Scripture: Mark 13-15
Observation: I have two observations today.
1) Since I try to write a little bit ahead, I was reading this section on the evening I came back from Annual Conference. I was tired. We’d spent four days seeing people, socializing, voting, sitting, smiling, listening, worshipping, praying, and so many other things. I had gotten up for 5:45 Jazzercise three mornings. I was exhausted. And I was reading in bed. Do you know where I fell asleep during reading? Directly at the time the disciples did! It was poignant for me. They’d had a tough week too, and we both fell asleep on Jesus!
2) The trial before the Sanhedrin got to me. They were saying all kinds of things about Jesus, and no one could decide what the truth was! Some would say one thing and some another. They were crucifying him on hearsay! (I would have found him a better lawyer! HA!) In the end, he said the truth and they convicted him on his own words.
Application: Too often gossip causes problems. At Annual Conferenece, we spent a week talking about candidates for General Conference. We used information that she heard from him from them. I’m sure I spoke things I’d heard but didn’t know. Too often we go off of what we hear instead of what we know. We let drama and gossip reign and then crucify others based on hearsay. That’s what they did to Jesus. Even when we want to love and be loved, sometimes we say things we don’t mean! Gossip hurts, let us find ways to control our tongues!
Prayer: Oh Risen Christ—forgive us when we fail you. Help us to forgive others when they fail us. Take control of us, all of us, so that we may serve you with our bodies, our minds, and our tongues! In thy precious name! Amen
Blessings!
Pastor Emily
3 comments:
Phew... played catch up today after vacation!
Today, the part that jumped out to me were the people telling him to save himself. "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!' In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. 'He saved others,' they said, 'but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.' Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him." Mark 15:29-32
I'm glad we know... I'm glad we know that He could have saved himself, but didn't so that he could safe us. Thank you for my salvation, Lord. Oh praise the One, who paid my sins and raised this life up from the dead!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-OOjfaBGnA
My link didn't work... it's a link to a song that is in my head right now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-OOjfaBGnA
Emily, is it a coincidence that just today, a co-worker recalled a memorable statement our company president made several years ago when rumors of one sort or another were rampant --- "Tell people what you know, not what you THINK you know." ?? Then I come home are read your blog. OK God, it's me Carol...I'm listening (Sarah A. if you are reading this...your message really spoke to me too)!
As I read 13:32 again, I see for the first time that not even Jesus knows when He will come again...only the Father. So instead of making something up to appear important and smart, he told it like it was. Lord give me the courage to follow that example and just listen when you are telling me to be quiet.
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