One Year Book of Devotions for Men Part 13

Then Jesus went out from village to village, teaching. And he called his twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two, with authority to cast out evil spirits.

Mark 6:6-7

When Socrates taught his pupils in ancient Greece, he did not stand on a podium while they sat in quiet rows a.s.siduously taking notes. Instead, he engaged them in a structured dialogue. Nowadays, graduate students in the Harvard Business School do case studies, students in junior high cla.s.ses are given team projects, and medical students learn through practical residencies. There are many different ways of learning.

Jesus, the master teacher, sometimes used monologue, while at other times he engaged in dialogue. Occasionally he told parables, which were basically case studies. But the most surprising thing about Jesusa teaching methods was his commitment to learning by doing.

In the training of the twelve disciples, there came a time when Jesus decided it was time to send them out on a mission. At that juncture, the disciples were clearly not polished preachers or teachers. In fact, they didnat even have a firm grasp of their subjecta"as evidenced by their total surprise when Jesus was crucified, and even greater amazement when he rose from the dead, despite the fact that he had been telling them throughout their training that this would happen! And they certainly were not always proficient when they were called upon to confront evil spirits, or even capable of handling the squabbles that arose in their own fellowship. But Jesus sent them out anyway!

The disciples were told to travel in pairs, presumably for mutual support, and were given detailed instructions about traveling light and being content with their lodgings. Because of the urgency of their mission, they would not have time to bother about creature comforts, and since they would need to be constantly on the move in order to reach as many people as possible, they should not be enc.u.mbered by unnecessary baggage.

The disciples were charged to acast out evil spiritsa (Mark 6:7). This may have caused them some consternation, but they were given Jesusa own authority, which was as powerful as the one who delegated it to them. And they were instructed not to waste time talking to people who had no intention of listening to them, even to the point of shaking the dust off their feet as they left an unresponsive villagea"an action usually done by Jews as they left a pagan environment.

So with a sense of mission, urgency, dependency, apprehension, and expectation they went forth. Uncertain in their own minds, unprepared in their own strength, they went in obedience to Jesus and in dependence on Jesus. They were a blessinga"and they were blessed. Ministering as they went, they learned as they worked. G.o.das teaching methods have not changed.

March 28

TO READ: Mark 6:14-29

Conscience

And Herod respected John, knowing that he was a good and holy man, so he kept him under his protection. Herod was disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.

Mark 6:20

Allan Bloom, in his book The Closing of the American Mind, probably borrowed from Shakespeareas famous line, aConscience doth make cowards of us all.a Bloom wrote, aConscience is a coward and those faults it has not strength enough to prevent, it seldom has justice enough to punish by accusing.a16 The story of John the Baptist and Herod Antipas is a fascinating commentary on Bloomas observation. Herod and John knew each other well. As a matter of conscience, John had been outspoken in opposing Herodas marriage to ahis brother Philipas wife, Herodiasa (Mark 6:17). Herodias was understandably upset by this public condemnation and persuaded Herod to imprison John. But even in prison John would not be silenced. He akept telling Herod, aIt is illegal for you to marry your brotheras wifea a (6:18). There was something about Johnas integrity which appealed to Herod, and he aliked to listen to hima (6:20), even though John said things he didnat like to hear. But Herodias did not like it, and when Herod (no doubt in a rash, unguarded, and possibly wine-induced moment) offered Herodiasas daughter anything she wanteda"aup to half my kingdomaa"she asked for Johnas head on a platter. And she got it, much to Herodas chagrin, because of his fear of losing face (6:26).

When Jesus appeared on the scene, superst.i.tious people said, aThis must be John the Baptist come back to life againa (6:14). The gossip reached Herodas ears, and this powerful man awas worried and puzzleda because of what he heard (Luke 9:7). The ruler of all Galilee and Perea was troubled by a guilty conscience. John, whom he had executed, awas a good and holy mana (Mark 6:20). While Herod sat on his royal throne with a troubled conscience, John had gone to his grave with a clear conscience.

John undoubtedly had his faults, but cowardice was not one of them. Herod was full of faults, but his conscience did not have strength enough to prevent them. Whether or not Herodas conscience had the justice to accuse his faults, we cannot be sure. At least he was worried and puzzled!

The issue for me, and every modern man, is how to keep the conscience alive, and where to find the courage to respond. In Johnas case, the answer was found in his commitment to truth and his relationship to G.o.das Spirit. It comes down to whether my conscience makes me a coward or my commitment to truth gives me the courage of convictiona"whether Iam a Herod or a John.

March 29

TO READ: Mark 6:30-44

Not by Bread Alone

A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compa.s.sion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things.

Mark 6:34

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a serious issue split the American church. Some of the aliberala ministers, who had been influenced by German theologians, preached that the churchas mission was to deal with societyas ills and thus to bring in G.o.das kingdom. On the other hand, more traditional, or aconservative,a Christians believed that the churchas task was not so much to change manas lot on earth but rather to make man fit for heaven. The latter, conservative approach was called apie in the sky when you diea by those who opposed it, while the former, liberal approach was called athe social gospela by its detractors.

The attempts to bring in G.o.das kingdom by social engineering in the name of Christ fell on hard times during the great World Wars of the twentieth century, as the atrocities perpetrated by so-called Christian nations became known. So, as the twentieth century ran its course, the liberal churches, which had espoused the social gospel, went into serious decline, while conservative churches, which preached the gospel of salvation from sin and the hope of eternal life, flourished.

However, toward the end of the twentieth century, many of the same churches that had reacted negatively to the social gospel of the liberals began to rethink their understanding of the churchas mission. They read pa.s.sages such as the aFeeding of the Five Thousanda and could not overlook the fact that Jesus dealt with physical as well as spiritual needs.

When Jesus saw the avast crowd . . . he had compa.s.sion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many thingsa (Mark 6:34). Jesus addressed peopleas spiritual needs by proclaiming the truth of G.o.das kingdom to them. But it soon became apparent that the people were hungry. So, to the surprise of his disciples, Jesus said, aYou feed thema (6:37). The disciples doubted whether the hungry throng was their responsibility, but Jesus had no doubts! So he sent his men scurrying around, and they mustered pitifully inadequate resources. These Jesus gladly accepted and wonderfully blessed, and the people were feda"physically!

There is now general agreement that the churchas mission involves concern for both the physical and the spiritual needs of the crowds, but there the consensus ends. Some say we should feed the crowds to get them to listen to the gospel. Others say we should feed them because theyare hungry, whether they listen or not. And still others say we only need to feed those who respond to the gospel.

Every man who eats should remember those who starve. And each man who rejoices in the gospel should have compa.s.sion for those who have never heard it once. Jesus did!

March 30

TO READ: Mark 6:45-56

Slow Learners

They still didnat understand the significance of the miracle of the multiplied loaves, for their hearts were hard and they did not believe.

Mark 6:52

It has been said that a professional football game is an event where eleven men in desperate need of rest are criticized by a crowd of people in desperate need of exercise. Criticizing is considerably easier than partic.i.p.ating. And it is a whole lot easier to criticize the first disciples than it would have been to live their lives. But their story is included in Scripture for our edification, so we must be careful not to miss the lessons we should learn from their mistakes. After all, learning by making mistakes is a common educational method, and it is least painful when based on the mistakes of another!

Jesus sent the disciples on ahead of him after feeding the five thousand. But while crossing the Sea of Galilee, they ran into a major storm and feared for their lives. Jesus decided to walk home by the quickest routea"over water. As he drew level with their boat and astarted to go past thema (Mark 6:48), his disciples saw him but thought they saw an apparition of some kind. When athey screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost,a he turned to them and said, a aItas all right. . . . I am here! Donat be afraid.a Then he climbed into the boat and the wind stoppeda (6:49-51).

Clearly, the disciples had been eyewitnesses to another miracle, but there are two strange aspects to this story that require exploration. First, why did Jesus astart to go past thema in their hour of need? Second, why does Mark record that athey still didnat understand the significance of the miracle of the multiplied loaves, for their hearts were hard and they did not believea (6:52)?

The psalm writer, talking about the Lordas dealing with his people in the wilderness, wrote, a[G.o.d] gave them bread from heaven. They ate the food of angels! G.o.d gave them all they could holda (Ps. 78:24-25). The psalmist also wrote, aYour road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty watersa"a pathway no one knew was therea (Ps. 77:19). Jesus, by his actions, was living out what these Scriptures write about G.o.d! He walked athrough the mighty watersa and gave them afood of angels . . . all they could hold.a Jesus was actually performing before their eyes the incredible things their Scriptures told them were the activities of G.o.d!

But the disciples did not yet believe that Jesus was actually G.o.d with them. Their understanding of him was still in embryonic form. Thatas why their faith still needed to be stretched. The disciples had no shortage of data about Jesusa"just a shortage of application. They were thoroughly conversant with what the Scriptures say about G.o.d. They believed that G.o.d could do marvelous things. Their history told them that he had regularly shown himself strong on behalf of their forefathers. But they had trouble believing he was actually with them in the storm and that his presence should banish their fears and infuse them with confidence.

But letas criticize them gently and learn from them quickly. Which of us does not struggle at this point?

March 31

TO READ:Mark 7:1-13

Ceremonies and Traditions

aThese people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace G.o.das commands with their own man-made teachings.a Mark 7:7

Most parents require their children to wash their hands before mealtime. In many instances, this appears to create great hardship for the children, if their reluctance to obey is anything to go by. But basic hygiene demands that the ritual be fulfilled before food is handled. Itas a matter of hygienea"and nothing more.

In Jesusa day, what had started out as basic hygiene had developed into something quite different. Simple hand washing before eating or after returning home from the market had developed into an elaborate ceremony with purported spiritual significance. Instead of simply eradicating unpleasant dirt when they followed athe usual Jewish ritual of hand washing before eatinga (Mark 7:2), the religious Jews believed that they were ensuring a religious purity before G.o.d by their action. By their ablutions on returning home from market, they believed they were underlining their divinely-approved separation from the contaminating world.

As time went by, these aancient traditionsa (7:3) took on such importance that a personas spiritual standing was evaluated by his adherence to the rituala"or lack thereof. In some instances, a person who failed to go through the ritual, for any reason whatever, would be regarded as ceremonially unclean and therefore be banned from worship.

This was what lay behind the question asked by the Jerusalem leaders when they traveled to confront Jesus: aWhy donat your disciples follow our age-old customs? For they eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremonya (7:5). Jesus replied with surprising vehemence. aYou hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said, aThese people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace G.o.das commands with their own man-made teachingsaa (7:6-7).

Jesus was exposing the age-old problem of religious ritual devoid of spiritual reality. The charge of hypocrisy was well-founded. In those days, a hypocrite was literally an actor who would convey an emotion by holding a mask over his face. Religious externalism does just that: it portrays on the outside that which may not be present on the inside. That was the problema"the Jerusalem religious leaders lacked a real spirituality. They were faking it!

Adherence to religious rituals such as baptism or communion is to be encouraged, provided that the external act represents an inner reality. But if the familiar act has degenerated into an empty symbol, that which claims to be a spiritual experience may be nothing more than a gross distortion. What outwardly purports to demonstrate a deep spirituality may be nothing more than a blatant lie. Religious ritual is intended to portray spiritual reality, not to become a subst.i.tute for it.

So hereas a healthy exercise. Check on the religious rituals in which you have partic.i.p.ated in the past or in which you still partic.i.p.ate, explore their hidden significance, and see if the significance is as real in your heart as the partic.i.p.ation is part of your life.

April 1

TO READ: Mark 7:14-23

Thought-Life

It is the thought-life that defiles you.

Mark 7:20

Whether the world is getting better or worse is a subject for debate about which you will not find agreement. But there is no argument that there are many things sadly wrong with our world. The evidence is unmistakable. The debate on this issue is, aWhy?a Some say that Western culture is polluted, and its insidious corrupting influence is responsible for personal ethics and behaviors which are so deplorable. The solution then becomes a matter of reforming culture. Others say that as culture is created by humans, it is the humans who are corrupted. Therefore, the solution lies in the human heart.

This debate was raging, in a slightly different form, during the earthly ministry of Jesus. The religious people of the day were adamant that it was external things that were responsible for moral and spiritual corruption and that, if proper care was taken to avoid the corrupt externals, moral and spiritual purity was a.s.sured. On this premise, they had established elaborate codes of behavior. The result was a meticulous observance of religious rituals designed to guarantee right behavior and a sound society.

Then along came Jesus. He challenged this viewpoint and told the people, aYou are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and doa (Mark 7:15). Even his disciples were confused by this radical statement, so they asked him privately to explain further. This Jesus did, in graphic terms. He pointed out that food, which in their minds was an example of an external polluting influence, could not possibly be responsible for polluting a personas character and behavior, because it enters the stomach and pa.s.ses through the body (7:19). Instead, aYou are defiled by what you say and do. . . . It is the thought-life that defiles youa (7:15, 20).

Jesus taught that the ills of society are born in the human heart. aFrom within, out of a personas heart, come evil thoughts, s.e.xual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for l.u.s.tful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishnessa (7:22). A modern way of expressing similar sentiments is this: Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

Speaking of destiny, Jesus not only said that thoughts corrupt, but he added that the thought-life amake[s] you unacceptable to G.o.da (7:23).

The social ramifications of aberrant behavior that is born in the human heart are desperately serious. But the seriousness pales in comparison to the eternal consequences of sin. Your thought-life can corrupt your society but, more significantly, it can condemn your soul.

April 2

TO READ: Psalm 33:1-22

New Songs of Praise

Let the G.o.dly sing with joy to the LORD, for it is fitting to praise him. . . . Sing new songs of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy.

Psalm 33:1, 3