Focus
Stop and thank God for being present with you today. Ask for God’s guidance as you hear God’s voice through scripture and the writer.
Read
Mark 10:32-34 (NRSV)
They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.”
Reflect
Have you ever been taken completely off guard by the direction of a conversation? It has happened to me a few times. I can imagine Jesus’ followers felt that way when the above conversation occurred. The disciples were at a high point, having seen Jesus do extraordinary things. As they headed to Jerusalem, their hopes for the future were extremely high. Then Jesus dashed their hopes by talking about death, which was not part of the disciples’ version of upcoming events.
The Gospel of Mark includes several incidents that indicate the disciples often misunderstood what was going on and where Jesus was leading them. This time was no different. This misunderstanding would continue until the very end, leaving the reader to determine exactly what happened.
How often are we like these disciples in Mark’s Gospel? How often do we misinterpret Jesus’ work in our midst? How often do we misuse the gospel for our own power and purposes? (See Mark 10:35-45.) As we read this passage, we are preparing to embark on Holy Week. It is my prayer for all of us that the passion we into which we are about to enter might grip our hearts and that we would come to a fresh realization of what Jesus’ was saying and doing.
Pray
Jesus, we sometimes misunderstand your passion. Grant that we might hear your words and see your actions this week through the lens of God’s eternal purposes and covenant. May we see your work on the cross and grasp its significance for our lives in the world today. Amen.
Go with God.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.