Mark 8:1-21

Two people can go through the same experience and learn opposite lessons.The disciples had just participated in the amazing miracle of 4000 men (plus women and children) being fed from seven “loaves” of bread and a few small fish. Prior to this they had witnessed 5000 being fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Yet they interpreted a warning about Pharisees as being a concern by Christ for lack of food (v15).

Of all the lessons they could have learned from their experiences, two are obvious: It’s not what they had with them that was important, it was who was with them. And it was not how much they had with them, but how little. Those are operational principles of the Kingdom that have not changed.

Psalm 25

David is struggling with three realities in this psalm; he knows his own sins, both in the past and the present (v7). And he knows his enemies will try to shame him for his failings. But he also is aware that God is his only resort and so he cries out to Him for help.

Problems in this world are real. There is hatred, resentment, unfairness, inequalities and tragedies – and many times our answers seem insufficient. But God is more than a comforting idea. He is not limited to knowledge of the present; He knows eternity. He still “leads the humble in justice and teaches the humble His way (v9).” There is a wonderful tomorrow we will share where tears are wiped away and justice and righteousness rule.

Numbers 29-30

“If a man vows a vow to the Lord ... he shall not break his word” (30:2). As well as collective worship, individuals could make vows (29:39) to the Lord that often included either special offerings, promises, or acts of self-denial. These vows were sacred between worshiper and God. However, women embedded in family relationships needed a father or husband’s approval for their vows. This prevented vows (promises/offerings) from conflicting with family life and gave women a way out of obligations that caused tensions. Widows and divorced women had to fulfill all their vows, like men (30:9).

God cares about our individual relationship with him and how our spiritual lives and choices affect those around us. “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Rom 14:19).

Numbers 27-28

“Let the Lord ... appoint a man over the congregation ... that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd” (27:16). Moses could not go into the Promised Land with the Israelites, and so they needed a new leader. Joshua, “a man in whom is the Spirit” filled that role. But the Lord also reminded the people of his commands for regular sacrifices and holy festivals (ch 28-29). Their lives were to center around worship, more than a human leader.

“On the Sabbath day”, each month, and at Passover and other holy festivals, Israel worshiped the Lord (28:9). God’s purpose for them in the Promised Land was to come to know him as their true Shepherd.

Numbers 26

“But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai” (v64). The new census of Israelites taken “by the Jordan at Jericho” counted all the men able “to go to war”. It was a new list, because all the men that Moses and Aaron had counted in the wilderness had died there due to unbelief, except Caleb and Joshua (v65). “Israel” continued, with those of the new generation who were willing to dwell in the Promised Land by faith in God.

Every generation provides a new opportunity for men and women to choose by faith to be part of “the congregation” (v2). Our divine inheritance comes not from family or culture, but is a gift “to all who receive him” by faith (John 1:13).

Numbers 25

“These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods” (v2). Terrible things happened when the Israelites turned away from the Lord, married pagan women, and threw themselves into worshiping the idol Baal of Peor. God’s wrath was kindled, and Moses and other leaders denounced and punished the evildoers. Yet even amid the weeping, repentant community (v6,14), Zimri boldly brought a new pagan woman into the camp, resulting in God’s punishment (through Phineas) and a plague.

“Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace” (v12). Zimri’s harsh consequence reminds us that God does not overlook sin. Instead, he took the cost of forgiveness on himself, so that we can repent and experience real peace.

Mark 7:10-37

“All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person” (v23). The Pharisees and others believed that “defilement” or impurity came from contact with unclean people or objects. But the Old Testament ritual laws had always been intended to point to the deeper reality, which Jesus clarified. Spiritual uncleanness comes from desires born in the heart: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery ... slander, pride, foolishness” (v23). Ironically, the “unclean” Gentile woman recognized Jesus’ authority far more than the “clean” religious leaders (v29-30).

“They begged him to lay his hand on him” (v32). Pride can make us think that impurity only exists “out there”. But like the deaf-mute man and the Gentile woman, when we recognize our need, Jesus comes close.

Mark 7:1-9

“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men” (v8). Jesus constantly corrected the mistaken, twisted, human ideas about God and religion. Although given the true Word of God (v13), the Pharisees and other religious leaders had ignored the heart of the message and emphasized human concerns: looking righteous, cleaning the “outside”, being part of the right group. They manipulated people, encouraging them to give temple gifts rather than help their elderly parents (v12).

“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (v7). Quoting from Isaiah, Jesus warns against shallow, empty religion. He wants us to fully surrender, so that he changes us completely from the inside out.

Psalm 24

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (v1). The true God cannot be found in false religion and sinful desires celebrated by humans. The One who created everything, to whom we belong, is found by those who turn from idols and seek his holiness (v4). The “clean hands and pure heart” of those who “stand in the holy place” are not the result of human righteousness. Instead, the person accepted by God is the one who knows their faults, turns from sin, and reaches out to welcome the “King of glory” (7-10).

“Who is this King of glory?” (v8). In Jesus, we see the mighty King of glory, Lord of universe, who entered our world to save us. Our response is to open the gates to receive him (v9).

Numbers 22-24

“A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (24:17). As the Israelites grew stronger, Moab’s king hired the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balaam knew that God’s hand was on Israel (22:12), yet he wavered in what he should do. God’s commitment to Israel (and the world) was so strong that he used a talking donkey to block Balaam’s disobedience. Finally, Balaam pronounced four powerful blessings on Israel and prophesied about the Messiah (ch 23-24).

“The Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them” (24:21). The Lord who was faithful to Israel through their weakness and rebellion will be faithful to us, too. His commitment to us through Jesus the Son extends all the way into eternity.

Numbers 20-21

“And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? ... there is no water to drink” (v5). In the wilderness of Zin, the people were desperately thirsty and viewed their surroundings as hopeless and “evil”. As always, God responded to them and appeared in “glory” to Moses and Aaron. The rock yielded water, but Moses and Aaron gave in to anger, and they failed in their task to help the people see God’s holiness (20:12; 21:4-9).

“When we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice ...” (v16). God’s purpose in rescuing and providing is not just to meet our temporary need, but to show us his character and invite us to know him.

Numbers 18-19

“This is the law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent and everyone who is in the tent shall be unclean seven days” (19:14). Touching a dead body in ancient Israel made a person ritually “unclean” (19:11). Even objects near the body were “unclean” (19:15). These rules emphasized the terrible disruption and tragedy of death, which sin brought into creation. The ashes of a red heifer, slain “outside the camp”, were mixed with water to cleanse the people (19:9).

Jesus entered our world and did not avoid dead bodies or sickness. Instead, he touched and healed, and finally he “suffered outside the gate” to cleanse us. He shared our sin and sorrow so that death could be swallowed up in life (Heb10:12).

Mark 6:30-56

“And they ran there on foot from all the towns ... When he went ashore he saw a great crowd ...” (v33-34). A few verses later, Mark repeats that people in another place “ran” to Jesus (v55). Their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs were desperate, and Jesus was the Savior they were seeking. Even the apostles who were his co-workers (v30), helping to minister to others, found themselves at sea, rowing against the wind. They too were afraid and desperate, and Jesus got into their boat and calmed the waves (v51).

“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (v50). When we run to Jesus, honest about our desperate needs, he welcomes us with love and compassion. His presence drives out fear.

Mark 6:1-29

“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife” (v18). After speaking truth about marriage and morality to the king, John the Baptist was beheaded. Jesus’ followers – like their Savior - were empowered to preach and heal and cast out demons (v7-13), yet only when people were willing (v1-6,11). Jesus’ followers suffered, like John, because their allegiance to Jesus put them at odds with the sinful powers of the world. John’s courage led to his death, but his witness was not forgotten.

“He called the twelve ... and gave them authority over unclean spirits” (v7). Authority in Jesus’ name means living as his ambassadors, empowered by the Spirit to follow in his steps, proclaiming, loving, serving, and suffering too.

Mark 5

“And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man ... sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid” (v15). When Jesus healed the woman who touched his cloak (v27) and brought a girl back to life (v42), people were astonished. But when he healed the man possessed by demons who had lived among the tombs, the man no one could control, they were “afraid”. Jesus had power not only over physical sickness, but also over the invisible forces that caused chaos and isolation.

The restored man went away and proclaimed “how much Jesus had done for him” (v20). When we lay even the worst things at Jesus’ feet, we find that his power is not against us but is for us.

Psalm 23

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (v4). David’s most comforting psalm speaks honestly about life under the “shadow of death”. Despite being surrounded by enemies, the psalmist declared that he would not fear evil, because the Good Shepherd’s presence brings light into darkness. When circumstances cause anxiety, fear, or sadness, his presence with us is like “green pastures” and “quiet waters”, and he restores our hurting souls (v2).

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (v6). The struggles of life are real, but God’s goodness and mercy will have the last word.

Numbers 16-17

“And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation” (16:19). Shockingly, the Israelites who saw this glory and had experienced countless miracles still chose to actively rebel against God by following Korah in his coup (16:1-3). They had seen the Red Sea part and had eaten manna from heaven, yet they dared to defy the Lord and his chosen leaders. And when Korah and the others were “swallowed up” by an earthquake, the congregation protested instead of repenting (16:41), and many died.

“Are we all to perish?” (17:13). God’s intention is not that we should perish in our rebellion. Aaron’s staff that blossomed (ch 17) affirmed not just his temporary leadership, but the powerful priestly life of Christ, who made permanent atonement for us.

Numbers 14-15

“Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” (14:4). Despite the pleadings of Moses and Aaron, Caleb and Joshua, the rest of the Israelites rejected God’s promise of a new life and wanted to go back to their slavery in Egypt. Only Moses’ appeal to God’s character - “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” - kept them from being wiped out. The Promised Land was closed to them, although their children went in.

The Promised Land, Canaan, pointed toward the life God desires for us – a life in fellowship with him and others, “exceedingly good” (14:7). Yet we must believe that following him is worth leaving behind the false riches of Egypt (Hebrews 11:26).

Numbers 13

“We seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers” (v33). The appointed Israelite soldiers who “spied out” the Promised Land saw all its amazing potential, including “milk and honey” and abundant fruit. Yet their attention was focused on the people they saw, descendants of Anak, related to the infamous, dangerous Nephilim (Gen 6:4). Caleb saw the same threat but declared, “We are well able to overcome it” (v30). The others, seeing only their weakness compared to the enemies’ strength, believed the land would “devour” them (v32).

“Let us go up at once” (v30). Courage to face the dangers, threats, and uncertainties of life does not come from shallow optimism or denial of reality, but from an unwavering focus on the One who leads us and walks with us.

Numbers 11-12

“And the people of Israel also wept again and said, ‘Oh that we had meat to eat!’” (11:4). The anger of the Lord “blazed” at the Israelites not about meat, but because they had rejected his presence (11:20). They let the cravings of the “rabble” convince them to scorn their rescue from slavery and the miraculous manna that sustained them (11:4-6). Moses was so disgusted that he said to the Lord, “Kill me at once” (11:15). Miriam and Aaron showed a similar disregard for God’s goodness when they thoughtlessly undermined Moses’ marriage and leadership (ch 12).

Chasing temporary, unfulfilled desires can lead us to ignore God’s rescue, protection, and provision – even to reject him. The greatest gift is “the Lord who is among us” (11:20).