Category: Devotions

Who is Jesus?

Mark 8: 27 – 30 “Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” ²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” ³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.”

 

They are in the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi in Mark’s account. It was a city full of Greek-Roman culture and importantly the worship of a pantheon of gods and goddesses. Caesar was worshipped there with many statues of him and also Pan, who was half human- half goat like.

It was in this place that Jesus chose to begin to reveal His identity which would be fully disclosed several days later at the Transfiguration. The disciples respond favourably to the question of Jesus. But it wasn’t correct. The people thought of Jesus well but they were wrong. He isn’t John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets; He is far more than these.

Where you are today in your situation, who do people worship? Who are the important identities surrounding their life? Who are the shaping influencers? Who do they think Jesus is?

But then the most important question. In that place of influence, of thought and worship, who is Jesus to you?

You are the Messiah/Christ. In Matthew’s account we know Jesus said this had been a revelation from heaven. But what we also know is that it would be quite some time before Peter came into a full realisation of what the Messiah had come to do and who He actually was. Though Peter had a correct view of the title of Jesus he didn’t fully understand what that meant or the implications it had for him as a follower. He certainly wasn’t the Messiah that the Jews had all been waiting for. They had a very different view of the Messiah. They still do.

What about you?

Who is Jesus? You can answer that question perhaps. But what does this mean for you as a follower?

 

 

Spit

Mark 8: 22-26 “They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” ²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

Jesus spits on the man’s eyes, but only once.

This miracle takes place in 2 parts. But why? It has something to do with spit.

For the Jews, spit was unwholesome and unclean. Leviticus 15:8 “If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.”

In Deuteronomy 25:9 spitting is an insult, “…his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.”

So when Jesus, the Jewish rabbi spits on his eyes he is following Jewish culture in saying this man is unclean and worthy of nothing but insult. The man receiving spit is reminded what a sinner he is, he is nothing in the eyes of the Jewish world.

Maybe the man receives it this way but perhaps not. For him, from a Gentile culture, spit means the opposite. Spit has healing properties. We grew up on this notion. As children what happened when we ran to our mothers with a grazed knee? She spat on the knee and rubbed it and we felt better instantaneously! For him, perhaps he is thinking, oh good a face full of spit from the healing rabbi, this should do it!

Whichever culture you fall into Jesus demonstrates that He can work within that framework.

For the Jewish culture – So you think this is what spit is? Well I have come to turn judgment into mercy.

For the Gentile culture – So you think healing comes from man? Well it doesn’t actually bring about a complete miracle. The man sees people walking around like trees. Not what he had hoped for.

Once more … but this time no spit, just the laying on of hands.

This time there has to be no judgment and no healing properties found in man.

This time an example that true healing comes from God alone.

Often we walk out our Christian faith through the cultural filter we have been brought up in and we don’t ever think that this amazing cultural belief and practice passed down generationally could be wrong!

The Walk

Matthew 8: 22-26 “They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” ²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

Jesus led him outside the village –

This man was taken by his friends to a man he had only heard about. They begin to beg Jesus for him. He feels so unworthy and sinful as he waits to see if Jesus will agree to their request. Suddenly Jesus takes his hand and he is walking again but this time with the Saviour. There is something comforting when someone takes your hand. A dying patient is held by a reassuring hand, a child is secure when held by the hand, lovers hold hands, a friend holds your hand when you are in despair, and there are many examples like these. As he walks with Jesus the noise of the village slowly disappears, maybe there are just a few people, perhaps disciples, he knows they are there, but actually there is only one person he is focusing on and that is the one who has his hand. Jesus did not want this man to be in the village. He led him out. He also didn’t want him to go back there after the miracle. He insisted he didn’t go back but went to his home. Jesus gives us an insight into the reason in Luke’s gospel, “Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” Luke 10:13

“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Isaiah 49:16

1. Let Jesus take your hand; trust Him.
2. Enjoy the walk; let your senses be aware of the new journey.
3. Come away from what you have known; be ready for change.

 

YEAST

Mark 8:14 – 21 “The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” ¹⁶ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” ¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. ²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” ²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

I love the Message translation: “Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all?”

Here is a picture of the disciples falling out with each other because no one had thought of bringing lunch. All they had was one loaf. They had all been there at the feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000 which started with a small amount of food and which resulted in basketfuls left over. But now, later, it is like they had forgotten that whole experience as they argue and discuss what they should do for lunch. Jesus was on board their boat. He is always enough. But for some reason they hadn’t understood that the miracles Jesus did for others, he could do for them.

Throughout the Bible yeast is represented as sin. The celebrating of the Passover was to be done with the Feast of Unleavened Bread with the removal of yeast from their houses for 7 days. It all pointed to Jesus being the Bread of Life who was without yeast/sin. On the boat Jesus warns of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod. The disciples begin to argue again about them having no lunch because clearly Jesus was referring to their food, wasn’t he?

No.

In short:

• The yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod is the hidden sin that pervades throughout their life. On the surface they appear religious and successful but underneath are attitudes and motives that are not true and that are failing. Eventually they will consume the house they are in causing it to collapse.
• This yeast can cause even the disciples not to see or hear what is right in front of them. They can see the miracles and hear the teachings but fail to see who Jesus is and He is right there in the boat with them.
• For us today, don’t let the unseen attitudes of the heart, the yeast, block you from recognising the hand of God in your life. He is right here with you, in your boat. Every miracle you have ever known that He has done for others, He can do for you now. So don’t worry about how little you have or what the future may hold. He is here, the Bread of Life, with you!

 

Walk away from those you cannot trust.

Mark 8: 11-13 “The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. ¹² He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.”

In Capernaum Jesus drove out an evil spirit and healed many with diseases. It was a sign.

Throughout Galilee Jesus drove out demons and healed a man with leprosy. It was a sign.

Back into Capernaum Jesus healed a paralytic. It was a sign.

The Sea of Galilee had never seen so many miracles in its history. Jesus did all these. It was a sign.

Even the feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000 were all signs.

But the Pharisees come to Jesus in the region of Dalmanutha. They had seen or at least heard of the many miracles of Jesus. So why ask for a sign?

• It was a test. They wanted him to fail. They wanted proof of who he was. They wanted him to try and prove himself to them.
• It was in the middle of questioning. They were the mobile judge and jury. They already had made their mind up.
• It was to authenticate his preaching here on earth. A sign from heaven to prove what he is doing on earth.

Some still want signs from heaven. Not content with your hard work and ministry and even the results from it they want you to authenticate and to prove yourself again.

If you know you are being trapped by those who are not for you, do what Jesus did? Walk away.

The importance of the 4,000 feeding miracle even though there was already a 5,000 feeding miracle done.

Mark 8: 1-10 “During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ² “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” ⁴ His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” ⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. ⁶ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. ⁷ They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. ⁸ The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ⁹ About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, ¹⁰ he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.”

 

In case you may question whether there was a 4,000 feeding as well as a 5,000 feeding, then read these words from Matthew 16:9-10, “(Jesus said) Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?” Jesus makes it clear there were 2 miracles, so this was not a mistake by Mark and Matthew who record 2 similar miracles.

So what was similar with the 4,000 and the 5,000 feeding miracles?

1. Each obviously had a ‘large crowd’ gathering.
2. Jesus had ‘compassion’ on both crowds.
3. They were in a ‘remote place’ in both miracles.
4. Jesus asks the disciples how many loaves they had.
5. Jesus tells the crowds to sit down.
6. Jesus takes the loaves, gives thanks, breaks them and gives them to his disciples for distribution.
7. The crowds ate and were satisfied.
8. The disciples pick up the left-overs.

So why do 2 miracles that are so similar?

The answer is found in where the miracles occurred and how many baskets of left-overs were gathered.

The 5,000 miracle occurred near Bethsaida, a Jewish region; the 4,000 miracle occurred in the Decapolis, a Gentile region.

The 5,000 Jewish miracle had 12 basketful of broken pieces perhaps referring to the 12 tribes of Israel; the 4,000 Gentile miracle had 7,000 basketfuls where the number seven is known as complete perfection (that the complete gospel is for the Jew and the Gentile). The feedings by Jesus were for both groups of people, the gospel is for all.

 

The sigh of Christ

Mark 7: 31-37 “Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. ³² There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. ³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. ³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Lee Ridley aka Lost Voice Guy won the Britain’s Got Talent 2018 show and his life has forever changed for the better in monetary terms.

However the man in this story was not as privileged as Lee Ridley.

We do not know the name of the man.

We do know he was deaf. He could not hear what everyone else could enjoy. His life was smaller. Had he lost his hearing or was he deaf at birth? Coupled with this is that we do know that he ‘could hardly talk’, maybe his close friends understood the grunting sounds that he would make, but he was frustrated in not being able to express himself like his friends. He couldn’t even make a request for help himself, others begged Jesus but he couldn’t.

At that time being mute meant only 2 possible things, punishment for sin or you had demons within. So Jesus being able to heal these sufferings shows he had power over sin and the demonic.

He looked up to heaven as a symbol of prayer (similarly to what he did for the feeding of the 5,000) and as he proclaims ‘be opened’ over the man, Jesus does something that he only does one other time in Mark’s gospel when he is frustrated with the Pharisees asking for signs (Mark 8), he sighs.

In front of this disabled man, he sighs. Why?

Clearly not out of frustration towards him.

Let me suggest …

Jesus sighs out of compassion for the man’s disability. Man was never created to be mute. This is the product of the world gone wrong.

Jesus sighs out of pity because this man has been maligned for the reason of his disability being sin or the demonic. Jesus sighs because he feels sorrow for what this man is experiencing on top of his condition.

Jesus sighs as an expression of prayer. Romans 8:26 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”  We should learn to pray more before we use words.

Compassion, pity and prayer: may we all carry with us the sigh of Jesus to a world that is broken.

It is surprising who actually gets more than a crumb from the table of God.

Mark 7:24-30 “Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. ²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” ²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” ³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.”

God has a place for everyone, no matter who they are.

There is so much judgment in the church. When will it stop? But it has occurred since day one.

The Church falls out over doctrine and practices. The Church despises the Church and the world.

It is difficult to express just exactly how much the Jews hated and despised the people of Tyre.  They were despised outsiders. Jesus had said “But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11:22.

Why was Jesus so reluctant to drive the demon out of the woman’s daughter?

He wasn’t.

He was testing her faith.

Will she fight back when he indicates that it is not right to take the children’s bread (Israel) and toss it to the dogs (the Tyre and Sidonian people)? Or will she respond according to her knowledge that salvation is for all, Jew and Gentile. That God’s love reaches beyond the barriers that man puts up.

“Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” She got it!

She understood even what the disciples would fail to.

That even an outcast, a dog, a second-class citizen of God’s community would get a crumb if she persevered. And one crumb from the master’s table is all she needed.

Jesus gave her more than a crumb. He granted her heart’s desire and he welcomed her to the table.

Hands can be dirty and the heart can be cleansed

Mark 7: 14-23 “ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” ¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) ²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus is defending his disciples having not ceremonially washed their hands before eating.

It is difficult in our culture to grasp how important this teaching actually was.  What needed cleansing and healing wasn’t a person’s hands or mouth but their heart. Jesus lists 13 items that exist within us and which warrants a cleansing of those hearts.

You can have ceremonially clean hands but a defiled heart.  So what good is that?

A person can look great and acceptable on the outside but if the heart is bad then it is all a façade.

So don’t let people burden you with guilt and shame for something you are or are not doing, these are attacks from the outside and are burdensome.

But Jesus cleanses hearts today, the place where sinful practices are born.

 

Corban

Mark 7: 9-13

9 And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Hypocrites say one thing and do another.

The Pharisees had a law to honour parents but they designated their money as Corban (devoted to God) so that they didn’t need to give anything. 

Yet what made them hypocrites was their attack on the disciples for having unwashed ceremonial hands at the same time having this stance towards their parents. 

It still happens today. 

We need to be careful on the heaviness of our judgment against the lightness of our own conduct.