 10 (Mark 10)

by Roseanna White | Feb 20, 2016 | Bible Study

Mark 10

Then He arose from
there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.
And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He
taught them again.
2 The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.
3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”
4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”
5 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh’;  so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
10 In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. 11 So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Because of the hardness of your hearts.


Legal . . . but good? As God intended?


In his usual fashion, Jesus is more interested in the spirit behind the law than in the letter of it. And he knows well that the allowances Moses gave have been expanded and twisted, until anything is reason for divorce. Until a man’s family would badger him to put away his wife if she wasn’t living up to expectations or producing heirs.


Jesus, though, knew how this would rip someone’s heart to pieces. He knew how it would break and splinter a home. And he knew that there was something so much better, if both a husband and a wife will strive together for it, seeking His will above all.

13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

No wonder Jesus was greatly displeased! He’s already demonstrated how much he values the little ones, but here they are falling back into their typical mindset–that it wasn’t until adulthood that a person had full worth. Jesus, however, recognizes the purity of the children’s faith.

17 Now
as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him,
and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal
life?”
18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You
know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do
not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your
father and your mother.’”
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One
thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross,
and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

 I’ve been waiting for the tale of the rich young ruler. 😉


Okay, here’s the deal. The typical, off-the-cuff response to this is, “But of course, Jesus doesn’t ask us all to give up all our possessions and follow him.”


No. He doesn’t. BUT.


But . . . what if he did ask that of you?


Going on two years ago, when we read this passage, I asked myself that question. And I thought about it. Really, truly thought about it. If he asked, would I give up my house? My clothes? My cars? If he asked, would I give up my books? My television? My antique dishes and lamps? If he asked, would I leave it all and go to some part of the world I’d never seen to answer his call?


I asked . . . and I didn’t like the answer. Because I just couldn’t fathom giving it all up–and I knew that was wrong.


So here’s what I did: I prayed that God would change my attitude. That he would help me put value where it belonged, and not on my stuff.


There was no big thunder-clap. There was no epiphany. There was nothing monumental. I just lived my life. And I thought long and hard before I bought anything new.


A year later, I asked myself that question again . . . and I realized that now it was quite clearly yes. Yes, Lord, I would give it all up to follow you. Whatever you ask of me. I will give it.


Jesus asked this young man to give up his wealth because that’s what was standing between him and God. That’s what he valued more than his faith. That was his idol.


That’s always what Jesus is going to ask for. Maybe it’s your money, your house, your things. Maybe it’s your family (like the man in another gospel who said, “Lord, just let me bury my father first, then I will follow you.”). Maybe it’s your job. I don’t know what it is–but if there’s anything you put above Him, He will ask you to be willing to put it aside for him.


Are you?

23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”

27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who
shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers
and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in
the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Quick note on the “eye of a needle” thing–he’s actually referring to a gate into the city called the Eye of the Needle. This was a low gate, and in order for a camel to enter through it, you had to completely unload the camel and then urge it to kneel down and hobble through on its knees. Possible. But very difficult.

32 Now
they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going
before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were
afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the
things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold,
we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to
the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death
and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You
do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,
and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.”
So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You
know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it
over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

This is a mindset I try really hard to carry into all the different facets of life–that our place is to give. To serve. To seek not honor, but simply to honor him through our every action.


Not saying it’s easy, LOL. But if I can teach my kids one thing, I want it to be this. Serve.

46 Now
they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a
great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road
begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Question for Mark 10 ~ What would be the hardest thing God could ask you to sacrifice/leave behind to follow him?

40 Days of Jesus ~ Day 9 (Mark 9)

by Roseanna White | Feb 19, 2016 | Bible Study

Mark 9

And He said to them, “Assuredly,
I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death
till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”

2 Now
after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a
high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then
Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here;
and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one
for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.
7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
9 Now
as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should
tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen
from the dead. 10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
11 And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
12 Then He answered and told them, “Indeed,
Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written
concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be
treated with contempt? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

We hear about this so often–The Transfiguration. It’s one of those things that probably has become cliche to us. But have we stopped to really imagine it? Jesus is there before them, as usual, when all of a sudden his clothes are shining with a blinding white light. He was changed, right there before their eyes. Exalted. Like all the special effects Hollywood of today can achieve, but there. In front of them. And suddenly Moses and Elijah were too.


I think I’d have been as in shock as Peter was. And really, what do you say? What do you ask? How to take it all in?

14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”
17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And
wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth,
gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that
they should cast it out, but they could not.”
19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20 Then
they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit
convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the
mouth.
21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood. 22 And
often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to
destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help
us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

I refer to this passage in A Soft Breath of Wind, since it deals with the casting out of demons. This is a glimpse into that spiritual world–that some demons are so entrenched in their hosts, a simple word isn’t enough to cast it out. It requires preparation.


So why then was Jesus able to do it? I’m not going to accept the pat answer of, “Duh, he’s Christ.” Yes, I know this is true. But he was operating through the Holy Spirit here. And he’d given his disciples authority over unclean spirits. So then, the answer that comes to mind is that Jesus was always tending that spiritual health. We see him frequently going off for time alone to pray. Presumably also to fast. He was already doing what he was telling them they’d have to do too.

30 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. 31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The
Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill
Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” 32 But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever
receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and
whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

We all know these verses . . . but they’re still hard, aren’t they? Because we don’t want to be last. We want to be successful. We want to win awards. We want to be recognized. We want everyone to know if we’re generous. We want people to talk about us with respect. We want love. We want authority.


We each have our struggle, but it’s common to a pretty big percent of us. But here Jesus tells us one of those profound, contradictory truths: the only way to get those things we want is to give up the desire for them. Give up the seeking of them. Give up reaching for them. And instead, humble ourselves. Serve. And do it, not just without expecting honor in return, but refusing it when it’s offered. This is why He charges us with doing our good deeds in secret, so pride can’t enter in.

38 Now
John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow
us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does
not follow us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For
whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you
belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his
reward.
42 “But
whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble,
it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and
he were thrown into the sea. 43 If
your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the
fire that shall never be quenched— 44 where

‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’

45 And
if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to
enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into
the fire that shall never be quenched— 46 where

‘Their worm does not die,
And the fire is not quenched.’

47 And
if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to
enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to
be cast into hell fire— 48 where

‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’

40 Days of Jesus ~ Day 8 (Mark 8)

by Roseanna White | Feb 18, 2016 | Bible Study

Mark 8

In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”
4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”
5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”
And they said, “Seven.”
6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. 8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. 9 Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, 10 immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

So even though he had just fed the 5,000 not so long ago, here they are again, in the same situation, and his disciples still question how in the world they’re supposed to feed all these people.


Isn’t that us? Sure, we’ve seen God deliver us before. We’ve seen him work. But when the next trouble rolls around, it still looks impossible. And is impossible . . .without Him.

11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

 In one way of reading this, it’s rather curious. The Pharisees are seeking a sign from heaven . . . but really, they’re testing him. Because they’ve already seen signs and wonders, and they’ve attributed them to Satan instead of God. They don’t want anything from heaven–they want to trip him up.


So then, what does Jesus mean here? Pondering that one…

13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”
17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
They said to Him, “Twelve.”
20 “Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
And they said, “Seven.”
21 So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?”

So Jesus wanted to talk about sin. About hypocrisy. About the dangers of religion and judgment.


And the disciples thought they were being subtly berated about supplies. About food.


This is becoming quite a theme in Mark! We’re so occupied with our physical lives, our physical beings. What we eat, what we wear. But Jesus tells us and shows us that he’s got that covered. We don’t need to worry about bread when we’re following the man who can make it rain from the heavens like manna. We need to worry about our hearts.

22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So
He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when
He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he
saw anything.
24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”
25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”

27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
28 So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

I always liked Peter. I think it’s largely because I had to play him in a little Sunday School act-out-the-story thing when I was about 8, honestly. 😉 But that always made me pay attention to what Peter says and does–and this right here just hammers it home. This is the first confession we see from a human (as in, not a demon) proclaiming the truth of who Jesus is. The disciples were finally beginning to see the true miracle of their Lord, and Peter was the one brave enough to say it out loud.

31 And
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and
be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Of course, this is Peter, LOL. He’s bold not only in proclaiming who Jesus is, but also in letting Jesus know what Peter thinks needs to happen and doesn’t. But Peter was looking at it through man’s eyes–and all he knew was that he didn’t want his friend, his teacher, his master to suffer and die.


How often do the families of missionaries react the same way when they hear that their loved ones are going halfway around the world to a place that might be savage or war-torn? They’re thinking from their earthly hearts about the one they love and the danger they’ll be in–but God calls us from a heavenly place that sees beyond danger. That sees the must behind the maybe.

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For
whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in
the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

So then, our question of the day. What have you denied yourself for His sake? What is the cross he has asked you to take up for him? Have you done it?

40 Days of Jesus ~ Day 7 (Mark 7)

by Roseanna White | Feb 17, 2016 | Bible Study

Mark 7

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
5 Then
the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk
according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed
hands?”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

A little word jumped out at me here: let. You no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother. In effect, their traditions had taken away the blessing God had intended. By belittling it and shifting it, they failed to deliver the true gift of God–that with honor and respect come the kind of relationships that are rewarding and lasting and fulfilling.

14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 There
is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the
things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Another lesson for America today! We’re concerned with whether things are gluten free and dairy free and low fat and good cholesterol and have no artificial dyes or sweeteners or flavors. 


Are we as concerned with our thoughts? With our words? With our deeds?

24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”
29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”
30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

I love these from-a-distance healings–they prove that Jesus doesn’t need to put his physical hands on someone to heal them. Good news indeed for us today.

31 Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And
they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things
well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

The novelist in me is peeking out again. Why, I wonder, did Jesus sigh here? 😉

40 Days of Jesus ~ Day 6 (Mark 6)

by Roseanna White | Feb 16, 2016 | Bible Study

Mark 6

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is
this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses,
Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were
offended at Him.
4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

He could do no mighty work there, except to heal a few sick. We would consider that a pretty mighty work, I think. But it’s obvious that they didn’t. That Jesus’s work was stifled by the lack of faith–the unwillingness to even entertain the possibility of the miraculous–by Jesus’s neighbors.

7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. 8 He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— 9 but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
10 Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

It’s interesting to note that at this point, Jesus had to give them the power over unclean spirits and to heal. Because at this point in time, the Holy Spirit was dwelling in Jesus, not yet given to all Christians. So this Spirit and the authority of him had to be given separately.


This also puts a lot of responsibility on us, by which I mean people at large. If we hear the truth and refuse it, then we’ve received a judgment. Praise God that he gives many of us many chances to hear the Word! But think too of the responsibility on us, by which I mean Christians who are given this authority. When do we shake the dust from our feet?

14 Now King Herod heard of Him,
for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is
risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”
15 Others said, “It is Elijah.”
And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”
16 But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” 17 For
Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison
for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married
her. 18 Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
19 Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
21 Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 22 And
when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod
and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever
you want, and I will give it to you.” 23 He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”
And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”
25 Immediately
she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to
give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26 And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

A sad end to John the Baptist. And yet the novelist in me sees the humanity in Herod here. He respected John. He knew he was just. He considered him holy. He liked to hear him. I daresay he liked him. He protected him.

But his own sins got in the way of that. He pulled a page from Xerxes’ playbook here and made a public promise to fulfill any wish–and regretted it, just as Xerxes did. (Sorry, can’t read this within thinking of Jewel of Persia! LOL.) But if he hadn’t kept his promise, it would have been political suicide.

So he did. And now it haunts him, to the point where he thinks John’s ghost is now walking around going by the name of Jesus.

30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
33 But the multitudes
saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all
the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. 34 And
Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with
compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.
So He began to teach them many things. 35 When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. 36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”
37 But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”
And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”
38 But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”
39 Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. 41 And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. 42 So they all ate and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

It’s sometimes hard to see something new is a story so familiar, isn’t it? What jumped out at me this time is Jesus’s compassion. First, with his disciples–they just returned from their first mission trip, let’s call it, and they need to decompress. They need to tell him all about it. Can you imagine the stories they probably had? Their first time being the hands and feet, not just witnessing it.


So Jesus invites them all to go away, out to a deserted place. To rest. To be filled.


But the people–the people see him leaving and chase after him. And he has compassion on them too. Because they’re so hungry. So thirsty. So desperate to be led to the truth.

45 Immediately
He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other
side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. 46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 48 Then
He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now
about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea,
and would have passed them by. 49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then
He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were
greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

So not just walking on the water–walking so fast that he caught up with them and would have passed them by, while they’re straining against the waves.


And they marveled. They were amazed. They hadn’t understood before, Mark says . . . which is kind of baffling, right? They had to have known a miracle had just happened with feeding that many people. They had seen him calm a storm before. Cast out demons. Heal the sick, raise the dead. But they hadn’t yet made that leap of faith from this is a mighty prophet, a man of God –like Elijah or Elisha or Moses–to this is the Son of God.

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 56 Wherever
He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick
in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem
of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

We’re used to TV and Facebook, magazines and billboards. This is how we know our celebrities. But the people of Gennesaret knew him . . . how? Not just by his works, because this is before he does anything there, the very moment he steps out of his boat.

But the stories had spread. The description of him. And I daresay something within those people were pulled toward him. They knew. Which is pretty darn cool.