Category: Daily Devotionals

Mark 1.1-15

John the Baptist presents us with an excellent example of how to direct people to Jesus in words and lifestyle. Although we do not have to be literal in our interpretation we can be similar. There is a cultural context to all the accounts in the bible and our context will differ.

John was a highly focused individual. He knew his role and his message and he kept to it. He did not compromise his message for the sake of his own comfort. His message was twofold, there is a Messiah and the people should prepare for him.

He used scripture, in particular the Old Testament prophets, to point out that Jesus is Lord. To do this he had to be well versed in the scriptures. He was confident of God’s plan and he spoke plainly so that the ordinary people could understand the urgency of his message. He fascinated and disconcerted the religious leaders of his day. He caused offence, especially to the political rulers, when he made clear how they were disobeying God’s will. However, he did not back down, even when he was arrested and his life was threatened. Mark 1.15

His message for people was to repent and confess their sins, because he knew the natural heart of all men and women is to rebel against God. Mark 1.4 It is impossible to make the step to become a Christian, (although the term was not coined until the authorities first used it for followers of Jesus in Antioch, Acts 11.26) without being aware of one’s sins. Communicating this element of the gospel is not intended to be unnecessarily confrontational. At the time large numbers found his message acceptable and convicting. Mark 1.5

John knew that not only was Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, he was as well. He knew his calling was to fulfill the Isaiah scripture, to be the voice calling in the wilderness. Mark 1.3 Similarly, followers of Jesus now ought to know how it is they are obedient to their calling in scripture. Not only in regards to specific roles or ministries but in terms of life style and their relationship with Christ.

John held a realistic view of his own importance. He was not ego driven. His message was not filled with how clever he was. It solely pointed to the coming of Jesus. He understood that his baptism was a sign of an individual’s repentance but the baptism that people were to receive from Jesus was something of an entirely different order. It was to be baptism with the Holy Spirit. Followers of Jesus were to know the Spirit of God filling them and empowering them. Mark 1.8 John himself knew what he was talking about as God had filled him with the Spirit from his earliest times. Luke 1.15 However, on the accomplishment of Jesus’ ministry that blessing was to be for all his followers. John 16.7

John did not use his ministry for his own material advancement. He lived a materially humble life. He was dressed in coarse clothes and ate food he scavenged. There is a very important and timely lesson in John’s example. Over history there have been many examples of Christian leaders who used their ministry as a means of increasing their personal wealth. Along with this attitude there has also frequently been other accompanying sinful behaviour exploiting in one way or another those they are meant to be spiritual shepherds towards. Jesus later warned of sheep in wolves clothing. There have recently been high profile cases where people in prominent Christian leadership have been exposed for using their position and reputation to misuse money for their own sinful purposes. Paul also had a ministry characterised by personal material humility. There should be a clear distinction between Christian leadership and that normally widely seen in the secular world.

John’s words were affirmed by God the Father himself. As Jesus rose from his own baptism in the Jordon the Trinity were perceptibly present. The Spirit descended upon Jesus and God the Father declared, ‘You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.’ Mark 1.11 God affirmed John’s message to those who are listening. John could not control that, he could only witness it.

How clear are we in our message regarding Jesus?

Are we attracted to Christian leadership because of the worldly glamour associated with it?

I know whom I have believed

Mark 1.1-5

If you were given just one sentence to say what the best news you have ever had is, I wonder what you would say? Today for me, Manchester City 0 – Manchester United 2 could be right up there but that is only a temporary thrill. There is nothing life changing about a football result for the casual fan. “Yes, I will marry you,” now that could be someone’s top choice. “I’m pregnant,” is certainly going to be life changing. “I am pleased to offer you the job,” there was a day when that felt like fantastic news. “I am pleased to say the test results have come back and you have the all clear,’ would be amazing to hear. “Today is victory in Europe day,” caused rejoicing throughout an entire nation. I am told it was the last day my Father got totally drunk. Could there be any better news than these happy life changing events. Mark says so.

He opens his biography of Jesus’ ministry with the words. ‘The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet.’ v1 Why is this better news than a promise to marry, the birth of a child, a new career opportunity, healing from a terminal illness or peace in our time? It is because of who he is. This is God in our lives. God is not the bloke round the corner. God is eternal, God is the source of all there is, God who has been prophesied about over centuries is here now and he wants you, me, each of us. We were made for him. The opening sentence of Mark is Mark bursting to say it and cannot contain his good news. He cannot carefully build up to it, rambling over history. No! Here he is and this is who he is. JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD THE MESSIAH!!!

Get ready everybody the show is on. This is really going to change your life. Not just for the next seventy years but for ever, literally for ever. So, sort yourselves out. It is time to, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord.’ v3 How are we to do that? Straighten our lives out. All those crooked paths we have been following, those dubious decisions, those words we should never have said, those harmful passions we indulged, those people we hurt, the cheating, the lying, the selfish acts, the hating, the cruel words we have said and more. It is time turn away from all of that, it’s time to be honest about ourselves, it’s time to be honest to God. More than that it is time to be more than sorry it is time to turn around and change our ways, turning to God and placing him at the top of our list.

Then more than that, it is time to do it publicly. Oh, that hurts. But that is what crowds and crowds of people did when they went out to John and were harangued by his preaching, knew it to be true and were baptized in front of the people who knew them best in the River Jordon. What was so special about the River Jordon beside it being there and deep enough to be baptized in? It was the river the people of God crossed to enter the promised land. Let me into the promised land again was their heart felt cry.

Why is Jesus the best of news? Because our response to him has eternal consequences. Consequences now and consequences that never end.

So, what’s the best news you ever heard again?

When I Cross Over Jordan At Last

2 Corinthians 4.1-6

There are many Christians who wince at the word evangelism and feel awkward. This is often because past experiences have been difficult. There are frequently strong emotions associated with the term. The proclaiming of the gospel in whatever form is opposed by the dominant cultural view in many countries including much of the West. This should not surprise us as Paul states, ‘the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers.’ ^V4 What is role of the Christian? It is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. ^v5 For Paul this took many forms. At times he addressed large crowds, he met with women by a river during a time of prayer and talked with them. He visited people’s homes, he addressed small gatherings in homes, he spoke in court and he spoke to his jailers in prison. There is no one model and undoubtedly if ministering today he would use whatever modern means he could to proclaim Jesus. What the NIV translates, ‘preach’ the ESV translates ‘proclaim’ but the meaning is to herald. That is to go before and announce or introduce and to tell of the good things of Jesus.

Paul in this passage strongly qualifies his role in preaching the gospel with his attitude and approach as he proclaims. There is no room for self-promotion, he is not about creating a personal following. He terms himself a servant or slave for Jesus’ sake. ^v5 Underlying this is his awareness that the only difference between a Christian and an un-believer is that God in his mercy has opened the Christian’s blind eyes. It is the Spirit of God who does that not the preacher. The Christian then is to continue proclaiming Jesus and praying that God will open blind eyes by shining the light of the gospel into the hearts of unbelievers. ^v6

There are three basic heart attitudes the Christian should adopt when sharing the good news of Jesus.

Integrity – Open honesty that is genuine and sincere. ‘We have renounced disgraceful, underhand ways. We refuse to practise cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but in the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.’ ^v2

Faithful adherence – As the NIV translates we do not “distort” the word of God. This means we do not avoid the aspects that might be more uncomfortable to speak about. This includes sin, the need for repentance and the judgement of God. All of which Jesus was very clear about in his teaching.  We need to trust the Holy Spirit to attract people to Christ.

Humility – We are not to manipulate people or play on people’s vulnerabilities. It is Jesus we proclaim and we want people to make their own mind up as to whether to follow Jesus becoming convinced of the truth and led by the Holy Spirit.

(The content of this reflection draws on the Christianity Explored Leaders Handbook)

When we share the good news of Jesus do we pray that we will have the right attitude ourselves in how we relate to others?

Do we remain honest and humbly brave to speak about the whole gospel as the Spirit causes situations to arise?

Lord, I need you – Matt Maher

2 Corinthians 4.1-6

When Jesus gave his disciples the instruction to go into the whole world and ‘make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,’ he did not intend them to achieve this alone or purely by their personal powers of persuasion. He added, ‘And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ ^{Matthew 28.19-20} Paul was deeply aware of the Spirit of Christ accompanying him as he preached and taught and therefore did not lose heart, ^v1 he was aware of the mercy of God in his ministry.

God’s role whenever the good news of Jesus is shared is to shine, ‘the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ^v6 He makes his light shine in our hearts. This is fundamental to anyone coming to faith in Jesus. That role cannot be replicated by a human. God enables us to see who Jesus is. It is a matter of the Holy Spirit revealing Christ to us. That is the moment when someone becomes a Christian, when they recognise Jesus for who he is. When Paul became a Christian on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians, he saw miraculously a dazzling light. He asked, ‘Who are you Lord?’ Then Jesus replied, ‘I am Jesus.’ ^{Acts 9.5} Not only physical light but the light of revelation had shone into Paul’s heart and he grasped who Jesus really was and called him Lord.

When Jesus healed the man blind from birth he said, ‘I am the light of the world.’ ^{John 9.5} Jesus is the same God who brought light into the world at creation. Every time a person recognizes that Jesus is God and has come to save them from the consequences of their life of sin, God performs another miracle in their heart. It is no coincidence that the man who Jesus healed of blindness had been blind since birth ^{John 9.1} we all have been blinded by sin and the devil until God reveals himself to us.  The sharing of the gospel alone is not sufficient for an individual to become a Christian.

There is spiritual conflict over the hearts of people, the gospel is veiled to those who are perishing. ^v3 The reason it is veiled is, ‘the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.’ ^v4  The devil causes people to pursue and desire the things of this world above a relationship with God. Whether that is popularity, possessions, relationships, sensual gratification, power and prestige or immediate temporary gratifications. People are blinded to anything that will open their eyes to see Jesus for who he is.

Part of the blindness can be that they think they have Jesus labelled, as a teacher, a dead prophet, a con merchant, a made up person to justify people’s beliefs, a myth. The devil wants and is happy when that is how Jesus is viewed. Anything to prevent people seeing Jesus as, ‘the light of the gospel for the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.’ ^v4

Who are you praying for that the Holy Spirit will open their blind eyes to see the glory of Christ?

Have you in your anxiety that someone should believe striven to do what only God can do?

Open our eyes Lord

John 17.6-12

Jesus continues his intercession for his disciples, ‘the ones given to him by the Father’, in this passage with a particular focus on them being sustained over the testing period ahead for them. Jesus continues to intercede for all disciples following his ascension to heaven. The High Priestly prayer we read here gives us an insight into how Jesus prays for all believers now. Hebrews 7.15 says, ‘he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.’ Paul emphasises this to Timothy, ‘For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.’ ^{1 Timothy 2.5} John confirms that Jesus carries on interceding for the church with specific reference to the continuing sanctification of believers as they struggle with sin in their lives. ‘My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.’ ^{1 John2.1}

Jesus’ prayer reminds us that does not negate the necessity for prayer. It is God’s chosen means of fellowship with people. Neither does God’s sovereignty make redundant the human responsibility to obey God’s word. ‘They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.’ ^v6  Believing in the sovereignty of God is an encouragement to pray because he has the power to answer prayer.

At this stage the disciples may not have fully understood that Jesus must die and be raised again. They also may have not understood how Jesus had fully fulfilled the motifs of the Messiah in the Old Testament: such as the lamb of God, the Temple, the High Priest and the Suffering Servant, but what they did know was Jesus came from God the Father. ^v8 Belief in the Trinity is essential for authentic Christian discipleship. All disciples have been given by God the Father to Jesus, who have faith in Jesus and obey the word of God.

The redeemed disciples bring glory to Jesus. ^v10 They have the security of belonging to God the Father and Jesus. Jesus knows he is about to leave them and this world and so he prays to the Father that he will protect them as he is about to be no longer physically present with them. ^v12 Now the disciples will have the protection that comes from the authority of God the Father. ^V11

Does the knowledge that Jesus prays for us help us to be obedient to his word?

How are you encouraged that Jesus prays for you?

Charlotte Church – The Lord’s Prayer (Live From Jerusalem 2001)