Throwing off the coat

October 31, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today:  Blind men healed near Jericho; Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43

The scene is a roadside, Jesus is walking by and a beggar who is blind hears Him go by and asks about what is going on. He is told it is Jesus.  He has heard of Jesus before. Jesus is a healer of people. If he could get healed he would not have to beg anymore.  So he yells out to Jesus.  Jesus calls to him and:

Mark 10:50 (International Standard Version)
50 He threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus.

That coat he threw off was a beggars coat.  It signified that he had permission to beg.  He did not want to beg anymore and if Jesus could heal him, then he would not need it anymore.

He tells Jesus he wants to see.

Mark 10:52 (International Standard Version)
52 Jesus told him, “Go. Your faith has made you well.” At once the man could see again, and he began to follow Jesus down the road.

Was the faith when Jesus spoke to him.  I do not think so, I think it happened back when he threw off the coat.  Like the woman with the issue of blood was healed when she touched Jesus garments, this mans faith was in throwing away his beggars coat.  

In my life I have come up to many things that I have to stand in faith for.  Not all seem possible, but if I never try in faith, I can never get the results, can I?

Read for next time: Zaccheus is converted near Jericho; Luke 19:1-10
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Servants

October 30, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today:  Relationship of disciples to each other; Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45

Matthew 20:26 (1949/1964 Bible in Basic English)
26 Let it not be so among you: but if anyone has a desire to become great among you, let him be your servant;

So easy to say and so hard to do.  When I try to become a servant to others my flesh wants to get in the way.  I feel like if all were servants then this would not be hard. But when I act as a servant to others, not everyone acts the same to me.  So my flesh says that they are taking advantage of you.  My flesh says this is stupid, you can not let them to continue to run over you like that.  

Jesus did not make this a suggestion. If I want to be great, I must be a servant, even when I do not want to.  It is my choice.  I can either be great in God’s eyes, or be great in my own.


Read for next time: Blind men healed near Jericho; Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43
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Fixing Tickets

October 29, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today:  Request for James and John; Matthew 20:20-24; Mark 10:35-41

Mark 10:35 (English Standard Version)
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

The other day I got stopped by a police man on the way home from church with my kids.  We exchanged our information he wanted and he told me my tags had expired and have a seat.  I knew there would be an expense involved so while he was in his car writing up my tickets, I turned to God and asked for help in making it through this.

As I read this today I thought to myself about what I had just done the other day. Now I talk to God on a regular basis, even when I do not feel he is close to me, because on those days I know that the devil is trying to get me not to believe in God and I need Him the most. However, did I just tell God what I wanted with out any concern for what He was trying to teach me or my family.  

I have told myself in the past that I would never be like James and John here and tell Jesus that I wanted seats by His side. I am, however, wanting to tell Him to take care of tickets for me.  Is that any different?

Read for next time: Relationship of disciples to each other; Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45
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Out in front

October 25, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today:  Jesus predicts death on road to Jerusalem; Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34

Mark 10:32 (Bible in Worldwide English)
32 Jesus and his disciples were on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking in front of them.  The disciples were surprised. And the people who came behind were afraid. He took the twelve disciples and began to tell them what was going to happen to him.

There is an interesting line in the account of Mark that is not in the account that Matthew and Luke tell.  It says that Jesus was walking in front of them and the others were afraid.  While the afraid part is interesting it is the fact that Jesus is in front that interest me the most.  

Normal teaching of that time would have Jesus more to the middle of the group, so that those in front and in back could hear him.  Also, any trouble makers that would meet on the road would have to get by those in front to get to the teacher.  But Jesus knew that the end was coming up and He was ready to face it. He was not going to let someone else lead the pace, He was going to face it head on.

In my life I tend to see problems coming and want to get to the middle of things and not want to face them directly.  I must learn to be more like Jesus and learn to move forward and face them.  If I do not walk to and through them, I will have to face them for a much longer time to come.

Read for next time: Request for James and John; Matthew 20:20-24; Mark 10:35-41
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Payments

October 22, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today:  First shall be last discourse; Matthew 20:1-16

Matthew 20:16 (Bible in Worldwide English)
16 ‘In the same way, people who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.’

When I get to heaven, as when a lot of people get to heaven, I think they are going to be surprised to find who is there.  God will give us all the same reward, eternal life in the presence of Jesus and Himself as well as the Holy Spirit.  There will be no surprises there.  What will be a surprise is who will be there with us.  I do not know how many death bed conversions there are, and people who I thought would never make it into heaven may just very will make it in.  All it takes is faith in Jesus as a savior.  God chooses to pay us all, like the vineyard laborers, the same pay, life eternal with Him.


Read for next time: Jesus predicts death on road to Jerusalem; Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34
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Rewards

October 21, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today:  Disciples reward; Matthew 19:27-30; Mark 10:28-31; Luke 18:28-30

Matthew 19:29 (English Standard Version)
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

In those days, people had to leave there homes to literally follow Jesus.  I do not have to do that today.  I do have to have the willingness to be able to do what He asks me to do when He asks me to.  That can some times be difficult.  Family and jobs can get in the way of doing what He asks me to do.  

I must remember what I loose by following Jesus will be gained back in the rewards I receive being with Jesus for eternity.

Read for next time: First shall be last discourse; Matthew 20:1-16
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All things are possible

October 20, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today:  Rich young ruler; Matthew 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-27

Matthew 19:25-26 (English Standard Version)
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Why would the disciples ask such a question.? Did it make sense?  Jesus told them that rich people would have a hard time entering. Why are they asking who can be saved? I mean, poor people can be saved right?

The disciples do what many of us today do.  They assumed that if a person has money, they must have some degree of spirituality.  It is not true anymore than poor people are more spiritual.  Jesus was going to teach them a lesson here.  With God, anything is possible.  Do not put God in a box and have Him do what you expect Him to do.  He can do most anything.  We only have to step back and watch.


Read for next time: Disciples reward; Matthew 19:27-30; Mark 10:28-31; Luke 18:28-30
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