Mark 1-8

Tradition tells us that John Mark (Acts 12:12, 13:13, 15:36-41, 2 Timothy 4:11) wrote the Gospel according to Mark. We also have received from the early church fathers the tradition that Mark’s gospel was based upon the preaching and teaching of Simon Peter from Rome. The way Mark writes sounds like the way Peter talked; bottom line. Mark is the shortest gospel account of the life of Jesus and some believe it was the first gospel account. Much of Matthew and Luke are also in Mark although Matthew and Luke expand on what they share with Mark. For example, Mark tells us that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for forty days where Matthew and Luke tell us how Jesus was tempted and how He handled the temptations.

A word that Mark uses repeatedly is “immediately.” This word is used 41 times in Mark. It is a word of action. As you read Mark 1-8 notice what action precedes this word and what action follows this word. Also notice who is doing the action and the response or reaction to that action. As you do you will see an emphasis upon obedience that stands out as one of the important teachings of the gospel.

This teaching on obedience is clearly seen in the first chapter after a long and full day in the life of Jesus (1:16-34). This long passage records the event of a 24-hour period of teaching, preaching, and healing in the life of Jesus. Following this long day Jesus is found alone with God the Father early in the morning with a word from God to go to the towns and villages to continue sharing and demonstrating the present reality of the Kingdom of God. Jesus is obedient to the Father even though everyone in Capernaum is searching for Him, desiring more from Him.

As Jesus leaves Capernaum He heals a leper and “sternly charged him and sent him…” to say nothing to anyone but to go to the priest as Moses prescribed for a pronouncement of being cleansed and healed of leprosy. But the healed man disobeyed and went out and proclaimed it widely that Jesus had healed him. The result was that Jesus was not able to go into the villages and towns but rather had to stay out in remote places. This story is telling. It speaks to us of the importance of immediate obedience. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Jesus wanted to reach the priest. There was a whole chapter in Leviticus (13-14) giving clear instructions for what a priest was to do when a leper was healed. This had not happened but on only a few occasions. All of the activity was to be done at the Temple. This “healed-leper ritual” was a big deal and would have been a clear revelation to many in Jerusalem, especially to the priests, of the divine power at work in and through Jesus. But the man did not go to the priest, instead he “went out and proclaimed it widely…” (1:40-45). The teaching is clear; our disobedience can hinder the obedience of others.

This section of Mark also shows us the progression of the opposition to Jesus. It began in chapter two with the healing of the paralytic who was let down through the roof. When Jesus spoke to the man He said, “Son, your sins are forgive.” (2:5). The scribes began questioning in their hearts wondering how Jesus could say such a blasphemous thing. Jesus perceived in His spirit their thoughts and corrected them by showing them that God’s power was at work in and through Him.

Then the scribes and the Pharisees questioned the disciples of Jesus because He was eating with tax collectors and sinners (2:16-17). Jesus heard them and answered by letting them know that He came for those who were unrighteous, not for those who are already righteous. The opposition grew more personal and intense until they conspire to have Jesus killed (3:6).

As you read this section notice how this opposition increases to the point of accusing Jesus of being possessed by the devil (3:22-30) and notice how Jesus is not distracted by their accusations but stays focused and obedient to the Father. Again, we see an important point on the teaching of obedience from this section; there will be opposition to your obedience.

This section of Mark ends with Jesus telling His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to be rejected, beaten, killed, and raised again on the third day. His disciples reject this with Simon Peter as their spokesman (8:27-38). Jesus rebukes them and turns to the crowd with another clear teaching on obedience; there is suffering in obedience.

As you read chapters 1-8 this week, be sure not to miss the repeated teaching on obedience. At the end of the week record your conclusions on what the gospel of Mark teaches on obedience.   

Genesis 34-50

The majority of this section of Genesis records for us the events of how Jacob and his family left the promised land and arrived in Egypt. The main character in this section is Joseph, the first child of Rachel, Jacob’s second wife.

Jacob chose Rachel to be his wife in chapter 29. Laban, Rachel’s father told Jacob that if he worked for him for seven years he could have Rachel as his wife. The words in verse 20 are telling, “So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.” This speaks of the difference that love makes. Those who talk about how hard it is to be a Christian, or how hard it is to serve God, or how hard it is to study the Bible, don’t need try harder, nor do they need more instruction, more time, more resources, they simply need to love God. We do not have a sin problem, we have a love problem. If we would grow in our love for God, we would not sin so much.

But Laban tricked Jacob and on his wedding night he gave Jacob Leah, his eldest daughter, rather than her sister Rachel. Jacob did not know it until the next morning, by then he was already married to Leah. Laban agreed to give him Rachel if he would work another seven years. He did, but there were problems with these two sisters and their one husband. Those problems showed up in their children. This is often the case. Children learn by observation more than any other thing. What the sons of Jacob learned from their father and mothers was fear and jealousy, because these were dominant characteristics in the lives of the adults in this “blended” family. Joseph suffered the most from this family sin.

By the time we get to chapter 37 we see the ten sons of Jacob grown and jealous over their brother Joseph, who is 17 when chapter 37 opens. Joseph is gifted by God and favored by Jacob his father. The other brothers hate him because he is so loved. God loved Joseph and gave him the ability to serve faithfully and to see into the future through dreams. Jacob loved Joseph and gave him a beautiful coat. This would not be the first coat to get him into trouble.

Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit and were ready to kill him but he is saved by Rueben, the oldest brother, and sold into slavery by Judah, the fourth son of Leah and Jacob. Joseph’s brothers took his coat and smeared goat’s blood on it and took it to their father with the story that a wild animal had killed his son. An Ishmaelite caravan bought Joseph and sold him to Potiphar, an official of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Over and over it states that “God was with Joseph.” As a result of the gifts and love of God, everything that Joseph did was successful and prospered. Potiphar put Joseph over his whole household because Joseph was a faithful servant and conducted himself wisely.

But, as is often the case, success led to trouble. Potiphar’s wife took notice of Joseph and started flirting with him, tempting him to take notice of her and sleep with her. Joseph refused time and time again (39:1-10). Joseph would not go along with the temptation and Potiphar’s wife would not take “no” for an answer. She finally trapped Joseph in the house, demanding that he be with her. His response is instructive for all of us who are tempted, “…how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (39:9). Joseph knew that God was with him, especially when he was tempted. If we would just remember that God is with us and for us and has gifted us with His own Spirit, we would be led away from temptation and through it with victory over it.

Joseph triumphed over the temptation by breaking loose from Potiphar’s wife and running away. But Potiphar’s wife held on to his cloak, then accused him of attacking her. His cloak was her evidence. Both times Joseph’s coat was used as evidence to lie about him. Both times Joseph suffered as a result of those lies. And again, Joseph is faced with another temptation; what to do when others falsely accuse you and seek to destroy you. God was with him and took care of him, in prison.

In prison Joseph proved himself just as he had at Potiphar’s house. Before long, the jailer had entrusted him with managing the jail. Joseph exercised the giftedness of God in the lives of the other prisoners. Joseph helped the Pharaoh’s butler and asked for his help once he got out, but to no avail; he was again overlooked by man, but favored by God. But God was with Joseph. In His own timing, God promoted Joseph.

The Pharaoh had a disturbing dream in chapter 41 and called for Joseph to come out of prison to interpret it. The Pharaoh told Joseph he heard that he could interpret dreams and Joseph makes one of his classic statements, “It is not in me, God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” (41:16). Joseph was exercising the gifts of God but he did not own them, he was a faithful manager of them. Joseph knew that what he had was entrusted to him and that it was not his own; it all belonged to God.

The Pharaoh made Joseph the manager of Egypt as a result. He stayed focused upon the challenge that Pharaoh had entrusted him with instead of focusing on getting revenge on Potiphar and his wife, and on the butler for overlooking him and leaving him in prison for another two years. Unforgiveness and revenge blurs our vision and dulls the giftedness of God in us. Joseph shows us how important it is to exercise the gifts of God and to stay focused upon the task at hand rather than looking back with regret and revenge.

The Pharaoh’s dream had to do with seven plentiful years of harvest followed by seven lean years of famine. In the second year of the famine, Jacob sent his sons to buy grain in Egypt. The reputation of the wisdom God gave to Joseph had spread all over the world in nine short years. The world was starting to come to Egypt to buy grain.

Joseph’s brothers did not recognize him, but Joseph recognized them. He wanted to see if they had changed. Judah had changed. He was willing to put himself into bondage and slavery for his brother, Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother (44:33). Judah had changed in just 22 years from being hateful to being loving, from a proud and greedy man to a humble and honest servant. God will change your life. Joseph saw the change and revealed to his brothers his true identity. He brought his family to Egypt and gave them the best land, the land of Goshen. Jacob died 17 years later a blessed and happy man. All of his sons carried his body back to the cave of Machpelah, in the promised land, to the place where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah were buried. There they buried Jacob.

When they returned to Egypt Joseph’s brothers revealed something they had been hiding for 17 years, unbelief and fear. They were afraid that now that their father was gone, Joseph would have them destroyed. They did not believe that Joseph had really forgiven them and they lived in fear of this lie for 17 years. Joseph reassured them with another classic statement in 50:20, “…you meant it evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” The lesson is clear. We do not have to live in fear if we trust what God has said concerning our relationship with Him. He has forgiven you of all of your sins in His Son, Jesus Christ. Trust Him today and be free from the fear of judgment and death.

Genesis 12-22

Genesis 12-22 tells the story of Abraham, the man of faith. One of the first things you notice about Abraham’s life is that it is tested every step of the way. This lets us know that if we are to have a life of faith, we will be tested. Faith only grows when it is tested and challenged. We would rather have our faith grow by simply receiving more faith. The life of Abraham, the man of faith, lets us know that the life of faith is a life of testing. It is also a life with God.

Abraham is called by God into this life of faith in chapter 12. The callings of God are invitations; invitations to trust Him. Abraham was invited to leave his father’s country, his father’s house, and to go to a country that God would show him (12:1). Basically, the invitation was to walk away from his father’s inheritance and accept the invitation that God would become his Father. God didn’t tell him where this land was, who else was in this land, what was in this land, or what he would do once he arrived in this promised land. But God did say that Abraham would be blessed if he was willing to trust God and receive His offer, God would take care of him. And he did, and He did.

This gives us an insight into the nature of the test, no matter when, who, where, or how; the test of faith is a crisis of belief. Are you willing to trust God in what He has said. The test is a response-ability that we are given by God. There is a gap in between stimulus and response where we make a choice as to how we will respond. Animals have this response already programmed by God. It is called instinct. In that way their response is actually a reaction to the stimulus. It is always the same reaction. But we are created differently. We are given the opportunity to choose and respond. Our response is based upon trust. The question we are faced with is who or what do I trust.

Abraham lived a life of trusting God and what He said to him. Genesis 15:5-6 tells us that God told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a baby. When Abraham trusted God in that word, God imparted to him a right relationship, and declared Abraham righteous in His eyes.

Notice as you read this section of Genesis how Abraham was tested each time God spoke to him. He could not respond with reason, most of what God said did not make much sense. He couldn’t have responded with counsel from others. Most of the time others did not agree with what God had said. Abraham had to decide whether he could trust what God said.

Also notice that the life of faith, the life of testing, gets harder, not easier. Every step Abraham took was a challenge. What Abraham learned along the way with God was that God could be trusted to provide strength or whatever else was needed; if he would just trust God. This is what life with God is all about.

What has God said to you? Do you trust Him? God invites us to walk away from something when He invites us to something that He wants to do in our life. Are you willing to trust God to provide for you what you need to walk with Him? The Bible assures us over and over again that God can be trusted and that He will provide all that we need, and more, if we will just trust Him.

For Bubba's blog on prayer go to http://www.saltblock.org/.

Bubba Stahl

Genesis 1-11

We ended the year 2010 by beginning a new book in our reading through the Bible; the book of beginnings, Genesis. Genesis is about creation; the creation of the universe, the world, our life with God, our life without God, the problems in our world, and God's one solution; a new creation. As you read and reflect upon this section and the ones in weeks to come, ask these questions; "What is God creating in this section? How is it related to the new creation in Christ?"

Genesis 1:1-31 is the account of the creation of the universe, the world, the plants, animals, and mankind. The recurring phrase in this chapter is "And God said...and God called...and God saw that it was good..." God acts by speaking. This reveals to us His authority as God. What ever God does, He first speaks, then it happens. One of the ways of God is; First God says it, then He does it. This is important to know if you are interested in knowing what God is doing in your life or in the world around you. The question to ask is not "God, what are You doing?" The question to ask is "God, what are You saying?" First God says it, then He does it. If you know what He is saying to you, you will know what He is about to do in your life. "And God said..." is one of the most revealing statements in the Bible in knowing God.

The question is sometimes asked, "How do we put together the fact that God created male and female in chapter 1 and then chapter 2 describes God forming Adam from the dust of the ground and then forming Eve from Adam's rib? There are several different interpretations. I have settled on one that relies upon another way of God; God gives through one to many. God created males and females in His image in chapter 1. They were given responsibilities and blessings from God. But in chapter 2 God made one man with something the others did not have; He gave him His Spirit. "Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." Genesis 2:7. This particular (singular article "the") man, Adam, God gave something the others did not have, a personal relationship with God by His Spirit breathed into Adam's life. Adam had a "living life." I believe that Adam had the added responsibility of sharing the with-God life with the men and women that God created by the way he would care for the garden. Adam was also given the unique responsibility of naming all of the animals and the birds. This gave him the authority to also speak and govern, like God. Adam tended the garden without sweating. He simply spoke what he would hear God say (authority) and it would happen, just like God.

In chapter 3 we see how it all changed, sin entered the world through unbelief. God gave Adam and Eve a perfect place to live in a perfect relationship with Himself. The serpent entered into the garden and Satan spoke through the serpent to Eve requiring an answer from her concerning what God had said, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?'" "What is going on here?" is a question that Adam should have spoken up and said at this point. We do not answer to the animals and birds, they answer to us. We ask the questions and they are to respond, not the other way around. But Adam was silent. Eve tries to answer with what God has said, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, You shall not of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die." Then came the lie. "You will not really die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Much can be said about this. Satan did not tempt Adam and Eve (all of the "you" in this section are plural yous; in Texas we say "yall") to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He tempted them with the lie that they would not die and then tempted them with the lie that they did not need to receive the knowledge of good and evil from God, they could get it on their own. This temptation would then lead them to no longer trust God and what He said. Temptation is always a lie that leads us away from what God has said. This is why it is so important not only to know what God has said, but to speak what God has said, especially when we are being tempted toward something other than what God has said. This is the way Jesus answered the tempter in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). In answering the tempter with God's word, we invoke the authority of God over the tempter! It is the way of escape that God has provide for us (1 Corinthians 10:13), His Word!

Another point is important in light of this; sin is first of all unbelief. The fruit of unbelief is disobedience, sins. But make sure you keep this clear, the doctrine of sin is unbelief, not disobedience. Why the difference? In studying world religions I discovered that they all have something in common; their doctrine of sin. They all identify sin as disobedience to a deity or deities. They also all have in common the doctrine of righteousness being obedience. This is not hard to figure out. But in Christianity, which is not a religion, but rather a relationship, the doctrine of sin begins with unbelief and the doctrine of righteousness begins with faith. Disobedience is the fruit of sin, unbelief (with serious consequences), and obedience is the fruit of faith (with indescribable rewards).

Chapter 4 tells the horrible story of how this unbelief is passed on the sons Adam and Eve and how one overcame it (Abel) and how the other did not (Cain). Cain killed his brother Abel because he rejected God's correction in how to worship, with faith. God condemned Cain to a life of wandering, but Cain rejected this word by settling down and building a city. Chapter 4 describes the offspring of Cain as being people of great "doing." Adam and Eve have another son named Seth. Seth's descendants don't "do" much, except have offspring and call upon the name of the LORD. One of them, Enoch, walked with God. This is the only thing we see them "doing." Of course, having offspring is doing something. What is the point? Relationships seem to be the only thing they "worked" while Cain's descendants built cities, invented musical instruments, killed people, developed livestock management (a funny way of farming and eating grass), and inventing instruments of bronze and iron (for farming or for fighting?). What a difference there is between the descendants of Cain and of Seth. The lesson is clear that "doing" apart from "being" is to be avoided, and that "being" in accomplished and developed in a relationship. Trust is essential in a relationship. When there is unbelief, the relationship is broken.

Chapters 6-10 describe the world-wide flood that changed the appearance of the earth. Noah, his wife, their sons, and their wives were the only people that were saved, along with birds and animals that God called into the ark. It is important to note that it was not Noah's ark as we sometimes mistakenly call it; it was God's ark that He entrusted to Noah. Noah built it with the specific instructions from God, but throughout the whole story it is simply called "the ark." We are quick to put the apostrophe "s" with our name and call it ours, when in fact all that we have is a gift from God. We don't own it, we are entrusted with it and will give an account one day for everything that God has given to us, beginning with His Son, Jesus Christ, the ark of salvation, not from the water judgment of God but from the fiery wrath of God. Only in Christ are we saved.

We close this section of reading with the story of what happened after the flood and how Noah's three sons repopulated the earth. We are also told of how these descendants of Noah immediately began to fall back into a life of unbelief and disobedience. Instead of spreading out and multiplying over all the earth, like God said (9:7), they decided to gather together and build something. Does this sound like the Cain's descendants? It does. They built a city and began the first skyscraper project, the tower of Babel. Their purpose echoes the first temptation of "on our own." Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:4. God stopped them in their plans by confusing their speech and they could not understand each other. We are back to the idea of speaking and things happening. They were using their words to be in direct disobedience to God because they did not believe His words. This is an authority issue. They did not recognize God's authority in their lives and so they started speaking and doing their own plans and will rather than God's. God confused, garbled their words (babbled their words) so they could not continue to create their unbelief into more and more sin. The sinful, unbelieving world has continued seeking to understand and communicate with one another apart from communication with God ever since. On our own we have managed to build and produce death, famine, sickness, war, division, unending arguments and problems, all because we have not, will not, listen to God and trust Him. Chapter 12 begins with another word from God, an invitation to Abram.