You Da' Man, JC

Mark 1:43-45

It's tough work being a rock star. Promoters dog you. Fans pester you. The paparazzi hound you. Everybody wants something from you. One more autograph. One more encore. One more gig.

It'll wear you out.

This was Jesus in Galillee, back in the day. Everybody wanted to get close to him, to get a piece of him. Healing, answers, presence, something. Jesus was the man.

It's a little like that now. Everybody wants to expand their territory, look good and feel great, and have their best life. Now. Over here Jesus ... look this way. You 're fabulous, baby.

Jesus gets popular every once in awhile.

Is that a good thing?

If You Want To

Mark 1:40-45

If you want to.

God, you can heal my aching joints, if you want to.
You can end this war, if you want to.
You can keep my children safe, if you want to.

Why is God sometimes willing to perfrom miracles, and sometimes not?

Or is that the wrong question. Let's try this one.

What has God done for you ... and who have you told about it?

Rehydration

Mark 1:35-39

I hate personality tests because I always fail them. I never know if I'm choleric or melancholy, people-oriented or task-driven, right-brained, left-brained or just no-brained.

I did learn this from a personality test once: I gain energy from being alone; I expend energy while being with people.

That may be the only way in which I'm like Jesus. He poured out energy in preaching, healing people, and casting out demons. To recharge, he had to get alone in prayer.

So what about you? How do you recharge yourself spiritually?

Prayer? Meditation? Bingo?

You Are Legend

Mark 1:21-34

I went to see Beowulf this weekend, the new film based on the ancient epic poem of the same name. It's always interesting to see the spin pop culture puts on ancient themes, in this case the interaction between the forces of evil and human beings.

It would be fun to draw out all the parallels between this film and the life of Christ, but let's settle on this one: In the movie, the demon-destroying hero, Beowulf, likes to say his own name.

"I. Am. Beowulf!" he hollers, about ever third scene. Who can blame him? It's hard to be immortalized in legend if nobody knows who you are.

In our gospel story, however, the demons know all too well who Jesus is. It's human beings who have difficulty recognizing the Son of God. Oddly, it is Jesus who tries to keep his identity a secret, at least for awhile.

So here are my two questions based on today's Scripture.

1. If Jesus came to save the world, why would he try to keep it a secret?

2. Are you more like Beowulf ("Hey, look what I did") or Jesus ("Don't mention it. Seriously. Don't")?

Just Like That

Mark 1:14-20

So that was it? Jesus said, "Follow me," and Peter simply did it? Just like that?

Luke records much more of this story, and the temptation for us left-brainers is to think that by understanding more facts we can better understand how how God calls people. Maybe if we knew the whole context, if we knew more about fishermen in the first century, we if had some insight into the preceding 24 hours in Peter's life we could better understand his decision.

It ain't so.

Peter, who is the likely teller of "Mark's" story, thought this was the relevant detail. 'Jesus said "Come," and I went.'

Following Jesus is both that simple and that difficult. You either do it or you don't.

What about you? Do you follow Jesus that easily? What's the "net" you're holding onto?

It's Time

Mark 1:1-20

It took a daggone long time for the Colts to get to the Super Bowl. First, they had to get a quarterback. Then an offensive line. Then a new coach. And the defense? That was years in the making.

It took 8 years, almost an eternity in the world of professional sports, until all the stars were aligned and the Colts won the big one in 2007.

Nothing ever happens until the time is right, which is what my man John was telling people. Oddly, those were also the first words out of Jesus' mouth. "It's time."

When is the "right time" for you to hear (or accept) the good news about Jesus? What has to happen before you can make the choice to get right with God?

Reading the Gospel of Mark

The Gospel According to Mark

Hey Team ....

I'm flexing my brain muscles for a new Bible study on the Gospel of Mark. Whenever I lead a study, there are some things I usually do.

1. Read the Whole Book: Mark is only 16 chapters, so it goes quick. Read it fast to get the lay of the land.

2. Write Down Recurring Themes: Everything in Scripture has value, but terms, people, or ideas who show up a lot have greater significance.

3. Sketch an Outline: I'm a gen-u-wine left-brainer, so I like to see the roadmap.

4. Read it like a story: Unlike the Old Testament (mostly history) or Paul's letters (well, letters), a gospel is pure story telling. So look for plot and conflict--the action and tension that pull things along.

5. Look for the message: Gospels are written for one purpose--to introduce the reader to the person of Jesus Christ. After reading, you should be able to answer this question: "Who is Jesus?"

BTW ... here are a couple of things you might want to know about this book in particular:

It's the First Gospel: Most scholars believe Mark was written before the other three Gospels (Matthew, Luke, and John). As you read Matthew and Luke, you can see that they likely had a copy of Mark in front of them as they wrote.

Peter Probably Wrote It: Tradition holds that this book was written by John Mark in an "as told to" fashion based on the teaching of Peter. This Mark may be the same young man who shows up w/ no clothes in chapter 14 and later accompanied Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey but apparently didn't do so well.

See you in a day or so to begin reading chapter 1.

Do We Really Need Another Bible?

Stay tuned to the Bible Blog for an interview with Dr. Joseph Coleson, is one of the translators of the New Living Translation.

Lots of people wonder why we need a new version of the Bible, and what accounts for the difference between the various translations.

Joe will help us sort some of that out ... shortly after final exam week at Nazarene Theological Seminary.

I'll keep you posted ...

Shout Rome!

Romans 16

So I joined this Christian networking site called Shoutlife. About ten minutes later, I had maybe 35 invitations from people who wanted to be my "friend."

I never met these people. Probably never will. Yet we are "friends" on Shoutlife.

Weird, huh?

Except that Paul did essentially the same thing by writing to the Christians in Rome. He had never met most of them. To others he sent a brief greeting (a shout out?).

Jesus gives us something in common. I like that. I like being connected with other believers.

It is interesting, too, that Paul issued a warning about the behavior of Christians. This was a kind of "online filter" to weed out predators. Every social network needs a way to block inappropriate useres, including MySpace, Shout Life, and the church.

How many friends are in your network?

Put me down as one.

Just don't go gettin' weird on me, or I might have to delete you.

jk

Holy Ambition

Romans 15

It's like there are two guys writing this letter.

One of them, Pastor Paul, urges everyone to get along. We're all brother and sisters. Let's be tolerant. Just accept everybody. Can't we all play nice?

The other guy, Apostle Paul, is locked in a bitter feud with certain Christian factions, hunted by Jewish zealots, and eager to get into some new country where, as he puts it, he won't have to waste time undoing the harm brought by other so-called evangelists. Well, maybe he didn't put it quite like that.

But he was ambitions.

So was John Wesley. And Luther. And Billy Graham. They were/are driven, uncompromising, relentlessly ambitious people. In Jesus' name.

How much ambition is too much? Where's the line between being sold-out for Jesus and just plain obnixous?

It Slices! It Dices!

Romans 14

Romans 14 is the Elasto-matic Text. It can be stretched to accomodate nearly any point of view.

People who favor freedom on (fill in the blank with your favorite cultural issue) use it to justify indulgence. "Hey, the Bible says I'm free to (see above)."

Those who favor stricter mores see inhibitions written here. "It's better to abstain from (see above) than to lose your soul!"

One size truly does fit all.

Let's set aside our prejudices, if possible, and look hard at this text.

What is Paul really saying to us?

In your own words, please.

Obvious Rules

Romans 13

I am constantly amazed at the variety of instructions Paul felt it necessary to give the early church.

For example:

No orgies.
No debauchery.
No hanky-panky.
Don't get drunk.

Did followers of Jesus have to be told these things? Apparently so. It's possible that the church in each era has it's blind spots. And some are perhaps common to all ages—which is why Paul reminds us to respect the government and pay taxes.

I wonder ... If Paul wrote a letter to Christians living in "Rome" today (i.e., North America), what supposedly obvious instructions would he find it necessary to give. In other words, what's our blind spot?

I'll take my answer off the air.

Transformed

Romans 12

The description of the Christian life that emerges from Paul's instructions in Romans 12 reminds me of the "ideal mate" that many college students have in mind. Sort of an all-purpose, Proverbs-31 kind of a person.

Cheerful.
Helpful.
Godly.
Holy.
Easy to get along with.
Given to hospitality.
Enjoys doing laundry.

I'd love to meet that guy. Girl. Whoever.

Here's the question du jour, team: Is that a real person? I.e., is it possible for a human being—however Spirit-filled—to embody the traits that Paul demands here?

Does it describe you? Do you think it could? Or will?

Middle East Evangelism

Romans 11

I recently visited Israel, where the question of God's plan for the Jewish people is something more than fodder for a Wednesday night Bible study.

I can tell you also that nobody in the Middle East likes the word "evangelism." Both Jews and Muslims see missionary activity as a threat to their identity.

Yet if I get this right, Paul says that all Israel will be saved—and a fair number of Gentiles (including Muslims) also.

How's that gonna happen?

Are You In?

Romans 10

Does God ever change his mind?

Paul is wrestling with that question in the middle section of Romans. If God chose the Jewish people, how can he just turn his back on them?

This question really eats at Paul and, presumably, the people to whom he was writing. Being Jews themselves, I can see where that would concern them.

We forget how big the Jew vs. Gentile issue was in the early church.

But we still have us-vs.-them issues regarding race, gender, and generation. And someday soon, we'll face those we're-really-saved-but-we're-not-so-sure-about-you issues regarding ethnicity. How long will it be before there are more Spanish-speaking Christians in North America than Anglo ones? There are already more of them in the world.

¿Se habla espanol?

Based on Paul's teaching here, what is the key to resolving this question: Who are God's favorite people?

Pick Me!

Romans 9

Frankly, I don't find Romans 9 to be very inspiring. I regret to say that I'm not all that concerned with the intellectual question of how or why God chose the Jewish people.

However, I recently made a trip to the Middle East where the question of who's in good with God is not at all hypothetical. People fight over this.

Here's what know about it: God can do anything; that's why he's God. And of all the things God could do, he chose you.

Believe me?

Are We There Yet?

Romans 8

Some of what Paul talks about in Romans 8, we already have: new life, the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, freedom.

Some of what Paul talks about, we don't yet have: a new body, freedom from pain, eternal life.

It's this in-between thing that's getting to me.

What about you? What is the thing that you hope for? As Paul says, this must be something you don't yet have ... not yet, anyway.

What Is Normal?

Romans 7

Read this chapter—the whole thing—before you comment.

Done?

OK. Is Paul describing the normal state of affairs for a believer or a nonbeliever or both?

No fair basing your answer on your experience, good or bad. What does the Bible say about this question?

Now Cut That Out

Romans 6

Sin is the dirty little secret of the Christian life. We'd like to think we never sin. Paul would like to think we never sin. Heck, I'd like to think I never sin.

Paul settles for saying, "Well, at least you don't have to like sinning."

Here's my question: Do you have to sin? Is it possible not to?

Which Way, Kimosabe?

Romans 5

I like to think of myself as independent. I do what I want. I take responsiblity for myself. I am my own person. The Lone Ranger? My hero.

But I'm damned by an apple I never ate, and saved by a sacrifice I never made. That's what Paul says.

So if we're all connnected to each other in this life through Adam, and all connected to each other through the Kingdom through Jesus, that makes it a teeeny bit challenging to justify dropping out of church, rolling up the sidewalk to my house, and telling the rest of the world to go suck a lemon.

Know what I mean, Tonto?

Hell = MC2

Romans 4

Paul hurts my head. Romans 4 is like one of those logic problems in the back of an in-flight magazine. You need a PhD in calculus to understand the thing.

But I get this much.

If I got what I deserved, it wouldn't be good. Because I trust God, I get something better.

I can dig that.

Are You Old School?

Romans 3

These days, we call it a paradigm shift. That's when somebody comes along with a totally new way of understanding something.

(Actually, nobody calls it a paradigm shift anymore. Paradigm shifting is passe. It's undergone a paradigm shift. But anyway ... )

This is what happened when Paul began telling people that God accepts them based on faith, not based on their being good. At first, nobody got it. Everybody still wanted to prove how good they were to God ... as if that were possible.

What about you? Are you still thinking that you can make God love you by doing everything right?

Dude, that's so yesterday.