Tag Archives: Mark

Morning Thoughts (Mark 6:52)

Morning Thoughts,

Mark 6:52, "For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened."

This morning, certain circumstances can eventually lead to other things.  Perhaps one of the most detrimental things about lying and falsehood is that it breeds more sin.  Lies lead to other lies, and even lead to other sins as well.  Many times, we as people fail to see how certain things affect things later until the event is over.  Sometimes, we can look back over the scene of our lives and see where certain failures or successes led to other failures or successes down the road.  Many of the problems of today's modern world find direct connection with failures in the past.  For example, modern social problems as they pertain to delinquent children, diseases, etc. find direct connection to the failings of people to live up to marriage vows and honour the God-given institution of marriage.  However, one problem seen repeatedly today (even among many of God's children) stems from a failure in today's world to see and appreciate the gospel for the inestimable treasure that it is.

During Christ's ministry, He performed a great many miracles, and there are direct spiritual connections and applications in them.  Even though the miracles literally happened just as recorded, they do point to spiritual relevance in our lives.  Two miracles that occurred "back-to-back" during Christ's time were the feeding of the 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes and the miracles on the sea with Christ walking on water.  Our study verse shows that a failure of the disciples in regard to one miracle led to their problems during the next miracle.  Let us see what the relevance and spiritual application is for us today in this lesson.

Though we cannot devote much space to long proofs of the spiritual lesson of the miracles, let us briefly lay out those lessons to build upon for our application.  When Christ fed the multitudes with a very miniscule amount of food, we see direct relevance and correlation to the preaching of the gospel.  The gospel feeds our souls and cheers our spirits like nothing else in the world can do.  The food that it provides fills us in ways the world can never fill.  When in application, God uses men of His calling to distribute food and feed His sheep.  Though their efforts seem small and the amount of food so little, yet the hands of Christ make the distribution plenteous and the bounty beyond compare.  So often, the minister feels like his studies and meditations have been so small, and yet the Lord blesses the effort to not only feed the flock but also have more left over than we started with.

As Christ comes walking on the water in the sea towards His disciples in the boat, we see a direct application and relevance to Christ coming to cheer us and comfort us during the storms and tribulations of life.  Though the floods rage and the winds roar, yet His very presence can still things in the midst of the storm.  His sweet voice can drive away the doubts and gloom by the simple statement, "It is I."  Then, when the Saviour steps into the boat with us (takes care of the problem we are facing), the calm is immediate and miraculous.

In the verse before our study verse, we see that the disciples were incredulous about what had occurred on the sea.  Pulling the gospel accounts together, they had just witnessed the Saviour walking on water, Peter walking on water, and seen an immediate calm to the storm that they could not handle.  Their amazement and incredulity could best be described in a commonly made statement today, "I just can't believe it!"  They seemed unable to believe what they just experienced due to direct failure to remember a past miracle from Christ's hand.

Before moving into the spiritual realm, consider just how forgetful the disciples had been.  The feeding of the multitude had just occurred, and they quickly either forgot or failed to keep in remembrance what they just witnessed.  They also had been with Christ for quite some time by this point.  They had not just started walking with Him during His ministry.  Therefore, they had seen many things by this point and were quite experientially aware of His power and authority.  Yet, even after all of that, they found themselves in the throes of despair for failing to remember or consider what He had already done in their presence.

Moving into the spiritual realm, this account shows quite vividly that people will always fall victim and prey to the sorrows and travails of life when they fail to utilize and consider the rich treasure of the gospel in their lives.  Whenever we have those rich times with God by His Spirit through the gospel, we experience something that cannot be experienced or realized anywhere else.  Nowhere else on the world at that time would one have found a miracle like Christ performed in feeding those people.  His presence, power, and authority were on rich display, and the people there present enjoyed bounty from His hand.  We today experience His power, presence, and authority within the halls of Zion through the heralding of the gospel and receive limitless bounty from His hand.

Yet, just as the blessing on that occasion should have sustained people beyond that setting (their bellies were filled), so should the gospel sustain us beyond the initial hearing of it.  It should provide food for our souls for many moments to come.  The disciples even had a basket apiece to go with them for nourishment in the future.  Meditations of the gospel in the days following its heralding provide future sustainment in the days following church service.  The intent of the gospel therefore is not just richness for the occasion but also sustainment in the trials that will shortly follow.

So, why is it that so many (self included) fall into the pitfall of overmuch sorrow through the storms of life?  Why is it that when Christ in His mercy, comfort, and power walks on the storm, blesses us to walk on the storm, and eventually quells the storm we stand in amazement in seeming unbelief of what just happened?  The direct reason is that we fail to keep in remembrance what the gospel has given us.  Matthew 14's account of this tells us that Christ constrained them to enter the boat that night and pass over the sea.  He put them in the boat and told them to go!  Why in the midst of the storm should they have felt that He had forsaken them or sent them to die?  Why when He comes to them should they have been surprised?  Why after the amazing events on the sea that night should they have been so incredulous?  These are all consequences of failing to remember and consider the power, comfort, and sustainment of the gospel.

Whenever Monday comes (and it always does), sorrow should not be the diet of the day.  Whenever midweek arrives, life should not seem interminable and without hope.  Yet, all too often, these are the weekly rituals that we engage our minds and hearts in.  However, if we consistently consider and "chew upon" those gospel treasures that we have enjoyed in days past, we do not become overcome with anxiety about the storms of life.  When Christ comes to cheer our hearts in the midst of the storm and calls us to walk with Him, we do not stand in bewildered contemplation over the scene.

Friends, the gospel does so much for us here in this vale of tears.  One of the richest things that it does besides providing strength for today is to give comfort and sustainment coupled with hope for tomorrow.  If the same Lord has fed us so well from His table today, He will not leave us or suffer more to come upon us than we can handle tomorrow.  May we enjoy those rich times with Him at the table, and may we look for His coming on top of the waves of sorrow and listen for that sweet and cheering voice that speaks peace to our souls.  May we not stand unbelieving at His power to quell problems in our lives that we cannot handle, but may we thank Him with the same fervor in which we enjoy His sweets and dainties at the table of the Lord.  Considering that sorrow and anxiety are higher now than at any time, it should be no surprise that the gospel is less desired or treasured than at any other time.  May we desire and treasure the gospel and keep our heads up looking for Him during our trials in life.

In Hope,

Bro Philip

Morning Thoughts (Mark 15:39)

Morning Thoughts

 
Mark 15:39, "And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God."

This morning, evidence is often deceiving.  When sportscasters talk about upcoming games or sporting events, they many times will predict with near absolute certainty what the outcome will be.  Oftentimes, they have data to support their claim, which quite often proves correct.  Yet, they suffer from the same handicap that meteorologists have.  Since they can only analyze data and not control all the varying factors, they are hampered by the "chance" factor.  Why is it that weaker teams sometimes beat stronger teams, slower people win races, or a storm perhaps goes in the direction not expected?  Solomon attributes "time and chance" to events such as these. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Now, since man's sight is limited, we cannot see – and by simple inference control – all factors in any given situation.  That is why teams play the game, and why spectators of such events must await in anticipation to see what the actual outcome will be.

Considering the evidence concerning the man Christ Jesus, we today would seem to have a slight handicap of not being actually there present to see Him, talk with Him, and witness all the wonderful things that He did.  While we are blessed – though having not seen and yet believe – to have the faithful record of the Scriptures to learn from and trust in as a source of truth, what would it be like to see the evidence before your very eyes?  Our study verse records just such a first-hand account by one who did see and hear.  An unlikely witness, but nonetheless a witness of certain things.

The centurion doubtless saw many of the afflictions laid upon Christ.  He either watched, participated, or ordered the brutal beatings that were laid upon the back of Christ by the cruel whip.  As the reed beat the crown of thorns deeply into His brow, men slapped and berated a bound and blindfolded man, and then this marred body was nailed to the cross and laid bare, he bore testimony that a man's visage was marred more than any other man. (Isaiah 52:14) Later, he observed the scene (since our verse said he was the one that stood by Christ at Calvary) as men and even those crucified with Him verbally berated Him.  Then, the darkening shroud of darkness descended during the middle of the day, and finally after all these events had transpired, he observed this man die.

Consider the evidence before this man.  He has observed Christ endure what many common criminals had experienced.  As the Romans were notorious for crucifying criminals and other conquered foes, the centurion had probably seen crucifixions take place before.  Most people – after being crucified – would hang suspended for days and perhaps even a week or two depending on their physical condition.  As the body began to starve and the muscles pulled away from the bones in what is truly excruciating pain, this centurion had quite possibly observed men endure long-term devastating effects before finally expiring on the cross.

Taking his probable past experience with crucifixions, look at the case evidence before him.  This man hung there for 6 hours before death occurred.  To the natural perception of the evidence, Christ was a weak natural specimen that could not endure long-term physical distress.  Christ never opened His blessed mouth at any of His persecutors.  As they whipped Him, beat Him, entreated Him with blasphemy, and even equal criminals verbally spat in His teeth, He never opened His mouth against any of them.  Natural man would think that He was either too beat down to make a defense or had no defense to quiet the gainsayers.

Yet, from the centurion's blessed declaration, he obviously considered something other than natural man's evidence.  To say that a man who has just died is the Son of God takes observation that natural sense cannot discern. (I Corinthians 2:14) Furthermore, to say that a now dead person is Deity is laughable to the natural man.  So, what did the centruion perceive?  He perceived the same evidence that is faithfully laid down for us about this scene in Scripture.

As one that stood by, he observed Christ lovingly and faithfully take care of His natural mother by commanding John to care for her as a mother and her to look to him as a son. (John 19:25-27) Perhaps he even saw Christ's loving exchange with the repentant thief.  Seeing a hardened and bitter criminal "change his tune" and be met with loving compassion from Jesus, something different was definitely occurring. (Luke 23:39-43) He watched Christ refuse the vinegar and wine mixed with myrrh to relieve any suffering He would feel.  Yet, watched as Christ willingly partook of the vinegar at the end when it did Him no natural good but was requested by Him. (John 19:28-29) He saw Christ positively declare the completion of His work by uttering the blessed refrain, "It is finished" and then willingly declare "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." (John 19:30, Luke 23:46) By Christ's actions on the cross, coupled with the mighty natural signs that took place: darkness, earthquake, etc., the centurion observed something out of the ordinary at this crucifixion.

Most soldiers are pragmatic individuals, and the centurion – given such a charge to stand by these crucified reprobates – would have been quite practical about his assignment and task: keep people away, do not let anyone try to save them, and keep things under control.  As the final moments of Christ's life began to transpire, this pragmatic soldier observed a mighty and loud declaration from a dying man.  Scripture records that Christ's final verbal utterances were not done lightly, gingerly, or in weakness.  By sounding out loudly, we have evidence today – as the centurion did then – that this "early crucified death" was not some physical defect in Christ but a willing sacrifice of laying down His life for the sheep.  Man killed the Saviour and stood guilty of the murder of the Son of God, but no man actually took His life as He laid it down willingly and joyfully for His sheep. (John 10:17-18)

So, how did the centurion take this evidence and turn it into the declaration of Christ's Deity?  He ignored the natural sense, and rather said according to the Spirit of God that Jesus is Lord. (I Corinthians 12:3) His understanding of the evidence was that something more grand and more glorious transpired than what the tongue waggers would admit.  What should be the point for us today? 

There are tongue waggers today just as that day at Calvary.  Many today doubt His work, His person, and even make claims just as they did then.  On that day, they claimed, "We will believe if you do this."  Today, they claim, "We will believe if we can see that."  Regardless of the evidence that they require now, it is just as foolish as the evidence that they spitefully demanded then.  The evidence was upon the scene on that day, and as the Holy Scriptures are before us now, we have evidence today.  However, it takes a quickened heart and regenerated spirit to see these things, but even regenerated folks can sometimes doubt the evidence before them.  Christ's disciples did not stand there and utter this grand declaration.  Those that heard Him preach and witnessed Him heal did not make this glorious statement.  The one that made it observed and likely participated in His torment leading up to the cross.

Natural sense sees the failure at Calvary.  Natural sense sees a man cut down early in life and dying early on the cross.  Natural sense sees a man that was beaten to submission, not even able to offer a defense and fight back against His oppressors.  Spiritual sense sees victory at Calvary as no other victory has ever been won.  While hard to comprehend, spiritual sense sees Life Himself willingly laying His life down (allowing death through the door) to deliver us from death and ransom a multitude to God.  Spiritual sense does not see an "early crucified death," but rather, it sees a completed fulfillment of suffering ending in noble sacrifice of the highest order.  Spiritual sense sees a loving Saviour and Redeemer that endured silently at the hands of created beings far inferior and subordinate to Him.

Considering the magnitude of that day some 2,000 years ago, it is truly amazing that the most faithful declaration of this righteous man came from a Gentile soldier.  He admitted that the difference he saw made all the difference in the world.  When we see Jesus work in our lives or read of His work upon the page, it ought to make all the difference in the world.  Quite often, people charge free grace and limited atonement as "do nothing" doctrines.  Does what you just read about Christ's work for you – free to you but costing Him everything – make you want to do nothing or willingly own His name and as this centurion faithfully declare Him to be the Son of God?

  In Hope,

  Bro Philip