Tuesday, December 31: Mark 14- "I am".

Jesus’ ordeal begins in this chapter. The ultimate reason He came enters its final act in this chapter.

Thank You, Jesus, for all You did for me and for humankind! Praise be to You…

 

Jesus’ Words before the High Priest caught my eye. For a while He is silent. The high priest refused to let up. When all ears were glued onto the situation, so there would be no mistaking His answer, Jesus speaks incredible truth. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven" (61-62).

“I am” two simple words, which directly answer the question. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus.

Some say Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah and God in human flesh. He is their rebuttal. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus, are you? "I am," He responds.

This is a game changer. Jesus can no longer be simply a good man or a wise man… He is God in human flesh or as Mark said, from the beginning, He is the Christ, the Son of God (1:1).

There is no indication that the high priest ever believed Jesus. They judged Him to be a quack, a blasphemer, a pretender…

What do you believe?

If you haven’t made up your mind, it is time to decide.

I have decided that Jesus is who He claims and I will follow and obey Him as my Lord, Savior and God.

Thank You, Jesus, for clarity, for answering the question. Thank You, Jesus.  I surrender all to serve and follow You. Amen.

 

*   *   *   *

Somehow in the Bible reading plan I prepared for my church, I left off Mark 15 and 16. Not wanting to skip these great chapters, I provide bonus devotionals for these two chapters today… Wow three for the price of one.

 

Tuesday, December 31: Mark 14– “I am”…

Jesus’ ordeal begins in this chapter. The ultimate reason He came enters its final act in this chapter.

Thank You, Jesus, for all You did for me and for humankind! Praise be to You…

 

Jesus’ Words before the High Priest caught my eye. For a while He is silent. The high priest refused to let up. When all ears were glued onto the situation, so there would be no mistaking His answer, Jesus speaks incredible truth. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven" (61-62).

“I am” two simple words, which directly answer the question. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus.

Some say Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah and God in human flesh. He is their rebuttal. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus, are you? "I am," He responds.

This is a game changer. Jesus can no longer be simply a good man or a wise man… He is God in human flesh or as Mark said, from the beginning, He is the Christ, the Son of God (1:1).

There is no indication that the high priest ever believed Jesus. They judged Him to be a quack, a blasphemer, a pretender…

What do you believe?

If you haven’t made up your mind, it is time to decide.

I have decided that Jesus is who He claims and I will follow and obey Him as my Lord, Savior and God.

Thank You, Jesus, for clarity, for answering the question. Thank You, Jesus.  I surrender all to serve and follow You. Amen.

 

*   *   *   *

Somehow in the Bible reading plan I prepared for my church, I left off Mark 15 and 16. Not wanting to skip these great chapters, I provide bonus devotionals for these two chapters today… Wow three for the price of one.

 

 

Mark 15– The heart of our faith…

Mark records in significant detail events leading up to and including Jesus’ death. I was captivated by His final cry. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" … With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last (34,37).

As I read Jesus’ cry, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I thought this is the heart of our faith. God forsakes Jesus as He hangs on the cross. The Father turned His back on Jesus. This sounds so uncaring, so beneath God, that in Jesus’ hour of pain and death the Father would forsake Him…

Could this be? Yes, I think so. And it is the heart of our faith! Why? How? In that moment Jesus, the beloved and eternal Son of God, carried the sins of the world into oblivion. The Holy and Perfect Father could not be with ‘the sin-of-the-world riddled’ Jesus and so Jesus is forsaken, alone. Death comes with a loud cry.

And so we are redeemed… Jesus took our forsaken place, the place of sin and shame and guilt. He took it willingly, the perfect sinless Son died as the substitute for you and for me and for all who accept the gift of life and redemption that comes with faith in Jesus.

As great as the physical torture of flogging and crucifixion was, I suspect that those moments of separation from the Father were far worse. In those moments, Jesus experienced something new and horrible, the guilt, shame and penalty of sin. Something He had never known. And with our sin clinging to Him, Jesus experience, for the only time in His life, separation from the Father.

Jesus is not simply quoting Psalm 22, He is living the horror of it. And He did so willingly for you and for me and for all humankind.

Oh, Jesus, as we mark the close of 2013, help me to resolve to herald Your Good News in 2014 in more ways than I have ever done before. In Your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

Mark 16– He’s alive!…

The Father may have forsaken Jesus, but the Father never forgot Jesus. Once our sin-ransom was paid and Jesus filled out the time allotted from all eternity in the grave, the power of the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Death has been defeated and a way back into fellowship with God the Father has been paved, faith in Jesus Christ.

The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive forever more!

Lord, I am so glad that the story doesn’t end with Jesus dead and forsaken. Alleluia, Jesus is alive!

Lord, sometimes, like the women, I am fearful to witness to You. I don’t like to admit this, but it is true. I pray that I have the faith of these women, who though afraid, still did what You told them to do. They witnessed to You.

Lord, as 2014 dawns tomorrow, I pray for increased boldness to share with the world the wonderful news, Jesus is Alive and death is defeated for all who are in Christ. Amen!