Chip Shots

To See or Not to See Read Mark 10:46-52 One of the joys of reading the Bible is that the more you do it, the more you get out of it. It happened to me today. While studying today’s text, I saw some things I’d never seen before. I suppose it is fitting, considering the subject of our text is a man whose sight was restored. His name was Bartimaeus. The fact that he, unlike most of Jesus’ healings, is mentioned by name strongly suggests that he was a well known figure in the early church. Unlike the disciples, Bartimaeus is an excellent model for us to imitate. I believe Mark wants us to see him that way. Bartimaeus is a model of faith. While the disciples struggle to figure Jesus out, Bartimaeus immediately and boldly recognizes him as the “Son of David,” a clear messianic title. He is the first person outside of the twelve to affirm Jesus’ identity. Bartimaeus is a model of persistence. When others rebuked him for calling out to Jesus, “he cried out all the more.” No matter what others ...

The Power of Self-Giving Love Read Mark 10:32-45 The disciples knew something was bothering Jesus. Usually he was carefree, walking beside them, chatting casually. But today was different. As they made their way toward Jerusalem, he walked ahead of them as if they weren’t even there. Something was definitely on his mind, but he wasn’t talking about it. The disciples didn’t like it. The scripture says they were “amazed, and … afraid.” Jesus must have sensed this, so he gathered them together in order to open his heart and remind them “what was to happen to him.” It was the same as he’d told them before: when they get to Jerusalem, he will be arrested, tried, condemned to death, and rise after three days. It seems clear enough to us. After all, this is the third time they've had this conversation. In each case, however, they completely missed the point. In the first telling, Peter rebuked Jesus for the very idea that he would suffer and die. His was a false view of the Messiah and hi...

Go, Sell; Come, Follow Read Mark 10:17-31 Today we consider the second of three events Mark records just before Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The first was the question of marriage and divorce, which we looked at yesterday. The third will be the question of leadership and power. We’ll look at that tomorrow. Today we consider the second of these events, the question of how Jesus’ followers are to relate to money and wealth. It involves a poignant exchange between Jesus and a wealthy man. Jesus gave him the opportunity of a lifetime: “Follow me,” he said. But sadly, the man refused. Why didn’t he follow Jesus? His wealth got in the way. Jesus told him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor…; and come, follow me.” He was unwilling to do it, so despite his earnest desire to inherit the kingdom, “he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Perhaps we are surprised by Jesus’ difficult demand. But he’s been saying things like this all along....

Loopholes Read Mark 10, especially verses 1-12 Loopholes. That’s what we’re looking for. We want to obey God, but we don’t want it to be too costly, or too inconvenient, or too complicated. That’s why we need loopholes. Sure, we’ll keep our marital vows, but not if it gets too hard. We need an escape clause if necessary. Yes, we’ll honor God with our wealth, but not if it gets too costly. We’d like to keep our standard of living if possible. Of course we’ll follow Jesus, so long as we get something out of it…. These are not just contemporary questions: they confront every generation. In fact, they are evident throughout this week’s reading as we make our way through Mark. Chapter 10 begins with a thorny question about marriage: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (verse 2). It continues with the heartfelt question of a wealthy man: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (verse 17). It concludes with Jesus asking a searching question for his power-hungry disciples: “What do...

All Jesus wanted was a quiet place to rest. He’d just been rejected by his hometown. He’d just received the news that his cousin John was beheaded. Both of these were painful reminders of the burden of his vocation: to be rejected by the very people he came to save, and to suffer on their behalf. He needed some time for solitude and prayer. Besides this, here were his faithful disciples, returning from their first ministry trip of teaching and healing. They too would need time to rest and relax. But this place was too crowded. Everyone wanted their attention. They didn’t even have a chance to eat. “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while,” he said to them. So they got into a boat and found a quiet place to relax. But when they arrived, a huge crowd was waiting for them. This was the setting for one of Jesus’ most famous miracles: the feeding of the 5000. Among the many things which could be said about it, there are two which I find especially striking. I am impres...