Morning Musing: Mark 4:2-3

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“He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.'” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Every teacher has a style. And most teachers have a set of stories they tell over and over and over again. They’re stories they use to make the points they think are the most important to make because they convey the most critical truths they want to communicate. For Jesus, the style was parables, and Mark 4 contains some of the parables that He no doubt told in every little town, village, and hillside He visited. This is a parable we’ve looked at before together, but if Jesus told it a lot, it’s probably worth our time to look at it again.

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Let’s Talk about the Issues

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We’ve been talking for the last three weeks about how followers of Jesus should think about engaging with the politics of their culture wherever they happen to be. The short version is that our engagement should always be considered through the lens of the Gospel. But, how should we actually think about the various issues at stake in this or any election? That’s what we’re going to talk about today. Thanks for tuning in as we continue our series, Being Good Kingdom Citizens.

Let’s Talk about the Issues

We need to make this election about the issues! How many times have you heard a politician use that line before? Probably more times than you’d care to count! And when a politician says something like that, what is usually the furthest thing from his mind? The issues, right? If you’re like me and more than a little bit cynical about politicians and politics, you hear that phrase as a kind of code language. It’s a code for: I know I’ve got this gigantic personal or political scandal going on over here and which should probably totally disqualify me from running for office, much less actually be deserving of your vote, but I’m not willing to give up this chance for power, and so I’m raising the red herring of talking about issues on which I disagree markedly with my opponent in hopes that it will distract you from paying attention to the man behind the curtain and rile you up to vote for me anyway.

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Morning Musing: Matthew 11:28-30

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“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
— ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭(CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

Have you ever been tired? Of course you have. What a silly question, right? I’m not talking about being just physically tired, though. I’m talking about being exhausted. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually wiped out. You know that when the sun rises you’ll be able to get up and drift through the day, but it’s going to be by sheer force of autopilot, not because you have anything in you to give to it. Have you ever been so weary, though, that you weren’t even sure you were going to be able to do that much? Jesus has a message for you.

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Morning Musing: Mark 3:33-35

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“He replied to them, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.'” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Jesus’ family thought He was nuts. They wanted nothing more than to take Him home, lock Him in a closet, and leave Him there until He finally decided to stop being crazy. So, what did Jesus say when He was told they had come for Him? He claimed an even bigger family and redefined His kingdom message in entirely more personal terms than anyone had ever considered. Let’s talk about it.

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Digging in Deeper: Mark 3:28-30

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“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they utter. But whoever blasphemies against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” – because they were saying, ‘He has an unclean spirit.'” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Being forgiven is an amazing thing. There is freedom in that experience that is unlike anything else. In Christ, we have the assurance of forgiveness. There is this incredible hope in Him that we can be forgiven and made whole. We can be forgiven no matter what it is we’ve done. Right? Well, according to Jesus, no. Let’s spend a few minutes talking about one of the hardest things Jesus ever said.

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