Mountain toss

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Do you believe that what you ask will really come about? Mark 11:20-26

The next morning, Jesus and his disciples pass by the fig tree which he had cursed the day before. Peter notices that the tree is completely withered, as if it had been dead for years. Jesus says simply, “Have faith in God.”

He then refers to a popular saying at the time regarding mountains being picked up and tossed into the sea. The inference was that this was absolutely impossible. Not so, says he, if anyone just says “Be taken up and cast into the sea”, it will happen as long as there is no doubt in his heart.

Belief and prayer combined are a powerful force. Such power could accomplish much in ridding Israel of its enemies and establishing the Messiah’s kingdom. Remember, there are those among the disciples who have sought such power. So why is there no response on their part? Why aren’t they eagerly lining up, begging Jesus, “Let me try!” and “No, me first”?

First, there may have been confusion in their minds about the cursed fig tree. Was he talking about Israel? Why would it be unfruitful? This didn’t sound much like the promised messianic kingdom (there will be more concerning Israel later).

Second, those who have God’s authority and power on this earth had just been soundly rebuked the day before for their abuse of that power. What did this mean about their traditions? the Law? What about sacrifices and giving?

Finally, Jesus gives a new reason to be hesitant. They had heard the idea from him before, but now he links forgiveness to powerful prayer. Actually, he connects it to a vital relationship with God. If you expect God to forgive you, you must also forgive those in your life who have wronged you. As long as you hold anything against another, God will seem distant from you.

“Have faith in God” identifies the object of that faith. Belief is based on truth. Belief in a fantasy or wild hope will yield nothing but frustration. God is truth. To know truth, you must know God. How do you do that? By spending time with him and his people. By reading his word, the Bible. Soon you will think the way he thinks, respond the way he does and act in a way he prescribes. Praying for the things God wants to see happen will begin to seem second nature and powerful results will follow.

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

Of figs and doves

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“…He went to see if he could find anything on it…” Mark 11:12-19

The picture is of a fig tree in my back yard. It was difficult to take a photo without showing any fruit. This tree always has loads of fruit on it, which start forming as soon as it begins leafing out. Some say the small buds that are first to form are particularly desirable. Maybe that is what Jesus expected to find. As a country boy, he would know when to find figs. As the Son of God, he would also know without looking that this particular tree was barren of fruit. So why bother?

To focus on the fig tree and its fruit-bearing habits is to miss the point. To focus on the apparent self-centeredness of Jesus at this moment and on his seemingly unreasonable response also misses the point. If Jesus expected to find fruit, I won’t argue. So, what was he trying to say?

The fig tree has long been a symbol of the nation Israel. Jesus has just made his grand entry into Jerusalem as King. As any earthly king would, he expects his subjects to bring forth the fruits of his kingdom when he appears. There will be none. As king he must act in judgment; hence the tree is cursed and subsequently withers away.

He continues on into Jerusalem and goes to the temple. He finds the situation there to be wholly unacceptable. Instead of finding priests welcoming Jew and Gentile to prayer, he sees corrupt profiteering, bilking the pilgrims out of their hard-earned money. He responds in immediate judgment by overturning the tables of the money changers and driving out the sellers of doves for sacrifice.

Some may have thought that Jesus was finally showing some muscle. He was becoming the political revolutionary they thought they needed. Certainly the Jewish leaders feared he would upset the cautious balance they had crafted with the brutal Romans (and managed to make a tidy profit at the same time, which Rome no doubt shared).

They now set about on a tricky and treacherous course. The crowds loved Jesus and his teaching. They thronged him wherever he went and stood in awe of him. To the chief priests and scribes there was only one answer: kill him before Rome raised its armored boot and squashed them. The hard part? Getting the crowds to go along with their plan.

No wonder Jesus continued his nightly retreat to Bethany.

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

The King comes

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“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Mark 11:1-11

The journey up to Jerusalem has now reached the Mount of Olives. Stopping briefly at Bethpage and Bethany, Jesus sends two disciples into the village to retrieve a colt that had not yet been ridden. They are to find it just as they enter town, untie it and bring it back to him. Just in case they encountered anyone, Jesus adds “if any one asks what you’re doing, tell them that the Lord has need of it.”

The two disciples set out to perform their task and found everything just as Jesus had told them. The colt was tied up outside on the street, they were asked what they were doing and allowed to take the colt with them. It is not often that anyone has such specific instructions in following the Lord’s will! Still, following those instructions requires a measure of faith. It still does.

The disciples put some clothing over the colt’s back and Jesus sat on it. Many others spread their garments out on the road. Others cut leafy branches from the fields and laid them before the path of Jesus.

Where did these people come from? They also were traveling to Jerusalem for Passover, as was the Jews’ custom. Luke tells us that Jesus had made the trip as a boy with his parents, likely with friends and relatives from Galilee. No doubt the tradition continued and Jesus and his disciples found themselves in a friendly crowd, surrounded by many from Galilee who had seen Jesus’ miracles and had heard him speak. And there were others that joined the happy throng along the way, such as Bartimaeus of Jericho.

The longings of the people for their coming messiah saw the day’s events as fulfilling the much anticipated words of the prophets. They began shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” and “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” For once Jesus did not prevent them, for his time had come.

Jesus entered the city. John informs us that the Jewish leaders were greatly concerned about his arrival and the effect he had on this large crowd. Jesus goes to the temple and spends some time looking around. Not as a casual tourist taking in the sights, but as a commanding general conducting a reconnaissance and planning his strategy. Then, since it was late in the day, Jesus retreated with the twelve to Bethany, which became his base of operations.

The campaign will begin in the morning.

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

Seeing what others do not

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“…your faith has made you well.” Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus and his disciples passed through Jericho on their way up to Jerusalem, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus heard they were coming. He was sitting beside the road in his usual spot and began calling out “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

The people around him were upset at Bartimaeus and sternly told him to be quiet. Why would they do this? Were they afraid that Jesus would go another way to avoid this noisy beggar? Were they ashamed that they were standing next to a beggar? We don’t know. At any rate, Bartimaeus kept calling out, paying them no heed.

Jesus continues to come. He hears Bartimaeus and tells the people around him, “Call him here.” So, why didn’t Jesus address Bartimaeus directly? For one thing, it did force those people to have a change of heart. They went from preventing Bartimaeus from getting too close to Jesus to instead encouraging him to go to Jesus. In fact, they said, Jesus is calling for you!

Bartimaeus does not hesitate. He casts aside his cloak and approaches Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asks. Bartimaeus states the obvious, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” Jesus replies, “Go your way: your faith has made you well.”

Bartimaeus immediately received his sight and began following Jesus on the road. Was he disobedient for not doing what Jesus told him? No, I think not. His way was now Jesus’ way. How else could he respond but to follow him?

Bartimaeus, though blind, saw something the people around him did not see. He recognized Jesus for who he was, the long awaited Messiah. As a result, he calls him by his messianic title, “Son of David,” and humbly begs for mercy instead of asking for any specific thing. It is fitting that as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, the city of David, that he will be honored as the “Son of David.”

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

Becoming great

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“…whatever we ask” Mark 10:35-45

James and John, those two sons of thunder who have already asked to call down fire from heaven and have forbidden outsiders to cast out demons, now have a special request to make of Jesus for themselves. Coming up to him apart from the others, they say, “Do for us whatever we ask.”

Now you don’t need omniscience to realize there are certain kinds of questions you don’t entertain without more information. And this wasn’t even a question. Jesus asks for some details before responding. These two want a reserved position in the coming kingdom. And they want to start out right at the top.

Jesus must have sucked in a quick breath before replying. Should he be gracious and tactful? Not this time. He chose to be direct: “You have no idea what you’re asking.” To be “on staff” in this kingdom means taking everything thrown at Jesus. It means being despised and rejected of men on his behalf. “Are you able?” he asks.

“Of course!” is their quick reply. Jesus recognizes their faith, despite their egos getting in the way. That faith may be blind just now, but he knows it will hold true in the coming persecutions. However, he points out, the Father makes the appointments to specific positions and they will have to wait and see.

By now the other disciples have figured out what’s going on and they are indignant. Jesus calls them all to himself. This is significant – their focus has wandered from Christ to themselves. To be part of his kingdom is not about self-promotion or the gaining of influence over other people. The world around them, both religious and secular, has presented the wrong model for greatness, and they are following it without questioning. It is not to be so for them.

Jesus tells them that whoever would be great among them must become their servant. Anyone wishing to be prominent or noteworthy needs to become the slave of all. And Jesus himself would be their primary example: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

Following in fear

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“…Jesus was walking ahead of them.” Mark 10:32-34

The story picks up just where it was before being interrupted by the rich man. Jesus and his disciples are on the road, leaving the town and heading up towards Jerusalem. Jesus has not brought them to Jerusalem before and this caused amazement and fear among them.

They had experienced firsthand the animosity of the religious leaders while traveling with Jesus. But they had been far to the north of Jerusalem, in Galilee. These leaders had sent investigators to find out what Jesus was up to. They tested him constantly with religious brain twisters and conundrums. They accused him of being in league with the devil and of drawing his miraculous power from Satan himself.

So far, Jesus had bested them with his words and wisdom. But in Jerusalem, the deck would be stacked against him. What had been merely a war of words could easily get physical with dire results. Why would he march directly into a trap?

Jesus walked ahead of the disciples. Did he desire to be alone and prepare himself for what lay ahead? Or did the disciples shrink back, unsure of what to say or think?

Jesus does not leave them in this state. He stops to take them all aside and begins telling them what will happen to him. He has told them this twice before, but they had not understood him. It was too different from the path they had traveled and from what they had imagined lay ahead.

He is matter of fact in relating these things and doesn’t pull his punches. He will be turned over to the religious leaders, condemned to death and sent to the Romans for execution. They will mock, spit on and scourge him before killing him. And three days later he will rise again.

Jesus does not keep us in the dark about what lies ahead. He does not assure us everything will be all right and we have nothing to be concerned about. In fact, he has told us things will get a lot worse before they even begin to get better. So, what good is that?

We must remain confident that he has things well in hand. He knows what is coming and expects us to weather the storm, keeping our eye and faith firmly on him. He will bring us through. We can never forget the hope that lies before us and that, like him, we will “rise again.”

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

What shall I do?

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Mark 10:17-31

A man comes to Jesus with a question. What’s more, his eagerness is on display as he runs toward Jesus and kneels before him. He wants to know how to obtain eternal life, but prefaces his inquiry with a flowery salutation: “Good Teacher.”

Jesus addresses this first, before dealing with the more critical matter of eternal life. “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.” Was he testing the man’s knowledge? Did the man realize that by calling Jesus “good” he was equating Jesus with God? Or was it meant to impress and flatter Jesus?

Jesus does not wait for an answer and begins listing certain of the Ten Commandments. The ones he chooses all have to do with visible and outward actions, easily verifiable to an observant witness. The man quickly answers :All these things I have kept from my youth.” What response did the man expect from Jesus? Was it something like “Oh, well done, good and faithful servant! Of course, you already have eternal life!” When our focus is on what we have done and done well, it can be easy to imagine great rewards.

But instead, Jesus points out something the man lacks. This is not a “gotcha” to expose his lack of spiritual understanding, for Mark points out that Jesus felt a love for this man. Jesus’ words are meant to help and build up, not to criticize and rip apart. Did the man approached Jesus with this same love? Was Jesus more dear to him than anything else?

The answer to this is, sadly, no. He was a wealthy man who owned much property. The thought of giving this up startled and grieved him. When Jesus gave his final instruction to “come, follow me,” the man’s eagerness and confidence disappeared. He had not anticipated this. Instead of following, he went away.

We tend to think that people who have had a rough time in life, hitting every bump and stymied by circumstances, would have good reason to distrust and be resentful of God. But this man had every advantage and enjoyed every blessing on this earth. What could he have against God that he would turn away?

Jesus said it is so very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom. But not impossible. For all things are possible with God.

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

Like a child

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“…He took them in his arms” Mark 10:13-16

Some were bringing their children to Jesus so that they might be close to him, to sit on his lap and be held by him. The disciples, however, would have none of it, and prevented them.

But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was indignant. He demanded that the children not be hindered and allowed to come to him. He took them in his arms, blessing them as he placed his hands on them. It is hard to imagine a more tender and loving scene. This is the Jesus we can still come to, knowing he will gently embrace us, filling us with comfort and strength.

But somehow our ideas of what is proper and respectful get in the way of what Jesus is really about. An important and dignified teacher would never allow such behavior; certainly not a mighty and powerful leader such as the Messiah. This is adult, grown-up business. It must not be disrupted by noisy, demanding and boisterous kids!

Jesus does not see things this way. He turns the situation upside down and presents the truth of the situation in a way few in charge would have considered. Children have something about them that keeps them close to the kingdom. They possess a quality that commends them and draws them to God. What is that quality? Is it their open trust and willingness to love? Is it their wonder for the world and people around them?

It is hard to describe without falling into chiding those mean old adults, which a child would not think to do. However it is worthy of our contemplation and pursuit. There’s nothing like crawling into the warm, inviting lap of our savior, letting him push aside the world and its troubles for a moment or two and soak up his gentle comfort.

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

Break ups are hard

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“Is it lawful…?” Mark 10:1-12

How do you handle a scriptural position that clearly goes against commonly held views and expert recommendations? Jesus finds himself in such a spot, for divorce was as easy and common for both the Jew and the Gentile of his day as it is in ours.

To make matters worse, the Pharisees have set him up, trying to ensnare him in his words no matter how he might answer. Any response he makes will offend someone somewhere.

Jesus, however, does not answer them directly. Instead he asks a question, “What did Moses command?” The Pharisees take a step back, for Moses never commanded divorce, even in the worst situations. They admit that Moses only permitted a man to divorce his wife by following a simple procedure. A better word for it might be that Moses “tolerated” such an action.

Jesus takes them back to the original plan, to what God intended from the beginning: a man and woman so joined in love and commitment to each other that they became “one flesh.” This new relationship supercedes even the closest relationship that came before it, one’s bond with parents. Marriage is a sacred union, designed and nurtured by God and no man or woman should dare to break it.

So why did Moses allow an “escape clause”? Jesus says it was for one reason – the hardness of their hearts. Hearts that are so filled with self-interest, pride and ambition that there is no longer any room to make way for those formerly close by. Yet even in this, as with any sin, God stands ready with his grace. But beware thinking that you’ll proceed on such a course since you’ll always be able to ask God’s forgiveness later. “Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be!” (Romans 6:1-2).

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley