Friday, June 12, 2009

Today's Passage: Mark 10

How do you blog on such a rich passage like Mark 10? To fully be able to cover every part would take us a week of posts. You could talk about the trap of the Pharisees and the statements of Jesus on the importance of marriage. You could spend a day talking about coming to Christ as a child. The story of the rich young ruler reminds us of the things that are of true importance in this world. But today, I want to spend my time on the last two stories of Mark 10...the request of James and John and the healing of Bartimaeus.

Last night was our first night to serve at the Center of Hope this summer. Although it was abbreviated by the weather, it only took a few minutes to see the kind of impact this project will make on our community and, maybe more importantly, our own families. If you haven't had the chance yet, I encourage you to go back to Michelle's email earlier in the week and do the family devotional she provided on the story of James and John and their eagerness to be the favorites. We were able to have a devotional time just before we left for the COH and talk to our girls about the importance of serving. They understood some as we talked, but it was actually going to serve that made them understand what Jesus meant when He said the words of verses 43-45. You can talk and teach about being a servant all you want to, but the only way to truly understand what Jesus wants from us is to be His hands and feet. If we are going to be like Jesus, then we have to do the things Jesus called us to...service, loving our neighbor, sharing our faith...action must accompany the heart!

The story of Bartimaeus is one of my favorite passages in all of scripture...it will always be special to me because I wrote my first sermon based on it. I want you to notice something very important in the reaction of Bartimaeus...that scripture makes a point to say "throwing his cloak aside". Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who lived out by the city gates. He most likely had very little, and this cloak was the one thing that would keep him warm during very cold nights. But even though he was blind and in a crowd, he threw it away...there was no chance of ever getting it back! He would have never been able to find it again. But he knew in moment that things were about to change. He didn't need to hold on to the old things because Jesus was about to make all things new for him!

Do you see how these two stories go together? We must be His hands and feet, but to do that, we're going to have to let go of the things of the world that we find comfort in and expectantly run to Jesus to make us new. Are you holding on to something so tightly that you can't use your hands for Jesus this week? Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone and see things that only God can do?