Mark 7

Mark 7

Traditions often become more important than a right understanding of God. And tradition can be used as an authority to control others. What makes you right is how you act and what you say, not what traditions may define or dictate. If compassion and goodness come out in you words and actions, as they do with Jesus, then you are clean before God regardless of what the religious leaders of the day may say. Action reveals the heart; a pure heart does pure actions, an unclean heart betrays evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. That is quite a list! There is not a list of goodness because it is a condition of the heart depending upon the circumstances. Goodness knows how to act and does not need a laundry list to check against. That is the failure of religion trying to contain a clean heart with traditional ways to act in goodness. Goodness always finds a fresh way to act, through the spirit with newness of life.

Even outsiders, gentiles and Greeks, see the truth and power of Jesus. An open tongue is to speak plainly; an open ear is to hear the truth. Those who gather to Jesus cannot but help to share the openness of who he is which draws more people to him. But the religious leaders stay “closed” to Jesus. They cannot hear or see except what they want to because, although they act according to tradition, they do not understand the truth. To be open is to live with God in a life moving towards the Kingdom of God, which it truth and peace.

Mark 6

Mark 6

Familiarity leads to doubt. Others cannot accept you if they think they know you. Knowledge stunts faith in that faith must move beyond what one knows to a new understanding. Jesus amazes his hometown and yet they cannot move in faith to accept him.

Jesus sends out the Twelve, and yet they hardly have faith and understanding in Jesus. As they are sent they are told to have total faith in God’s ability to provide. Which is funny because when they return they do not have faith in God’s ability to feed 5,000. In the midst of the story of Disciples’ faith we find John and Herod. Jesus, in fame, has surpassed John and Herod takes note. There must be more to the John/Herod story but we do not hear it. With the downfall of John and with Jesus’ rise in fame we get a hint that a conflict will happen.

A timeline of events will help to make clear a number of themes that are happening concerning faith in this chapter.

1. Jesus sends out the Twelve

2. They return thrilled at their experiences but exhausted.

3. Immediately they go with Jesus to rest in a quiet place, but crowds follow.

4. Jesus orders the Disciples to feed the 5,000

5. Jesus orders the Disciples to shepherd the 5,000 into manageable sized groups.

6. The crowd eats with abundance.

7. Immediately Jesus sends the 12 away in a boat, while he goes to pray.

8. The 12 struggle against the wind all night, Jesus appears walking on water.

What happened to the Disciples’ thrill about the power when they were sent out? Did exhaustion overtake them? Why did Jesus push them so hard when he knew they were on the edge?

Faith is hard to hold on to when exhausted. Grudging obedience creates hard hearts that are not open to the thrill of faith and the power one has in faith. Rest is important to faith, but rest often does not come when it is needed. The thrill of faith in one moment can turn to bitter griping the next when life throws wind and demanding crowds into your way. Were the Disciples expecting a pat on the back for their service in the field? They certainly wanted time alone with Jesus but instead they got another day of heavy service followed by a night of hard work. Often the work seems to have no end and one feels obligated to trudge on in obedience. That mindset only gets you to a point of pulling against the wind all night long, instead of walking on water in faith. Spend time in prayer, even in the midst of work. Faith is work expressed in true power. But that faith only comes through trusting in God to provide, for the journey, for the meal, for the crowds, for the way across the lake at night.

Mark 5

Mark 5

Jesus’ compassion even extends to the demons in the demon possessed man. He should have banished them, but Jesus shows mercy to them. And the man, healed, becomes the symbol of the gospel message to the people in the area. Here the demons beg Jesus to stay, and the people beg Jesus to leave. Fear rules both the people and the demons. But in the midst is the man, calmed, the message of health and peace that Jesus brings everywhere.

That message is beginning to reach into the religious structure of the day. A Synagogue ruler responds with faith in Jesus’ ability to heal. And in the midst of Jarius’ story of faith, another story occurs. Here a woman of faith is healed. Although it serves as a comma to create a pause to ponder faith, really it serves as an exclamation point about how it is faith that brings healing, not Jesus. Jesus merely blesses the event that has already happened. But holding to faith in the midst of fear, doubt or dismay is hard. Especially when friends or family tell you otherwise. But healing only comes through faith. Jesus is already willing to show mercy on any and all who come asking for it. Jesus confirms the faith that is already present. “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

At this point we could have a spirited debate about faith healing, and if faith is a works, if faith starts with the believer, if healing that does not happen is because of a lack of faith... and the list on faith could be endless. But all that discourse, although it might (or might not) be edifying and thought provoking, misses the point. Jesus heals, and healing is available through faith. But Jesus is not a faith healer. Jesus came with a message, as a pointer, towards repentance and the Kingdom of God. Healing comes when one walks in Jesus footsteps towards the Kingdom of God. That kind of healing only comes to those with open hearts, eyes and ears to see and hear and respond to Jesus. In the next few chapter this will be made clearer. Jesus is heading towards confrontation, one that will define what it truly means to live a repentant life with eyes on the Kingdom of God.

Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35-41

Jesus not only teaches about nature, but has control over nature. Certainly his rebuke of the Disciples could be taken that they should have had enough faith to rebuke the storm as well. Or it could read that they should have had faith to know that no harm would be fall them. Here the Disciples have seen miracles and received teachings where all things were revealed, and yet they feared a storm.

It is easy to lack faith in the midst of life’s storms, often when we need it the most we find it hardest to hold. If the storm is not calmed, at least we can know we will make it through safely. There are no secrets to having faith in the times of crisis, either you do or you don’t. But even though they were chastised for it, the Disciples did the right thing by turning to Jesus when they lacked the faith to fight on. Knowing the limits to one’s faith, and abilities, is a very sound self- knowledge. The boat was packed with knowing and able fishermen. Running a boat was not past their abilities, but the storm was. When they reached the end of their skills they needed to rely on faith. But that is hard to do when life circumstances are over whelming.

Mark 4:1-34

Mark 4:1-34

Again Jesus is by the lake, away from the city or village, out of the church/synagogue. Again crowds come to hear him speak. He gives them a number of parables, stories that would make sense to them; stories out of their own life experience. But the parables contain more than just farming techniques, they teacher a deeper lesson.

The seed must be spread everywhere, just as light from the lamp must be cast everywhere. What the light reveals or how the seed grows is of God, a mystery to the farmer. But the seed must be cast and the soil will respond as it can. Good soil returns good crops, bad soil no crops. It is up to the farmer to sow the seed and up to God to bring the seed to fruit in its time. The Kingdom of God will be fulfilled. And the deeper one wishes to mine the parables for truth, the more they will find. Like a Zen koan. Meditation upon the parables of Jesus can be a life long endeavor and the truth will just keep coming like a mustard seed growing into a large tree.

One could reflect upon whose responsibility it is to prepare the soil? Isn’t rejoicing in the potential abundant harvest of the prepared soil enough, or do we need to chastise the path and rocks for not being soil? Or do they serve another purpose that is not part of the parable as it was told? And what about those birds? And who in their right mind would put a lamp under a bed? The answer is obvious, but that parable of a parable means all things are revealed in the light of Wisdom, even though Jesus reveals it in secret to the Disciples. A hint that there is no “secret” teachings of Jesus, only teachings that have not been meditated upon sufficiently for the truth to be revealed.

A few paragraphs

The trip to Megaplex would take three days. And then two days over to the Sultanate, and four back home. A lot of alone time, which was just how Reagan liked it. Occasionally Toolbox would accompany Reagan, but the monkey spent most of his time in the engineering sections of the ship adjusting and tweaking the performance so much that it made Reagan nervous. On straight runs with a hold full of cargo Reagan would invite his girlfriend, Becca, along. She was good company. But on this trip he wanted the decorum of a clean ship, no unnecessary clutter or awkward conversations that might come up between the captain’s girlfriend and a Sultan’s soon to be bride.

Once clear of the Ring and far enough out into space, Reagan could power up the Zero Drive and then relax. Time passed smoothly until the marker for the outer boundaries of Megaplex chimed. Reagan cut the Zero Drive and fell back into standard space/time.

Reagan was seated in the captain’s chair on the bridge. He watched the scopes closely. This was not his first trip to Megaplex, but it was always an odd experience. Soon, two blips appeared on his scope at maximum range. He was still two or three hours flight time from Megaplex. An escort was not unusual. The blips closed quickly with his ship.

Two Dolphins slipped quietly into formation beside the Twist of Fate. Their ships were long and sleek with a big bubble dead center. They were not equipped with Zero Drive engines but what they did have were far more powerful then the Twist of Fate’s near planet engines. Reagan assumed that the hull of the escort ships also contained many lethal weapons hidden from view. He hoped he never had to encounter the escorts in their armed configuration.

A quick look into my next book

This is a short excerpt from my upcoming book, still untitled. Another short reading will be made available later in the week. 

On his way back to the bridge, Reagan noticed that the bodyguard was in the kitchen portion of the galley preparing a meal. “I trust you rested well.” Reagan began as he poured another cup of coffee.

The big man turned, startled. His hand moved of its own accord to the blade he carried on his belt in the small of his back. He was dressed in a blue loose fitting slacks, a matching tank top and shipboard slippers. A relaxed dressed and one that told Reagan this man had seen many transits.

“My apologies.” The guard offered. “The first day of a voyage is always the hardest for a new bride. Much uncertainty awaits her. It makes new brides... ready to be foolish. This is not my first trip to fetch a bride. In fact it is one of my duties.” The guard turned back to his food preparation. “Sometimes when the weight of the decision finally fully rests on the shoulders of a new bride, they look for an escape. Or a last fling.” The man turned back towards Reagan and gave him a penetrating look. “I am here to prevent that, as well as to see her safely to her new home.”

Reagan sized up the man. Confident, large, relaxed and in control were words that came readily to Reagan’s mind. He did not like the man’s tone, nor the implications of what he was saying. “I would never violate my contract. You and her are secure here.”

“And that is always what the captain says. Even the captains with wandering eyes... and hands.” He emphasized the point by moving his hand back to his blade.

“I respect your position. Now please respect mine. I am here to pilot my ship and fulfill a contract. That is all. I do not need threats from you, veiled or not. This is my ship and if you violate the terms of the contract, rest assured it will be ended immediately. And I will drop my cargo immediately regardless of where we are located.” Threats could go both ways.

The man picked up the tray of food and moved quietly towards the cabins. Reagan also knew that he could easily drop word about what the escort did aboard ship, with or without evidence, and it would end the man’s career if not his life. He was sure the guard knew that as well. Reagan really despised these games of bluster and posturing. Reagan did not see him again until the day they docked at the Gardens.

The Gardens was the docking area for ships seeking safe harbor at the Sultanate. The Sultanate was not a planet if its own right. It was a collection of asteroids, planetoids and small moons that had been smashed together over a period of centuries, as additional space was needed for the growing population of the Sultan’s Empire. The Sultan forbade entrance to the Empire to any infidel. But some trade and commerce were required so as a section of the planet, called the Garden, was established for non-believers to make landfall. It was an opportunity for the Sultan to show off his wealth and power as well as for other families of the Sultanate to conduct business. The Garden offered a vast, well-tended garden of many delights. It also offered many “backrooms” for other delights and places to conduct shadowy business deals.