“…and they were astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.” – Vs 52

They had not gained any insight. Basically, they had not put two and two together. They had witnessed an incredible miracle when Jesus fed the 5,000 with the loaves and fishes. But the disciples failed to make the connection between what they had seen and the one who had performed the miracle. Instead, Mark says “their heart was hardened.” In the Greek the word translated “hardened” means “to cover with a thick skin, as a callous.” Their hearts were unable to be penetrated by the significance of the events surrounding them. They could not see Him for who He was. Sure, they were astonished with the things they were seeing, but they could not connect the dots in their hearts, and realize the significance of the one they were following. Then they found themselves on a fishing boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, straining to get to the other side because of the winds. The next thing they know, Jesus is walking by on the water, intent on getting to the other side before they do. Rather than recognize Him, remember the events of the day, and marvel once again at the power of Jesus, they panic, jumping to the conclusion that they are seeing a ghost or some kind of sinister apparition. They were terrified.

Jesus gets in the boat with them, the wind stops, and they’re astonished. They were blown away by what they had seen – Jesus walking on the water. But these are the same guys who had just watched Jesus feed thousands of people with just a handful of loaves and fishes. And they had each picked up a basket full of leftovers – 12 total! These are the same 12 that Jesus sent out and “gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases” (Luke 9:1). Mark says “they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them” (Mark 6:13). But when it came to Jesus walking on the water, they were astonished. Because they had not gained any insight from the incident with the loaves. Their hearts were calloused and their understanding was dull.

But what had they missed? What was the message of the loaves and fishes that failed to connect with them? I see a number of them. First, that Jesus has the power to provide. He can meet any need – no matter how large or small. Whether it is physical hunger or spiritual thirst. Secondly, Jesus cares. His action was motivated by compassion. Mark records, “He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34). He cared about their spiritual as well as their physical hunger. Thirdly, Jesus has power that is greater than the elements. He could multiply loaves and fishes. He could take a little and accomplish a lot. His power was limitless.

Yet the disciples kept trying to limit Jesus. They kept trying to put Him back into the box they had created for Him. They were comfortable with a Messiah of their own making. They wanted a revolutionary. They wanted a savior, but one of their own definition. They wanted salvation from Roman tyranny, not deliverance from sin. They wanted a warrior Messiah, not a suffering servant. They wanted a kingdom of this earth, not of heaven. So as they struggled with the oars, pulling against the wind and the waves of life, Jesus appears walking on the water. Their minds were occupied with the cares and concerns of this life. Like many of us, they were straining at the oars, trying to keep ahead of the waves and wind pushing against them. But Jesus walks on the water, unaffected by the elements, intent on His mission.

Hardened hearts. Dull Minds.

So how about us? Are our hearts calloused over from years of use loving the wrong things? Are our minds dulled by a steady diet of wrong expectations and faulty conclusions about God and His role in our lives? Are we easily astonished when we get a glimpse of Jesus in our lives that does not fit our preconceived notions of who He is? If so, then we are missing the point. We’re not putting two and two together. You see, Jesus outside of our boat walking on the water is a reminder to us that He is who He says He is: The Son of God. But we want Jesus in our boat. We want Him doing things our way. We want Him concerned with our problems and helping us out of our jams. But Jesus is a man on a mission. He has a goal and an objective – as much today as He did then. Yet we want to limit His work to our own little world. For Jesus, walking on the water was an expeditious way of getting where He needed to go, so He could do what He needed to do. It was not done for show or effect. Jesus fed the 5,000, not as some kind of mind-blowing miracle, but to give the disciples a glimpse into who He was. Everything Jesus did was for a reason. He had a purpose behind it. To teach, instruct, encourage, reveal, motivate, and prepare those whom He had called. The same is true today. But we run the risk of having hardened hearts and dulled minds. Look around you. Where is Jesus? Is He out of the boat or in it? Is He walking on the water, revealing His power and proving His deity? Do you see Him feeding the spiritually hungry by using “the least of these?” He is at work. He is still walking on the water. He is still making the most out of the least. He is still showing compassion on the many. He is still revealing who He is to those whom He has called.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son. But forgive me for having a hardened, callous heart sometimes that prevents me from seeing Him at work around me. Forgive me for failing to learn the lessons you are teaching me about Your Son. Soften my heart, open my eyes, help me to see who it is that I serve. Let me not be surprised by those walking-on-water moments that take place around me. May I grow in my understanding of who Jesus is and what He is doing in the world today. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

“Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” – Vs 19

In this one chapter, Jesus makes a significant impact on the lives of a number of people. He casts the demons out of man. He raises a synagogue official’s daughter from the dead. His power heals a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years. The demon-possessed man had been living his life among the tombs, an outcast and hopeless of ever seeing anything change. The woman had been living with her disease for twelve long years, without hope because the physicians had unable to provide any relief. The little girl was completely without hope, having died while Jesus was on His way.

Demons, disease, and death.

In what appears to be the span of a single day, Jesus encounters three different sources of pain and affliction that have been confronting mankind since the fall. Yet Jesus was more than a match for all three. He proved once again His power over the enemy, over sickness, and even death. Yet He did so with compassion. He showed love and concern for those whose lives He impacted. He showed them mercy. He showered them with grace. His actions towards them were an expression of His love for them. These were three unknown, unnamed individuals who He could have easily ignored and passed by on His mission to save the world. But instead He stopped and showed them love. He extended mercy. He expressed grace. And their lives would never be the same.

Report what great things the Lord has done for you!

The command Jesus gives in verse 19 to the man who now stood completely free of any demon possession is an unbelievable summary of what it means to share our testimony. It is not about what age we were when we walked the aisle, confessed our faith, prayed the sinner’s prayer, or placed our faith in Christ. It is about what an encounter with Jesus Christ has done for us. How He has shown mercy on us. It is being able to say, “I once was held captive by the enemy, but now I am FREE!” It is being able to report, “I once was deathly sick, unable to find relief from the experts of this world, but now I am WHOLE!” It is being able to proclaim, “My child had been robbed of life, but now she is ALIVE!” And Jesus says, “Go tell someone!”

So what has Jesus done for you lately? How has He shown you mercy? Why not go tell someone?

Father, thank You that because of Your Son, I am alive, whole, and free! Forgive me for not telling others all that You have done for me. Thank You for your grace, compassion, and mercy. Thank You for sending Your Son as an expression of Your matchless love for me. Give me the boldness to tell others so that they might experience the same amazing love. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

“He began to teach them again…” – Vs 1

“And He was teaching them many things…” – Vs 2

“And He was saying to them…” – Vs 9, 21, 24

“And He said to them…” – Vs 13

“And He was saying…” – Vs 26

“With many such parables He was speaking the word to them…” – Vs 33

“…but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.” – Vs 34

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one of Jesus’ disciples? To have followed Him and been able to listen to His teaching? But it’s interesting to compare what and how we teach to what Jesus taught. Chapter 4 of Mark gives a glimpse into what His style and content looked like. Throughout the chapter we see Him teaching about the kingdom of God; speaking in parables about different kinds of soils, lamps, and mustard seeds; and explaining the meaning behind all His parables to His disciples.

This was not the didactic-style teaching we are used to as western Americans. Jesus rarely stood up in a lecture hall behind a podium and gave lengthy talks, complete with handouts and PowerPoint presentations. Sure, He did the occasional Sermon on the Mount, but most of His teaching seemed to be after the crowds had gone and He had gathered with the twelve around the campfire at night or while walking along the road. In fact, He told His disciples that “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables” (Vs 11). Jesus took the time to explain to His followers the meanings behind the parables. He revealed to them the truth that had been hidden for generations. He spoke about a different kind of a kingdom than they had all come to long for and expect.

But He did it all through relationship. He spoke casually, not professionally. He wasn’t divulging information or details to be memorized and later regurgitated on a test. He was sharing truth in the context of friendship. It is a perfect picture of the yoke visual Jesus gave in Matthew 11:28-30. He invites His followers to enter into the yoke with Him. He wants each and every one of us to enter into an intimate relationship with Him in which we walk side-by-side with Him, learning from Him, working alongside Him, watching Him, listening to His instruction, and becoming more like Him with each passing day. Jesus doesn’t give us a lecture on how to plow with a yoke, then expect us to get in one and get to work. No, instead He invites us into His yoke alongside Him and we learn through experience. That is exactly how the disciples were learning. They were walking and working with Jesus, and watching Him minister and share. They were apprentices to the Master Himself. And that is how we are to learn. Yet we seem to prefer the lecture approach. We want to have someone tell us what we are supposed to know, then we will memorize it and attempt to apply it to our lives. But we leave out the relationship part. It becomes all about us. Jesus could have invited the twelve to a 3-week crash course on ministry, then sent them on their way, but He chose to teach through relationship. He lived with them, walked with them, ate with them, spoke with them, modeled for them, and revealed to them who He was and what His kingdom was all about.

What is Jesus teaching you today? Better yet, HOW is Jesus teaching you today? Is it through an intimate, daily relationship as you walk with Him? Are you learning from Him as you experience the difficulties of life together? Are you in the yoke with Him, doing His work in His way? Christianity is not about religion, doctrine, creeds, concepts, Bible knowledge, Scripture memory, or the gathering of information. It is about relationship. It is about followers of Christ who willingly place themselves in the yoke with Christ, so that they can learn from the Master Himself as they go about their daily lives. It is an intimate, shoulder-to-shoulder experience with Jesus as He teaches us, reveals to us, speaks to us, and models for us who He is and how we are to live the life He has called us to.

Are you in the yoke?

Father, give me the courage to get in the yoke today. To choose to give up my rights and my agenda so that I might work and learn alongside the only One who can teach me what I need to know. Forgive me for thinking that more knowledge could make me more Christlike, all the while leaving out the very thing that will transform me into the likeness of Your Son: Relationship. Give me ears to hear, and let me be close enough to Jesus so that I can hear Him when He speaks! Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Crowds, critics, family and followers

Wherever Jesus went He seemed to attract a diverse group of people, and nowhere is that more clear than in Mark 3. Along with the growing crowds of people flocking to catch this miracle-working rabbi in action, there was a regular retinue of religious leaders intent on eliminating what they saw was a threat to their position and power. Jesus even seemed to find himself regularly surrounded by people possessed by demons. Every time He turned around, there was one of them screaming, “You are the Son of God!” just before Jesus cast them out sent them packing. He also had a growing number of disciples following in His wake. Out of that group, He selected the twelve who would spend the next three years under His instruction and tutelage. Then there was His family. At one point Mark records that Jesus’ mother and brothers show up and attempt to take Him back home because they think He has lost his mind.

For every person that followed Jesus, there was a different opinion as to who He was and what He had to offer. For the sick, He was the healer. To the Pharisees and Scribes, He was a blasphemer and a thorn in the side. To His family, He was a lunatic and an embarrassment. To the twelve, He was a rabbi and teacher. To the crowds, He was a source of entertainment and a distracton from the boredom of everyday life. To the demons, He was an enemy and a threat to their domain. But to all, He was a formidable figure who demanded a reaction. Jesus could not be ignored. He was bigger than life. He was powerful. He was intriguing and, to some, frustrating. He was shaking things up and rocking the proverbial boat of His day. Everywhere He went He attracted a crowd. Every time He spoke, He solicited a response. Every time He healed, He caused a scene. Every time He taught, He rocked somebody’s world. And He’s still doing the same today.

So what’s your response to Jesus? Are you following Him, ignoring Him, petrified of Him, attracted to Him, irritated by Him, or oblivious to Him? The sad thing about Mark 3 is that the only one who acknowledged Jesus for who He really was ended up being a demon! He saw the reality of Jesus’ identity and he couldn’t help but acknowledge it. No confusion. No cover up. Just confession. Here was a demon testifying to the reality of who Jesus was and is. Why can’t we do the same?

Father, I want to confess Your Son loudly and regularly. I want my reaction to be one of worship and recognition of His power and position as the Son of God. I don’t want to be part of the crowd, looking for a what I can get out of it. I want to be a faithful follower who recognizes Jesus as the Son of God and my Savior – every day of my life. Open my eyes and let me see Jesus for who He really is. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

“It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Vs 17

Chapter two records the beginning of Jesus’ conflict with the religious leaders of His day. His ministry has just begun and the tension begins to build. Because of His “new” teaching with authority and His miracles, Jesus is attracting huge crowds and gaining in popularity, which is not sitting well with the religious leadership. Rather than listen to His message of hope and acknowledge the power behind His miracles, they accuse Him of blasphemy – charging Him with claiming to be God. Only God can forgive sins, yet here is Jesus telling the paralytic that his sins are forgiven (Vs 5-12). Jesus understands what they are thinking and so He heals the man to prove His authority and His divinity. But they refuse to see.

But they DO see Him eating with tax collectors and sinners. He not only ate with them, but He chose a tax collector as one of His followers. For the religious leaders, this was appalling. They could not fathom the idea of associating with people like this. In fact, they did everything they could to avoid contact with them. And here was Jesus sharing a meal with them. Do you see the conflict? Do you sense the tension? Jesus was a revolutionary. He came to rock the status quo of His day. He came to turn the religious world on its ear. He had a different message and a different methodology. Rather than separate Himself from sinners and sequester Himself in a protective religious cocoon, Jesus walked right into the middle of the mess that had become humanity. In doing so, Jesus gives us an example to follow.

Jesus came to save those who are in need. He came to heal the spiritually sick and to save sinners. The very people He was eating with were those who knew they could not keep the Law. They knew they were sinners. They were constantly reminded by the Pharisees of their failure to keep the Law. Not only were they unable to keep the commands of God, they couldn’t keep the hundreds of rules and regulations the Pharisees had added to God’s Law. They were overwhelmed by their own guilt and sinfulness, and they lacked hope.

The Great Invitation

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus makes a statement that has come to be known as “The Great Invitation.” He says:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus invites all those who are weary and heavy-laden. Those who are worn out from trying to keep the Law and obey the rules of men. Those who are weighed down by the constant reminder and realization that they can’t live righteous lives on their own. They are carrying around a burden of guilt and shame that is too much to bear. They are sinners and they know it, but they can’t do anything about it. So Jesus offers them rest. He offers them relationship. He offers to His yoke in place of their burden. He invites them to step into a discipleship relationship with Him. These people knew what a yoke was and what it was for. It was an instrument used for farming. It involved work and effort. But here is Jesus inviting them to leave one source of burden and take up another. But His comes with rest. His comes with companionship – the realization that you will be in that yoke with the Savior Himself. You will be working alongside Him doing His work. You will be walking alongside Him, learning from Him.

Jesus is still calling sinners into a relationship with Him. He is still offering rest for our souls. He is still inviting us to get into the yoke with Him. He offers  help while the self-righteous religious elite offer only condemnation. He offers rest while the “righteous” offer an endless list of rules and regulations to keep. He offers relationship while religion offers a daily diet of guilt and shame. Jesus came to heal the sick. He came to save sinners. He came to give rest to the weary. Are you in the yoke? Are you finding rest for your soul? Have you experienced the healing touch of the Great Physician? His offer still stands.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son for me. Thank You for providing healing for my spiritual disease. Thank You providing Me with rest from the burden of sin and the heavy weight of trying to save myself. I am in the yoke with Him. I don’t always like it. Sometimes I try to get out of the yoke and go back to my old way of life, trying to make myself righteous through self effort. But it always fails and leaves me tired, worn out and burdened down. Keep me in the yoke with Your Son. Help me lean on Him and learning from Him. And give me a heart for the sinners who surround me. Let me see them with your eyes and point them to the yoke. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

“What is this? A new teaching with authority!” – Vs 27

Mark records the ministry of Jesus and, unlike the other gospel writers, he leaves out His birth and any reference to His genealogical record. Instead Mark starts off with the baptism of Jesus, briefly touches on His temptation in the wilderness, and moves right into His preaching ministry. He records that Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Vs 15). Jesus was teaching, preaching, and healing. He was going into the synagogues and teaching. But His was a different kind of teaching. It was like nothing these people had ever heard before. Mark says those who heard Jesus were “amazed at His teaching” (Vs 22). Why? Because He taught as one who had authority. He didn’t teach like the scribes, who merely quoted the writings of former scribes. Their authority or power was based on the sayings of men. Jesus came with a different kind of authority. He spoke with power and confidence.

The word Mark uses that is translated “authority” here is a  typical Greek word that carries a lot more weight than any English word can convey. It literally means, “the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege); the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed).” Jesus did not come rehashing the thoughts and principles of men, but the Word of God. What He said was viewed as a “new teaching” because these people had never heard anything like it before. It wasn’t the same old thing they had heard for generations. It was a verbal wake-up call, announcing that the kingdom they had long been waiting for was close at hand. All the promises of their ancient writings were about to be fulfilled. That was the good news. The Messiah had arrived.

Jesus’ words carried weight. They conveyed power. They demanded attention. They required action. When He said to Simon and Andrew, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men,” they didn’t delay, but immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He met James and John, He called them, and “they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him” (Vs 20). When Jesus commanded the demon to come out of the man in verse 25, it had to obey. When He spoke the words, “Be cleansed” to the lepor in verse 41, “immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed” (Vs 41).

Jesus taught with authority. He spoke with power. His words were to be listened to and obeyed. He was not just another teacher. He was the Son of God. He had authority over sickness and disease. He had power over demonic forces. He had the divine right to speak authoritatively, expecting His words to be listened to and His commands to be obeyed. But then as now, men were more interested in what Jesus could do for them, than in what He expected of them. The crowds were attracted by His miracles than His message. They came to be healed, not to hear what He had to say. The crowds began to grow. His reputation spread. But His words fell on deaf ears. They were more than willing to take advantage of His power, but refused to “repent and believe in the gospel” (Vs 15). The Jews would ultimately refuse Him as their Messiah. They would reject His message of hope and salvation. They would kill the Messenger, but not the message.

A new teaching with authority. How much weight do the words of Jesus carry in my life? How authoritative is His teaching for me? Am I more interested in what He does for me than what He expects of me? Do His words only carry weight with me if they fit into my agenda or plan for me? Do I listen only as long as they say what I want them to say? The Jews were right. His words did have authority. They were powerful. They were impactful. Because Jesus was and is the Son of God. He has the right to speak into my life and demand a response. He has the authority to command obedience. But am I willing to obey?

Father, help me to listen to the words of Your Son, then give me the ability to obey. I know His words have power and authority over my life, but I tend to want to pick and choose which words I will obey. I even want to choose which of His words I will hear. But You haven’t given me that choice. You told the disciples at His transfiguration, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5). Give me ears to hear and a heart to obey all that He says. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org