Crumbs 106

 

Crumbs 106

Clean Within

1. Scripture Mark 7:9-23 New International Version 9 And he continued, “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 mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their 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.” 14 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.” [16] 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.”

2. Crumbs In verse 9 some translations have “set up “ instead of “observe “ For the people Jesus was talking to traditions had become part of their their faith, an addition to the commands of God. Many fall into the temptation of “do it yourself” religion. In which traditional practices carry the same authority as Scripture. With laws for what may and may not be done the Lord’s people finish up carrying a burden that God did not intend. Man’s way had been added to God’s way. Worse was to follow. They twisted their religion to justify things they wanted to do that were completely contrary to the spirit of Scripture. In this case it was avoiding responsibilities to elderly parents.

There is always a danger of judging folk by externals and assuming a person’s spirituality is shown by the rules they obey. The spirit of the law is love and no amount of meticulous obeying of regulation will make us better people. It’s what’s inside is that matters and makes us the people we are. In verses 21 and 22 our Lord gets to the core. What absorbs our thinking, sex, our next meal, our status, or that other person who irritates you so much ?

Questions

1. What traditions have been added to our faith ?

2. How have we twisted our faith to justify what we do ?.

3. How do we avoid the defilements mentioned by our Lord ?

crumbs104

 

Crumbs 104

Walking on Water

1. Scripture Mark 6:45-56 N ew International Version 45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

2. Crumbs Jesus is Lord. He is God incarnate. As we study Him two questions emerge..What does He tell us about what God is like? What does He tell us about what we should be ? Yet in this study we must be careful to divide Jesus into two separate beings. There is but one Lord Jesus Christ.

As I read about Jesus I note several surprising things about him. He had a desire to be alone. We often exhibit the need never to be alone yet is often in time alone that we have time for God to speak to us. Jesus ever sought that essential balance between availibility and solitude. He desired prayer and made time for it.

In John’s gospel tells us that at this time the people want to make Him king. Many men would love this attention, but not the Lord Jesus who also sought anonymity.. The needs of the masses were a burden to Him and as He sees his disciples struggle in the storm He acts to save them first ,speaking to calm them. He does two miracles ,walking on water and calming the storm teaching his followers He I much more than a simple Rabbi..John’s gospel describes the miracles as signs. Here they are signs of who He truly is.

Questions

1. How is Jesus as an example of the way in which we should live ?

2. What do we learn about God in this passage ?.

3.What is Jesus teaching his disciples in this miracle?

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Crumbs 105

Two Reactions

1. Scripture 53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. 7 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 6 Ha replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honour me with their lips,    but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;    their teachings are merely human rules.’8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

2. Crumbs This passage lets us see people’s reactions to Jesus in his ministry. One group were ordinary folk mobbing Him. They were burdened by the misery of ill heath in themselves or in their loved ones. He had healing powers. and there was something deeply sad about the way they struggled to touch him in their desperation. They had their needs and Jesus could fulfil them. In many of His healing miracles Jesus gave a word that lead on to deeper truths and a greater liberation.

Another group reacting to Jesus were the religious and academic. They saw faith as a matter of fulfilling rules and conforming to traditions, In the Gospels there are incidents of Jesus taking time to talk to these folk. Much of His teaching arises from His answers to their questions. .Nicodemus is an example (John 3). Christians should not be recognised by what they do not do but by a simple faith in Christ transforming their lives. Christ’s call is to all. No one is excluded on the basis of race, gender or class, God spoke into history and the result was Jesus. As John says “ the Word was made flesh”.This is the one we see healing the sick and guiding the uncertain.

Questions

1. How can we help the recipients of the church’s help to move on to faith ?

2. How can we prevent our faith from becoming simply a matter of fulfilling regulations ?.

3.What is the right response to Jesus?

Crumbs 103

 

Crumbs 103

Feeding the Hungary

Scripture Mark 6:30-44 N ew International Version 30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Crumbs This miracle seems so orderly. The Spirit is not restrained by good organisation. The end of human calculation signals the beginning of divine intervention.

It is not the people’s hunger that evokes Jesus’ compassion but their lack of leadership He solves both challenges by using what is available. For leadership He does not call a legion of angels but twelve young men, for provision, not a feast of heavenly food but five rolls and a couple of fish.

This miracle is not a miracle of healing but a miracle of supply. The providing God is a great theme through Scripture, from Eden to Revelation. Another miracle of supply is the wine at the wedding at Cana. In both cases, the supply far exceeds the need. This miracle shows us an aspect of the heart of God. The dimensions of grace go way beyond human need. Ours is not a frugal God. Ours is a generous God.

In these miracles of supply the items supplied, were bread in the miracle above and wine at Cana. Bread and wine are the great items of our salvation, the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is our generous God who is the provider.

Questions

1. What guide lines are there here for church organisation ?

2. How does Jesus’ use of what is available act as an example to Christian leaders today?.

3. What do we learn about how Jesus works form this miracle?

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