Tag Archives: the book of Mark

“’Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked.  Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.’”  (Mark 3:33-35, NIV)

Some people are brothers and sisters by birth.  Some people are brothers and sisters by law.  Jesus says that it is obedience to the will of God that makes us His brothers and sisters.

The beauty of the family of God is that it is at once inclusive — as in everyone can be a member; but that it is only by our choice to be obedient to the will of God that we may become His sons and daughters.

Whether in the evaluation of success, failure, or the estimation of people; resist the temptation to measure the things of God and the gifts of heaven with the same “yardstick” we use to measure common things.  – Luther

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“Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.'”  (Mark 2:27, NIV)

We need to challenge the thought that God’s laws and commandments are designed to spoil the joy of living, in the same manner that Jesus challenged the thought that God created humanity to obey a predetermined set of rules that are independent of our benefit.

All of God’s laws and commandments have two distinct purposes: To provide for us; and to protect us.

From the day that Adam and Eve were in the garden, humanity has resented limits or boundaries without seeking to appreciate the benefits.  It is akin to resenting traffic laws without considering the benefit to order and safety that such laws provide to both motorists and pedestrians.

As our heavenly Father, God wants only protect us from unnecessary trouble and grief so that we might have life, and have it in all of its abundance.

We were not created to keep “the rules.”  The “rules” were created to keep us.  Therefore, obey the Lord with faithfulness, joy, and thanksgiving!  – Luther

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“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’”  (Mark 9:35, NLT)

Jesus doesn’t ignore humanity’s competitive spirit, but He directs it to the channel of service. Few want to go there. Fewer still want to live there; but no where else is leadership — as Jesus defines leadership — to be found.

You will seldom find a queue at the threshold of “service,” but you will always find the company of the risen Christ. Is that enough?  – Luther

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