Reflective Bible Study Gospel Adventure

Consciously Conforming: Mark 2:18-22

Published November 12, 2021 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Mark 2:18-22 (GW)

¹⁸John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Jesus and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but your disciples don’t?”

¹⁹Jesus replied, “Can wedding guests fast while the groom is still with them? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.

²¹“No one patches an old coat with a new piece of cloth that will shrink. Otherwise, the new patch will shrink and rip away some of the old cloth, and the tear will become worse. ²²People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the wine will make the skins burst, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins.”

Read Mark 2:18-22 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

Early in Jesus’ ministry, the gospel of Mark includes an event that touches on an issue we all face when interacting with others. In this event, which Matthew and Luke also include in their gospels, we learn about how to face peer pressure – even if this pressure is positive.

Mark opens this event by sharing a question. To set up this question, he begins by telling us, “John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but your disciples don’t?’” (v. 18)

The detail in this verse that catches my attention is that it is other people who were outside observers to these groups who bring the question up. They noticed that the Pharisees often fasted, and John’s disciples fasted as well, but they didn’t see Jesus’ followers doing this spiritual discipline.

While Jesus shares a great answer, it is the question, and the tension that this question creates that is powerful for us to pay attention to. In life, whenever we interact with a group of people, there is the pressure to conform and be like them. The conforming pressure we face might be aligning with the group’s opinion for or against an issue, it could be conforming to a certain style of clothing, it could be conforming to talking a certain way, or really any number of other things. Conforming can take many shapes, and not all conforming is bad.

However, where conforming really becomes an issue is when we stop thinking about how we are conforming to those around us. The people in this passage are objectively looking at the differences between these various group of people and asking a relevant question. These people who asked Jesus their question demonstrate wisdom because they are not simply going to join a group of people without first counting the cost and weighing their options.

The wisdom this group of people demonstrates with their question challenges me to live and think more objectively. These people challenge me to be more conscious of the ways I am conforming to others, and to be more intentional about choosing only positive, beneficial groups to conform to. In a subtle way, this group of people emphasizes the truth that our choice of friends is one of the most important decisions we can ever make in this life.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

Subscribe to this blog and never miss an insight.

Defending Jesus’ Arrest: Matthew 26:47-56

Published November 11, 2021 in Audio Journal Entries

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iHeartRadio | RSS

Read the Transcript

In our last episode, we looked at the details of Judas Iscariot deciding and agreeing to betray Jesus. For this episode, we’ll jump forward to the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested. While Matthew includes the stage being set for Jesus’ betrayal and the night Jesus was betrayed next to each other, it is likely that these two events were somewhere around a week apart.

Early on in the night Jesus was betrayed, Jesus shares the Passover meal with His disciples, and part way through this meal, Jesus identifies Judas Iscariot as the betrayer in front of everyone, and tells Judas that it is time for him to set out to do what he had been plotting. While the evening progresses from that point, Judas Iscariot is out collecting a mob of people loyal to the priests and religious leaders who will ultimately come to arrest Jesus.

The passage we will be focusing on in this episode is when Judas Iscariot arrives with the mob to arrest Jesus. Our passage is found in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 26, and we will read from the New Living Translation. Starting in verse 47, Matthew tells us:

⁴⁷And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” ⁴⁹So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.

⁵⁰Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”

Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

⁵²“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? ⁵⁴But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”

⁵⁵Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. ⁵⁶But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

In this passage, we discover some amazing details that people who don’t understand what happened that night either ignore or simply don’t believe. While some people think that Jesus was surprised by this event, the only people who were surprised were the disciples who didn’t pay attention to Jesus’ words. If Jesus did not want to be arrested, He could have avoided this event in any number of ways.

Jesus didn’t have to go to a place where Judas would have easily known where to find Him. Jesus was perfectly aware of Judas being the betrayer, and the easiest way to avoid arrest would be to simply go somewhere where Judas would not have known where to find Him. But Jesus chose intentionally to go to a place where He could be found.

Also, when being confronted by the mob, one of the disciples, who other gospels identify as Peter, grabs a sword to defend their group. Jesus, steps in and stops the violence, saying that if He wanted to avoid or stop this arrest, He could simply ask and have thousands of angels immediately appear to defend them. It’s worth contrasting the detail that one angel appearing at the tomb to roll the stone away when Jesus is resurrected makes the hardened Roman soldiers tremble in fear and act like dead men. All Jesus would have needed to avoid being arrested is ask God for one angel to appear to defend them, and the mob would have fled in fear.

When reading the details of Jesus’ crucifixion, everything in each part of the event points us to the truth that Jesus chose the cross. The cross was not something that God the Father forced onto Jesus. The cross was not something Judas surprised Jesus with. Jesus knew the date and location of His death before Judas even knew He would be the betrayer.

Jesus chose the cross because that is what He had inspired the Old Testament writers to predict. Jesus chose the cross to show us God’s love for each of us as members of humanity. Jesus chose the cross to pay the debt we owed God for our sins when there was no way for us to pay this debt and stay alive.

There are those who don’t believe in God, in sin, or in their need for a Savior. Some of these people openly mock those who do believe this. However, one person’s belief or lack of belief doesn’t change reality. For those who believe in God, we see amazing evidence for His existence and we thank Him for what He has done for us. Those who reject a belief in God are left trying to connect the dots of how we are here with only human logic and human ideas. Without God, life has no ultimate purpose, no hope, and a doomed future.

I see more evidence in the world today supporting the existence of God. While evil seems to be growing in the world, and while people are becoming more polarized and hostile towards one another, God is not responsible for this.

Instead, God is giving His people a picture of what life without Him and His protection is like. If sin isn’t given the opportunity to show how truly evil it is, then there will be the chance it could return in God’s perfect new heaven and new earth. God loves us too much to give us eternity only to let it be tainted by sin, and He loves us too much to force us to obey Him.

God’s character is on trial in the world today. From our perspective, it might look to some as though God has abandoned us. However, God is willing to walk with us through the sin, through the challenges, and through all the evil in this world so we can be together with Him for eternity.

God’s character is on trial. God must punish sin in order to remain just. However, instead of punishing those who are guilty, Jesus volunteered to take our place and to take the punishment we deserved onto Himself. While there are plenty of details in this gift that we don’t understand at this point in earth’s history, the big thing to know and remember is that through Jesus, we are offered a free gift, and this gift is Jesus’ perfect life in exchange for our own.

Jesus chose the cross for you and me, and He willingly faced death knowing that through His death, the way would be opened for us to live with God for eternity.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and decide to accept Jesus’ gift of His life in exchange for yours. Choose to live a life that is allied to God as a way of saying thank You to Jesus for a gift we could never repay. Thank Jesus for choosing the cross when there were countless ways He could have chosen to avoid it.

Also, pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn what God wants to teach you personally through His Word. While a pastor or podcaster can share ideas with you, only through praying, reading, and studying the Bible personally will you be able to discover God’s truth for yourself. Always choose God’s truth over man-made traditions.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Year in Matthew – Episode 45: When Judas Iscariot arrives with the mob to arrest Jesus, you may be surprised to discover who steps in to defend the arrest, and what this defense means for you and me living over 2,000 years later!

Join the discussion. Share your thoughts on this passage.

Faith’s Missing Link: Mark 9:14-29 & Matthew 17:14-20

Published November 10, 2021 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Mark 9:14-29; Matthew 17:14-20 (NIV)

¹⁴When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

¹⁷A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

¹⁹“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²²“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

²⁴Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

¹⁴When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ¹⁵“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. ¹⁶I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

¹⁷“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” ¹⁸Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁰He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Read Mark 9:14-29; Matthew 17:14-20 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In these two passages on the same event, we find two of the most quoted phrases/promises Jesus ever said – but too many times, they are shared out of context, and because they are shared out of context, we lose some of the power behind them.

“Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23b)
“. . . if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

Between these two verses, as well as a few others, a whole “self-help” movement has been launched within Christianity. I will be the first to say that this prompts mixed feelings in my own mind.

The very positive side of these phrases is that they empower individuals towards acting – and ideally acting in a way that can improve lives – both their lives and the lives of those they are around. Phrases such as these help individuals push forward and take on huge, “God-sized” dreams. There is power in believing you are capable of greatness, and belief is necessary for positive change.

However, when we only look at the secular application of these phrases (i.e. out of context), we miss out on some interesting spiritual truths. A father is bringing his son to Jesus for healing. While the father has doubts on whether Jesus can heal his son, he has enough faith/belief to try – to bring his son to Jesus. The first key to maximizing these phrases is that we are to be leading people to Jesus.

The second key is what Jesus tells His disciples when they ask Him why they couldn’t cast out the demon. After all, they had cast other demons out of people, so what was different about this situation? In Jesus’ response in Mark 9:29, we see prayer being another necessary key: “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Sometimes, we face circumstances that are not solvable by us, through quick wit, cleaver thinking, or anything else we can come up with. In these situations, the direction we must turn is to God, through prayer.

Through these two neglected keys, we can tap into the full power of these promises. However, while the out-of-context versions of these promises often lead people to focusing on themselves or others, the in-context versions of these promises prompt us to lead people to Jesus, lean on Jesus for our support, and look to Jesus for our guidance. This isn’t a “wait for Jesus to move before we start” idea, but instead, it is a challenge for us to get started and see where Jesus leads!

Subscribe to this blog and never miss an insight.

Fixing Our Mistakes: Matthew 17:24-27

Published November 9, 2021 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Matthew 17:24-27 (NCV)

²⁴When Jesus and his followers came to Capernaum, the men who collected the Temple tax came to Peter. They asked, “Does your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

²⁵Peter answered, “Yes, Jesus pays the tax.”

Peter went into the house, but before he could speak, Jesus said to him, “What do you think? The kings of the earth collect different kinds of taxes. But who pays the taxes—the king’s children or others?”

²⁶Peter answered, “Other people pay the taxes.”

Jesus said to Peter, “Then the children of the king don’t have to pay taxes. ²⁷But we don’t want to upset these tax collectors. So go to the lake and fish. After you catch the first fish, open its mouth and you will find a coin. Take that coin and give it to the tax collectors for you and me.”

Read Matthew 17:24-27 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In a short, unique event that only Matthew’s gospel includes, we catch one of Jesus’ closest followers telling a lie to try and protect Jesus. When caught off guard with a question Peter wasn’t expecting, Peter’s immediate reaction is to give the response he believed those asking the question would want to hear, regardless of whether it was the truth or not.

Matthew tells us, “When Jesus and his followers came to Capernaum, the men who collected the Temple tax came to Peter. They asked, ‘Does your teacher pay the Temple tax?’” (v. 24)

In that time period, every Jew was expected to pay a small fee to help with the upkeep of the temple, so the question that these tax collectors make of Peter regarding Jesus is a fair one since Jesus is Jewish.

But instead of countering the question with another question, or simply deferring to asking Jesus personally, Peter answers with the response he believes they wanted to hear. Peter responded by saying, “Yes, Jesus pays the tax.” (v. 25)

Peter lied because he thought that this would protect Jesus and His reputation, but instead, it made him look foolish. However, what I find encouraging about this event is that instead of chastising or punishing Peter, Jesus simply offers him a way to redeem himself. While Jesus would have answered differently, He chooses to support the implications Peter made with his lie even if paying the tax wasn’t truly a requirement from God.

After explaining to Peter and the others how God has adopted us into His family, Jesus gives Peter instructions for how to acquire enough to pay the temple tax for both him and Jesus. This makes me wonder if Peter had avoided paying the tax himself in prior years.

This short, four verse event helps us see that God isn’t mad when we make mistakes or when we mess up. This event gives us hope that God will make a way forward for us after our mistakes, and a way that will redeem us from the foolish and/or incorrect things that we say without thinking.

Subscribe to this blog and never miss an insight.