Mark 15 “Jesus Brought Before Pilate”

Here in chapter 15 of the book of Mark, Jesus is brought before Pilate (by the chief priests) early in the morning. One of the accusations against Him by the elders was, His claim of being a king. So Pilate asked Him directly, “Are You the King of the Jews?” His answer to Pilate was, “It is as you say.”

Admitting this before the very man that could have saved Him, brought a respect for Jesus. Pilate marveled, the Bible tells us, at Jesus for His honesty and for His silence before His earlier accusers who had mocked Him, beat Him, and spoke blasphemously against Him (Luke 22:63-65).

Pilate, the Bible tells us, believed Jesus to be an innocent man, who upon examination of Jesus said, “I find no fault in Him worthy of death. He has done no evil (Luke 23:14-15). Then turning to the crowd three times Pilate asked, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” (Matthew 27:22) Upon hearing the crowd, Pilate wanting to gratify them more than doing the right thing, delivered Jesus to His accusers to be crucified as they requested. 

How many times have you given into peer pressure, allowing the crowd to dictate your actions, even though you knew in your heart, “this is wrong.” Actions have consequences. Even though Pilate believed Jesus to be innocent and literally washed his hands of the blood, still delivered Him to death. Therefore, Pilate is just as guilty of murder as were the chief priests who planned it and the Romans who carried it out. 

Our lesson here is to stand for the truth, not with the crowd. Do what is right, not what may earn you favor in the eyes of others - to satisfy God, and not man.

The Truth: “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” (James 3:16)

Mark 14 “Jesus Prays To The Father”

“Abba, Father,” He said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from Me. Yet not My will but Your will be done.” (v.36)

This pray offered by Jesus to His Father the night before He was to be crucified, shows His concern for what He was about to suffer for us. Luke's gospel tells He was in such agony that His sweat became "great drops of blood" (Luke 22:44). Nevertheless He was obedient to His Father's will.

Three things to take away from this portion of scripture. First, the Lord does not always answer our prayers in the way we request of Him. Even His Son had to walk the path directed for Him. Second, He will not give us more than we can handle and will strengthen us and carry us through all our trials. Finally, all things are working together for (a greater) good for those who love the Lord and follow His will, even when we don’t understand why.

May God also grant us the strength (even when we do not understand understand His will in our prayer life) to walk the path He has for us in obedience. For, "His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways" (Isaiah 55:8), yet "all things are working together for our good" (Romans 8:28).

There is no greater gift of love than this, our Savior’s willingness to obey the Father even to His death for us. May we share His love with all we come into contact with.

The Truth: “Greater love has no man than this, that He would lay down His life for His friends.” (John 15:13) 

Mark 13 "Watch and Pray"

“For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.” (v.19-20)

Here we see Jesus describing to His disciples a time of great tribulation which is to come, the likes of which the world has never known in its history. A time worse than the flood of Noah’s day, worse than the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, or any other event yet future. Never has the world seen, nor will it see anything equal to what is going to transpire during this three and a half year period.

Therefore, He warns them (and us) that, “when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (Daniel 9:1-27), then let all that be in Judea flee to the mountains (vv.12-14). 

During that time, those Jews (in Judea) that heed this warning of Jesus and flee to the wilderness area that God has prepared for them, He will provide and take care of them for that three and a half year period. And, “unless the LORD had shortened those days, no flesh (on earth) would be saved” (v.20).

Take heed, watch and pray, especially for those in our lives who need the gospel, for we do not know when this will take place.

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10)

Mark 12 “The Wicked Vinedresser”

“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others." (v.9)

Here in chapter 12 we find our Lord speaking to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders with a parable. The parable concerns an absentee landlord (a common figure in those days) who had leased his vineyard to a tenant farmer, a vinedresser. 

At harvest time the landlord sent his servants (multiple times) to collect some of the fruit, and each time they were met with violence, either beaten, stoned, or killed. Finally, the landowner sent his only beloved son to collect some of the harvest. Surely they would honor him. But the son was killed just like those before Him.

In this parable the religious leaders are the vinedressers, Israel is the vineyard and God is the absentee landlord. So we have God sending prophet after prophet to check on the progress of His tenant farmer, only to see each one of them beaten or killed. Finally, out of incomparable love, God sends His only Son to check on the harvest, but they rejected Him as well, nailing Him to a cross.

So, what will the landowner of the vineyard do? He will destroy the vinedressers (the religious leaders) and give the vineyard (the fruit of His promise) to others. The late Pastor Chuck Smith put it this way:

“The nation of Israel had failed to fulfill the purposes for which God had established them as a special people unto the Lord. They failed to bring forth that fruit that God was desiring the nation to produce. So, what will the Lord do? He will take away the privileges, the opportunities, and he will give them to others. 

And so, we see the door opened to the Gentiles, and Jesus here is prophesying and predicting that God is going to do His work, not among the Jews in this age, but more among the Gentiles. And thus, we see the work of God’s Spirit in a powerful way among those Gentile believers in Jesus Christ.”

But, make no mistake, judgment will fall upon those who did not reverence His Son.

The Truth: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me.” (John 16:8-9)

Mark 11 “Have Faith In God”

 Jesus said unto them, "Have Faith In God.” (v.22)

Here in chapter 11 Jesus was teaching his disciples to have faith in God to accomplish those things which seem beyond man's capabilities. This short statement literally means, have the faith of God - full, perfect, effectual faith. No doubts, no fears, just an unwavering confidence in the agent doing the work – God.

Jesus said, "Come unto to Me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). By allowing Him to shoulder our burdens, it not only lightens our load, but gives us peace and rest in our souls knowing He is faithful.

Therefore, the next time you find yourself struggling behind the plow of life, exercise your faith in God by displaying your unwavering confidence in Him, to accomplish those things which are beyond your control.

The Truth: "Our God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20)I’m 

Mark 10 "Our Selfless Example"

 "And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (v.44-45)

Jesus was constantly sacrificing His needs to fulfill those of others, eventually giving His very life as a ransom for all of mankind. And now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. What a great example He left for us here, of putting others first.

I do not believe one can be Christ like and put his/her needs before others. Growing up, I remember my mother would work all day, then come home and start the family dinner, then clean and wash dishes, and even throw in a load of laundry before sitting down. I watched my dad (who had work all day), come home and pitchin with dinner, tidy up around the house, keep up with the outdoor yard work and still have time to throw the football around with me as a kid growing up. They both made many sacrifices for the family, and with three boys, that was not easy.

I thank God for those Christ like examples of putting others first in my life. And while there were many times I was blind to it all because of my selfishness, it’s so clear to me now how important it is to serve others, even if they take it for granted. Thank you mom and dad for all those years of self-sacrifice.

The Truth: “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)

Mark 9 “All Things Are Possible”

If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” (v.23)

Here in chapter 9 we see a boy possessed by a mute spirit. And whenever the spirit seized him, it would throw him down; he would then foam at the mouth, gnash his teeth, and then become rigid (vv.17-18). The father first took the boy to Jesus’s disciples, but they could not help (v.18). Then he brought the boy to Jesus and asked for His help (v.22). Jesus then responded to him with our text, “all things are possible to him who believes” (v.23).

The answer the father gives to Jesus is both touching and beautifully honest, “I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (v.24) It was as though he said," I do believe; but my faith is weak.” I think that is the case with many of us today. We believe, but our faith is weak, it breaks down, gets placed in a closet until some misfortune befalls us. Then it’s, “LORD, help me.”

I believe Jesus is saying the same thing to us today as He did to this father in our text over 2000 years ago. And, just like then, He is willing and able to help all who believe at this very moment. 

Therefore, come to the Father, through the precious blood of His Son, Jesus. Lay your burdens down at His feet, and allow His healing to take place in your life today. (see prayer connect with God to the right on this page)

The Truth: “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)

Mark 8 "What Will A Man Give In Exchange For His Soul?"

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (vv.35-37)

Our lives are but a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14).

The nature of human existance is short, and every person will eventually come to the end of their physical life here on earth. Therefore, it is important to recognize that shortness of time, so as to not squander what is allotted to us. 

Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a herat of wisdom." God wants us to live with purpose, recognizing that the clock is counting down to the moment we step through death's portal and enter our etrnal state. 

So Jesus in our text asked His disciples two questions, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 

Nothing is more valuable than a person's soul. To trade it away is the epitome of foolishness. When a person chooses to“reject”  Christ for the sake of anything in this life, he will lose his soul. 

The day of reckoning is coming! Let’s use our time wisely. 

The Truth: "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Matthew 16:27)