Missions Paul

What happens when it all gets too much?

Mark 13: 13 “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

The Message “Stay with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.”

The Amplified “You will be hated by everyone because of [your association with] My name, but the one who [patiently perseveres empowered by the Holy Spirit and] endures to the end, he will be saved.”

Sunday 22^nd January 2017 I stood with a married couple with 2 small children for a photograph. This was their farewell from the church as they were being sent as church planters to an area where there was absolutely no Christian witness. It was for me a most poignant moment for I knew the struggle that they would face. I was in the region of the world where the Church is continually persecuted. Christians carried injuries to their bodies because they were Christ followers. I was told of how their houses got burnt down, their children set upon and their entire family despised as worthless. I asked the question, “What happens when it all gets too much?” The answer that came shocked me.

There is a message from some of the persecuted church that teaches everyone in the Christian world today.

You may enter your day struggling to get through it. You face internal pressures from external circumstances that are causing you to wonder if you will ever be free. Physical problems, loneliness, financial instability, loss of work and broken relationships are making you feel like you are swimming against the tide. Let the persecuted Christians help you today. They have found something that is priceless. If we do what they do then we will be saved in our circumstance.

The answer?

“We stay.”

 

 

It’s nearly over.

Mark 13: 5 – 13

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. ⁹ “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ¹³ Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Alongside the gospels of Matthew and Luke, this passage has Jesus answering a few questions:

1. When will this happen?—the Jerusalem temple being torn down, stone by stone.
2. What will be the sign of Jesus’ coming?
3. What will be the sign of the end of the world?

 

Jesus’ answers are in all 3 gospels combined but for Mark he concentrates on these last 2 questions.

False Messiahs –in my own nation of UK there are approximately 500 – 1,000 cults today.

Wars and rumours of wars –Today there are a total of 68 countries involved in wars and 804 militias-guerrillas and terrorist-separatist-anarchic groups are involved.

Earthquakes – In 2017 there were 39 earthquakes in the world.

Famines – According to the 2018 Global Report on Food Crises an estimated 124 million people in 51 countries are currently facing a food crisis.

Persecution – According to an Open Doors report in 2017 there are 215 million Christians experiencing high, very high or extreme persecution at that time.

Gospel to all nations – Understanding nations to mean people groups there are 16,591 groups in the world today. There are now 2,792 unevangelised people groups (meaning greater than 5% Evangelical Christian) which equates to 11% of the world population.

Family breakdown – Research from the Centre for Social Justice says that there were 500,000 people aged 75 plus who spent Christmas Day in 2017 on their own where two fifths of them had families living in the UK. One in ten people aged 16-25 have spent at least one month sleeping on someone’s sofa because of the breakdown of relationships. Almost half of 15 year olds do not live with both parents.

The checklist is done.

Surely it’s nearly over!

He’s nearly here!

The Wailing Wall

Mark 13: 1-4 “As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!’ ² ‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.’ ³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

If you have ever visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem then you catch a glimpse of the reaction of the disciple in verse 1. In AD 70 Titus and the Roman army totally destroyed the temple and yet this 150 foot long wall was preserved under all the debris. Jews from all over the world go there 24 hours a day to ‘wail’ for the lost glory of the temple and for the peace of Jerusalem and the nations of the world. When I was there I saw many posting their own personal prayers into the crevices of the wall. The wailing is the constant noise of people praying.

The Wailing Wall tells me:

Life is filled with magnificence but it doesn’t last forever so enjoy and appreciate every moment, every relationship and even every conversation. Slow your life down, go to a vantage point and breathe in the magnificence.

Nothing is ever totally destroyed. Wailing walls can be found in photographs, letters and personal belongings. These can become holy relics which keep us connected to God.

The remnant can be used to spur us on to believe again that there is a future hope to hold on to.

The beauty of today can be the wailing wall of tomorrow. The wailing wall of today can be the hope for tomorrow. Where is your wailing wall?

 

 

 

What is left trumps how much is given.

Mark 12: 41-44 “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few pence. ⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’

 

Jesus moved from exposing the flamboyant megalomaniac teachers of the law to a poor widow. What a contrast!

“They like to walk around in flowing robes, greeted with respect, have the best seats, the places of honour, devouring widow’s houses, praying long prayers to impress. They will come to nothing.”

But here comes the widow …

• Everyone knew she was a widow as she would be wearing her mourning clothes all her life as was the custom.
• Everyone knew she would be struggling. Her self-esteem now at an all-time low, her status even lower. Look how Lamentations 1:1 uses the widow status to speak of the plight of God’s people, “How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.”
• She would not be permitted to wear any jewellery whatsoever. Her life was now darkened by anything bright, loud or lovely.

 

There were those who liked to demonstratively throw in their offering. But when you only have 2 coins you don’t throw, you put them in, trying not to make a sound, lest people see.

There were those who after giving still had their wealth. But the widow had nothing left.

We need to stop seeing what everyone sees, to stop seeing the red carpet treatment, the loud displays and headlines of how good, great and awesome we are, we need to focus on what is not seen. Wisdom gives us that insight. We must not miss the widow’s offering, she teaches us far more than anyone.

It isn’t what people see but what they don’t see that matters. We can miss the truly most important and valuable if we look at only what is before us.

What is left reveals what has just really happened.

There was nothing left for the widow. She went away with nothing and went home to nothing. What she had given far outweighed what the others had given. She gave her all.

The lesson is this: If you are giving everything do it quietly. If you are giving only a part then that is okay but don’t draw attention to yourself as if it is something amazing.

 

Rules of social etiquette – by Jesus.

Mark 12: 38-40 “As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

They like to walk around in flowing robes.

Jesus said stop trying to be noticed.

They like to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.

Jesus said stop trying to be someone.

They like to have the most important seats in the synagogues

Jesus said stop trying to be important.

They like to have the places of honour at banquets.

Jesus said stop trying to be popular.

They devour widows’ houses

Jesus said stop trying to deceive and defraud.

They like to make a show with lengthy prayers.

Jesus said stop trying to impress.

 

There are no rewards for such attempts. What rewards they get will be taken from them. In the end they will only have regret.

Who is Jesus?

Mark 12: 35-37

“While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ ³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight.”

Within the question lies the answer.

Jesus is revealing that he is more than human. He is not just the son of David which everyone knew as his genealogy but that He is Lord, He is Divine. No father calls his son ‘Lord’ so why did David do this?

Apostle Peter knew as he quotes this same text in Psalm 110 in Acts 2:34.

Peter shows how David was prophesying of the coming of Christ. Let me write it like this: David writes, “God said to my Christ, “Sit at my right hand …”

God said to David’s Lord (Jesus).

David was prophesying of the Christ to come. He knew He would be Divine.

Jesus asks the question and the answer lies within that question. He knew who he was and chose the last few days before his crucifixion to reveal it.

Peter knew.

Acknowledge again today the Lordship of Christ.

The position of Christ indicates His authority and His power.
The Bible refers to the right hand as a place of refuge and protection. A place where blessing is declared. A place of intercession. Where authority over all powers is established.
And where is Jesus? At the right hand. Therefore, Jesus is God.

Because Jesus is at God’s right hand then there is nothing you are facing today that He cannot help you through.
Call upon God’s right hand today to move in your life.

Love gets you into the kingdom of God.

Mark 12: 32-34 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”

This teacher of the law had heard Jesus give a good answer to a trick-question regarding the resurrection. He comes with his own question but this isn’t to try to trap Jesus. It is an interesting one because the answer is obvious for a Jew, it is the Shema and everyone knew this. But the man was hoping for something more. Jesus gave it to him by adding a second commandment. Then elevates the 2 commandments to the highest command an individual can do.

What does this mean?

• The vertical relationship is expressed in the horizontal relationship. You cannot separate your worship of God and how you relate to others.
• Nothing is greater than the commands to love. All the other great things we can do in life are secondary.
• Exclusivity is pride that needs to be broken. Whether a person desires to be apart from God or apart from others believing that they can do it ‘my way’ they are intrinsically wrong.
• Whatever you long for, long for it for your neighbour. Whatever you seek then also give. If it is food then long to make sure no one goes hungry. If it is a house then have a heart for the homeless. The list goes on.
• Let love for yourself be first transformed and fulfilled in the One who gives life abundantly and who satisfies the heart, soul and mind. Then from this place love others with the same love that transformed your self-love.

 

The teacher of the law agreed and said that all of this was more important than the sacrificial worship within the Temple. It was wisdom according to Jesus and he wasn’t far from the kingdom. But he was still outside. He wasn’t far because the One person who could bring him into the kingdom is the One who he is speaking to and who he needs to follow. We don’t know what happens to this man. Does he realise that all the law and prophets hang on these 2 commandments? Does he realise that Jesus came to fulfil the law? Does he come to know there is only one way to the Father through Jesus? If he came to know that and was transformed by the power of God’s love immersing into his self-love then he would be loving others with that same love and he would not be far anymore, he would be in the kingdom of God!

 

 

Shema

Mark 12: 28-31

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Every Jew knew it and they still do.

So we are not surprised that Jesus, being Jewish has this answer to what is the greatest commandment.

The Shema: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

It’s the first passage children recite. It is prayed twice a day and at the end of festivals.

It starts with the word Shema = Listen or Hear.

Understand, consider, allow the words to sink in and then decide to do something with them.

Those words are that the Lord is one. So resist idolatry. Only worship the Lord nothing else. Love God alone. Don’t give your allegiance to other gods and idols that demand your time and energy. God deserves your best, your total love. This love is not emotional only but it is an action word that demands loyalty and faithfulness. Love needs action for it to be love.

Moses continues in Deuteronomy with laws based on our love for God. These laws which were primarily about order within community were not trying to earn God’s favour but a demonstration of our love for Him.

That’s why Jesus said the second important commandment is to love others.

So the shema is a worship prayer of declaring there is only one God for you and He is God alone. It is also a worship prayer of commitment that you will demonstrate your love for Him by your love for others.

Shema, it’s worth a memorisation.

GOD IS BIGGER

Mark 12: 18-27 “Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. ¹⁹ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁰ Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. ²¹ The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. ²² In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. ²³ At the resurrection^[c]whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” ²⁴ Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵ When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

 

The Message translation says, “Jesus said, “You’re way off base, and here’s why: One, you don’t know your Bibles; two, you don’t know how God works.”

Another attempt at trapping Jesus, this time from a different sect, the Sadducees. They obviously didn’t believe in the resurrection. They didn’t believe in much actually. Nothing of the spirit realm. They didn’t hold to any oral tradition of passing down the teachings. It had to be the written law of Moses only.

So for them to come to and ask about resurrection is ridiculous. Ignore what they said, whether it be a created or actual story. Why did they come up with what they thought was an impossible puzzle to solve?

If Jesus was unable to answer he might have backed down on his belief of the resurrection and then he would be supporting them and against the Pharisees who they hated for believing in it.

If Jesus said he didn’t know whose wife she would be or if he named the husband then it would make him look foolish amongst the people.

They were not ready for the answer!

The answers of Jesus seem to go deeper than the question, to the heart and character of the one asking.

Jesus exposed these well-known Bible people as people who didn’t know their Bibles! “You do not know the Scriptures.”

Lesson: YOU DISPLAY YOU ARE BIBLE BELIEVERS BUT YOU ARE NOT BIBLE READERS.

Jesus exposed these people of God as people who didn’t know Him. They were not interested in whether there was marriage in heaven it was about the resurrection.

Jesus uses Exodus 3:6 when he states that God didn’t say to Moses I was the God of Abraham … but I am. Abraham is still alive. God is God of the living not the dead.

Lesson: YOU WORSHIP GOD BUT YOUR IMAGE OF GOD IS TOO SMALL.

The point is that Jesus is saying you are not who you proclaim to be.

You only hold to the Law of Moses (the first 5 books of the OT) but resurrection is clearly in there but you cannot see it. God is powerful, able and alive but you do not know Him.

GOD IS BIGGER. BIGGER THAN YOU. BIGGER THAN YOUR BELIEF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surrender to the image

Mark 12: 15-17

¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?’ But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. ‘Why are you trying to trap me?’ he asked. ‘Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.’ ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, ‘Whose image is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. ¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’ And they were amazed at him.

 

What will Jesus say?

“Give your taxes to Caesar” and the Jewish crowd of followers would have walked away from him.

“Don’t give to Caesar the taxes” and the Romans would have stepped in and he would have been in danger of sedition.

Jesus asks for a coin on which the image of Caesar was printed on each of them. They belonged to Caesar.

“Give Caesar’s coins to Caesar and give to God what is God’s”. That is his answer.

And suddenly the point is actually not about Caesar, but it is God.

Where is the image of God? Everyone knew they had been created in the image of God. Stamped on their hearts was God’s image. So Jesus calls them to surrender their hearts to the one whose image is all over them. He still calls us to do that today.

And they were amazed! As we are!