Archive for March 2006

Tuesday, 21st March 2006

LC Day 18

Mark: 9:2-10:52 in the Lent Challenge

The disciples are so normal, so like me. Bickering about who’s the most important. Not paying attention when they should be. Not understanding what Jesus means and being afraid to ask questions in case they look stupid.

But Jesus always comes back with good, practical advise. I guess sometimes he wanted to bang a few heads together! And I’m sure he does with me as well!

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Tuesday, 21st March 2006

LC Day 17

Mark: 7-9:1 in the Lent Challenge

Grant sums up my thoughts on this so well today. Thanks Grant!

Lamsa says that Jesus would have been mobbed, so that’s why he led the men out of the villages, in an attempt to get some peace with them! So Jesus was having to heal in the midst of others.

Spitting is/was generally an inslut, except when done by Holy men. But the Pharisees wouldn’t have seen Jesus as holy, so again he wanted things kept quiet.

The act of spitting show comtempt for the disease!

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Friday, 17th March 2006

LC Day 15

Mark: 3,4 in the Lent Challenge

Mark’s words seem to bounce along. I don’t know quite why, but I’m finding this easier to read than Matthew, perhaps I’m just more used to reading the bible now…

Again, I can see this as a series of news reports and I can just imagine what the cgi guys at CNN or Fox would do with the calming of the storm!

I’ve heard the parable of the sower so many times, but v 9 just jumped out today. The theme seems to come up several times in these chapters, not just hearing, but listening! Such a human thing to do, hear things, but not really listen and let them affect you.

I can only grow and be fruitful if I’m good ground. Sometimes life seems so choking, but God wants to weed and harvest.

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Friday, 17th March 2006

LC Day 14

Mark: 1,2 in the Lent Challenge

These chapters really set a fast pace. I can almost here them as rolling news reports. The latest up to the minute information packed with human interest stories!

Mark is writing for people who don’t know / haven’t heard of Jesus, so he wants to keep their attention, it worked with me!

The intro to Mark in my bible (CEV) says that the greek word meaning ‘then’ or ‘immediately’ is used over 40 times in the 16 chapters, so Mark is really pushing things along.

Jesus as the main man and healer is at the fore-front. When Jesus moves, things happen. In fact he’s so popular he has to stay outside the towns and people come to him. I wonder if that would happen with us today in our ‘instant entertainment’ world?

On the ‘new /old skins’ passage, in the Gospel Light book, Lamsa says that if old skins were used to hold new wine, it was done at great risk. The old skins had the fermented grog of the old wine at the bottom of the skins and that would react with the new wine, start it fermenting and burst the skins!

He says the point Jesus was making was that with his new gospel needed new apostles, teachers and laws. The old Jewish traditions and dogmas would ‘contaminate’ it! The old system of priests couldn’t work with the new teachers and they held onto the ‘grog’ and would burst!

The new skins had to be new, pure and willing receive things afresh. That’s quite some teaching!

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Wednesday, 15th March 2006

LC Day 13

Matt: 27,28 in the Lent Challenge

Today what stood out were the emotions. Real and raw, not fluffy like in some fairy story.

Betrayal, guilt, loathing, despair, fear, trying to get out of
something, anger, pain, hatred, ridicule, suffering, victory, power, astonishment, sadness, loneliness, care, worry, conspiracy, duty, questions, life, and love.

And love was through it all. At no time did Jesus show anger at what he had to go through. Others did everything they could to get rid of him and sully his name, even if that meant breaking the very rules that were more important to them than love.

But love and life reigned. Forgiveness of those he left him and who killed him, wow! And he’s still with us to this day, Hallelujah!

by james in Lent Challenge | No Comments »

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