Our Father

Take a journey with me back to Chapter 1 of Mark...

In our illustrious small group last week, Kelly was pointing out the mystery surrounding God's emphatic statement during Jesus' baptism: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." What does it mean, God is pleased with Jesus? What is God saying here? This is one of the very few times in the Gospels (and even the New Testament as a whole) when God the Father speaks. It is of profound importance. What is going on here?

Something struck me while we were discussing these questions and ideas. "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." This is the single statement that every son wants to hear from his father. "I love you, I am pleased with you." Jonathan Eldridge spent much of his influential novel Wild at Heart explaining how every man is looking for these sentiments from his father. They are absolutely essential to the male psyche. They are basic needs of the gender. There are people out there whose whole life is defined by their desire for love and acceptance from their father.

And right there, just as Jesus is beginning his ministry, God gives his Son the two things that every young man needs from his father, boldly and powerfully, in front of a crowd of witnesses. Many, many earthly boys' troubles would be resolved by such an act. God knows exactly what his Son needs, and does it directly. It is a model for fathers to imitate - a way they can manifest his character in their lives.

When viewed in the light of its profound importance to Jesus as man (in the male sense, not the mankind sense), this statement is a send-off, a directive, an inspirational speech that calls the Son of Man to his good work. It is want every boy wants to hear his father say. It is what God is saying to every follower of Christ.

Lord of the Sabbath

I really love the combination of service and rest that Jesus portrays in the first three chapters of Mark. There is a clear abundance of activity...healing, walking, dining, answering...but then there is also retreat. I love that when Jesus wakes up early to pray that He doesn't get put out with being interrupted. I would...I mean really...if I'd been helping people all night long and I get up early to commune with the Father...then I want to commune with the Father...not run off again and do more of what made me lose sleep in the first place. Again, my selfish nature is evident.

Jesus has such a clear sense of why He is where He is and what He is to be about. He doesn't allow physical things to bind Him. That sounds really nice, but when I say physical things, I mean sleeping and eating. At the end of chapter 3, His family is coming to rescue Him and take charge of Him because He is being irresponsible...He isn't taking time or getting space even to eat. He effectively sends them away.

In the middle of these episodes, at the end of chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3, lie two very closely related stories about violating the Sabbath laws. In an interesting contrast to the surrounding words about ignoring one's physical needs to be about the things of the Kingdom, we find Jesus and His disciples breaking laws in order to eat. When questioned, He declares that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

I love this. The Sabbath is made for man to rest...to enjoy...to take pleasure in. This is a time and place carved out by God to be a central, focused rest for the good of His people. Of course there should be eating on this day. Of course there should be healing and restoration on this day, but somehow, these very things cause even the Pharisees and Herodians to collaborate about how to kill Jesus.

I find myself acting only on either extreme of these chapters. Some days, I'm full of activity to the point of being willing to deny myself rest and food in order to "get things accomplished." Then, other days, I recognize my need for rest and make my self a glutton for it. I eat and sleep and recline with no motivation to do otherwise. Really, the problem, I think, isn't so much in the ability to behave one way or the other. Jesus exhibits tireless work and glorious rest. The problem lies in the will behind each behavior.

I may serve earnestly and tirelessly...and on a good day, without complaint...but then concern of self takes over and rest is required. The transition from one behavior to another is completely subject to my whims and moods...and not so much subject to God's will. The piece of God's character I want to learn here is how to work and how to rest...and mostly, how to do that as a subject of His will and not my whims.

Sons of Thunder

I was reflecting last night on Jesus' habit of renaming his disciples, specifically James and John. "The Sons of Thunder." Images of great band names and NASCAR commercials come to mind. But really, the name is inspiring, isn't it? How great would it be, how excited would it make you, how courageous would you feel, if the son of the God of the universe named you a "Son of Thunder?" I think I would feel emboldened to conquer anything.

The truth is, I guess, that this has already happened. Winn has spoken many times on Sunday morning about the importance of our names. Names certainly take great significance in the Bible. I look around me, and people's names do seem to often reflect deep parts of their character. According to the friendly neighborhood internet, "Erin" means "peace." "Stuart" means "guardian of the house." "Shannon" means "God is gracious." "Monica" means "counselor" (I'm not making this up).

My name means "one who is righteous, just, or fair." Though these are not qualities I would profess, they are ones that I place great stock in, that I desire, and that I seek passionately. God has given me what he gave James and John, and that knowledge is pretty exciting.

But of course I think God has named us all, even if our actual name doesn't mean anything cool or pertinent. He has taken away our old identity and given us a new identity in him, just like he did to Simon, James, John, Joshua, Paul, etc. We should all feel emboldened to conquer anything.

Jesus Answers the Critics

As I read chapter 2 of Mark, I get the sense that Jesus does things that are unconventional and Mark wishes to detail why, teach us through specific events in the life of Jesus. Interestingly, this chapter takes on, through illustrations, a sort of Frequently Asked Questions during Jesus’ ministry. In the first scene, Jesus answers the question of His authority as well as His being, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” The unwritten question being, who do you think you are, God? Jesus emphatically replies, yes, “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” In the second scene, Jesus answers, “Why is he eating and drinking with sinners?” In this question, Jesus addresses His accusers by stating His purpose, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners,” the all-call demonstrating that we come to Christ as those in need of Him, those who are unrighteous, those who can’t make life work. In the third scene, Jesus answers, “Why do…Your disciples not fast?” In His answer, Jesus reveals more of who He is and what He has come to do through the imagery of marriage, “they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.” Jesus states that He is the one who has come to claim His own, to be married to His bride and this is cause for celebration. Additionally, He is stating that in fasting, we are recognizing (or attempting to) from whom our true life comes, to connect with God. Jesus is stating again, God is here, there is no reason to fast, connection now is celebration. Our flesh does not hinder us from God in this case; it helps us experience the joy of His presence, in Jesus. Finally, the fourth scene, Jesus is asked, “why are [Your disciples] doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” In His answer, Jesus reveals the Sabbath’s purpose and gives some insight into the role of the Law in people’s lives, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Later in the New Testament, Paul discusses the role of the Law as tutor (Gal 3:24), supporting the teachings of Jesus, in that, we don’t serve the Law, we serve God; the Law serves us and instructs us in the ways of God.

One final thought, Jesus is tearing down some false idols and beliefs as He relays, I am God, I am more important than adherence to strict codes of living, I am more important that fasting and I am more important than observance of the Sabbath. He develops an argument for new living. Possibly, this gives some insight into his comments in verse 21 and 22; we must be changed people. We cannot be fixed with doing the right things (unshrunk cloth on our own old garment) nor poured into without being recreated (new wine needs fresh wineskins).

rain on me, holy spirit
bleed on me, lamb of god
breathe on me, inspiration
cause what i need is who you are

it's not that i don't believe you surround me
it's just that i want to know you completely
so bring your word back to me in the right way
so i can know you

tell the truth
i'll change my mind
follow your way not my way
so i can know you

and i believe you are there
and you are waiting for me
so i can know you

so meet me here in my prayer
oh my god, i implore you
so i can know you

"know you" by tom conlon

tonight i happened to play tom's first cd as i was sitting down to spend in prayer & with my journal. several songs played as i wrote & prayed. all of the sudden i paused & heard the beginning of this song. i immediately had to stop and absorb the song and all that it means to me. many days & nights during undergrad, this song gave me just enough to press on, whether it was the cd playing or a friend playing on the guitar just for me.

it continues to reach deep within me to invite worship to come forth. it helps to usher me into the arms of jesus to even be able to ask him what his way is for my life and to willingly change my thoughts to line up with his. through these words i can declare my faith to him that sometimes feels lacking.

in the same way that jesus encounters the paralytic in mark by first forgiving his sins and then second healing his body (only to prove his authority to the scribes), i wonder what things jesus has done first in my life when i've wanted the second. his reason is inverse to my earthly reasoning. if i encountered a paralytic, or just someone who has been wounded by words, it would be a whole lot easier for me to say i forgive you that it would be to say you're healed. but what reality do i live in and in whose power do i forgive? i need jesus, especially when i think i don't.