In the Life of Christ “Then Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again, so that they were not even able to eat. When His family heard about this, they set out to restrain Him, because they said, ‘He’s out of His mind.’” Mark 3:20–21 There is a particular loneliness that comes when theContinue reading “When Faithfulness Is Misunderstood”
Category Archives: Jesus Christ
When Doing Good Draws Fire
In the Life of Christ “Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.” — Mark 3:6 When I read Mark 3:1–6, I am struck by how quickly a beautiful act of mercy becomes the occasion for hostile opposition. Jesus enters the synagogue and sees aContinue reading “When Doing Good Draws Fire”
When Mercy Refuses to Wait
In the Life of Christ When I walk with Jesus into the synagogue in Mark 3, I can almost feel the room tightening. A man is there with a withered hand, but he is not the only one exposed. The Pharisees are watching Jesus closely, not to learn from Him, but to accuse Him. BibleRefContinue reading “When Mercy Refuses to Wait”
Mercy Under Watchful Eyes
In the Life of Christ “Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.” Mark 3:1–2 When I walk with Jesus into the synagogue in Mark 3, I am struckContinue reading “Mercy Under Watchful Eyes”
The One Who Rules Our Rest
In the Life of Christ Mark 2:28 brings us to one of those moments in the life of Jesus where a simple sentence carries the weight of heaven: “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” The setting is familiar. Jesus and His disciples are walking through grainfields on the Sabbath, andContinue reading “The One Who Rules Our Rest”
When Rest Becomes a Gift Again
In the Life of Christ And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. Mark 2:27 When I walk with Jesus through Mark 2, I see Him doing more than answering a complaint about Sabbath behavior. I see Him rescuing the heart of God’s command from theContinue reading “When Rest Becomes a Gift Again”
The Lord Who Breaks Our Chains Without Breaking God’s Law
In the Life of Christ Legalism always looks safer than grace until we notice what it does to the soul. It promises spiritual order, but it often produces spiritual pride. It promises holiness, but it can quietly train the heart to measure itself by comparison rather than communion with God. When I walk with JesusContinue reading “The Lord Who Breaks Our Chains Without Breaking God’s Law”
The New Wine Life
In the Life of Christ When I walk with Jesus through Mark 2, I find Him sitting in the middle of controversy, not because He is careless with Scripture, but because He is fulfilling Scripture. The question surrounding Him is fasting, but the deeper issue is whether people can recognize the Bridegroom when He hasContinue reading “The New Wine Life”
When the Bridegroom Brings the Joy
In the Life of Christ Mark places us in the middle of a growing tension around Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees have already questioned His authority to forgive sins, His willingness to eat with tax collectors and sinners, and now His disciples’ lack of fasting. Their question sounds religious, but beneath it is something moreContinue reading “When the Bridegroom Brings the Joy”
The Physician at the Table
In the Life of Christ “When the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they thatContinue reading “The Physician at the Table”