The Most Important Parts of the Story of Jesus

At the conclusion of the three week study on the Gospel according to Mark I asked the class to reflect on two questions. I found the responses to be fascinating. Each person has a distinct understanding of Jesus. I feel that all of the following are good responses to the questions, but each person may react differently depending on where they are on the journey of faith.

Questions to the Class

• If you were telling someone the story of Jesus for the first time what would you want to make sure and not leave out?
• If you had to tell the story of Jesus to someone in the time that it takes a stoplight to change from red to green (let’s say 1 minute), what would you say?

Responses from the Class

• God loved us
• God sent his son
• We can have eternal life
• Resurrection
• Jesus’ birth
• Jesus took on our sins
• Jesus accepts us where we are
• Loves everyone
• Big picture - connect with the story of the Old Testament
• Invitation to relationship for benefits
• Jesus ministry - inclusiveness, compassion, kindness
• Witness to how Jesus has worked in one’s own life
• Is there anything you would die for?
• Opportunity for a personal relationship

What is the time table between Jesus passion predictions in Mark?

I have had the opportunity to lead the Builders Sunday Morning Small Group for three weeks studying the gospel according to Mark. This question was from a breakout group studying Mark 8:31-9:1, 9:30-32 and 10:32.34.

It is hard to determine the exact time table between each of these episodes. There are six days that are specifically mentioned in Mark 9:2. Other than that there is some indeterminate travel time. I suppose that it could be determined from the length of time it would take to walk from one area to another as various geographical references are given. That is the best that I have…

Any other thoughts?

You can find previous responses to questions coming from this class here:

• Why were the disciples afraid to ask him when they did not understand?
• Is Peter acting out of fear when he rebukes Jesus for announcing he is going to die?
• Did Peter know what he meant by saying, “You are the Christ?”
• Why are the disciples so clueless?
• Why did Jesus not want to be identified?
• Had the disciples heard of Jesus before?
• How were books of the Bible chosen?

Why were the disciples afraid to ask him when they did not understand?

I have had the opportunity to lead the Builders Sunday Morning Small Group for three weeks studying the gospel according to Mark. This question was from a breakout group studying Mark 8:31-9:1, 9:30-32 and 10:32.34.

Another good question about fear. I could see the disciples feeling as if they should understand what Jesus was teaching them. I know that my response when I do not know what is going on is sometimes to pretend like I do or hope that I will figure it out. Another member of the class suggested later that perhaps the disciples thought that they would have time to figure out what Jesus really meant by his predictions of death.

What do you think?

You can find previous responses to questions coming from this class here:

• Is Peter acting out of fear when he rebukes Jesus for announcing he is going to die?
• Did Peter know what he meant by saying, “You are the Christ?”
• Why are the disciples so clueless?
• Why did Jesus not want to be identified?
• Had the disciples heard of Jesus before?
• How were books of the Bible chosen?

Is Peter acting out of fear when he rebukes Jesus for announcing he is going to die?

I have had the opportunity to lead the Builders Sunday Morning Small Group for three weeks studying the gospel according to Mark. This question was from a breakout group studying Mark 8:31-9:1, 9:30-32 and 10:32.34.

I think that this is very likely. Peter makes a declaration that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah and then Jesus goes on to announce his upcoming death. Wow. What a shift for someone (Peter) who has left everything that he has to follow a man toward a destination about which he may not be exactly clear. Feelings of uncertainty, fear, regret and many others may have been at work in this response.

You can find previous responses to questions coming from this class here:

• Did Peter know what he meant by saying, “You are the Christ?”
• Why are the disciples so clueless?
• Why did Jesus not want to be identified?
• Had the disciples heard of Jesus before?
• How were books of the Bible chosen?

Did Peter know what he meant by saying, “You are the Christ?”

I have had the opportunity to lead the Builders Sunday Morning Small Group for three weeks studying the gospel according to Mark. This question was from a breakout group studying Mark 8:27-30.

Peter’s confession is the first human confession that is recorded in Mark. To this point in the narrative the naming of Jesus identity had come from demons that had been cast out by Jesus.

I think that Peter knew what he was saying. He would have likely had some understanding of the expectation for a messiah and what that might look like. However, I do not think that Peter understood the depths of the truth that he was saying and the nuances of how this would actually take place.

There are two places where I think Peter may not have fully understood what he was saying. Jesus is savior not just for the Jewish people, but for all of creation. Also, suffering was a key part of Jesus journey to resurrection.

You can find previous responses to questions coming from this class here:

• Why are the disciples so clueless?
• Why did Jesus not want to be identified?
• Had the disciples heard of Jesus before?
• How were books of the Bible chosen?

Why did Jesus not want to be identified?

I have had the opportunity to lead the Builders Sunday Morning Small Group for three weeks studying the gospel according to Mark. This question was from a breakout group studying Mark 8:27-30.

In this scripture passage, Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah or Christ and then Jesus tells them not to tell anyone about it. The so-called messianic secret of Jesus has been a source of question for me as well over time.

Scholar Pheme Perkins asserts in the New Interpreter’s Bible that there are several possible reasons for Jesus asking the disciples to keep quiet about his identity as Messiah.

• Timing - The proclamation of Jesus as messiah is not completely true until after resurrection. Peter’s proclamation is not yet completely realized.
• Context - Prior to Peter’s naming of Jesus as messiah the only time that this has occurred is in the context of an exorcism or healing. This may not be the proper context to proclaim Jesus’ identity.
• Witnesses - Previously the witnesses to Jesus identity had been demons and perhaps these are not truly witnesses to Jesus.
• Suffering - The disciples did not seem to understand that being a savior involves suffering.

I find these to be pretty compelling reasons, but on a few of them I still have some questions. For example, if someone is witnessing to Jesus but is not a believer does this particularly matter? Or is the fact that Jesus is being proclaimed enough?

What do you think? How would you respond to this question?

You can find previous responses to questions coming from this class here:

• Had the disciples heard of Jesus before?
• How were books of the Bible chosen?

Can one be saved by faith in God alone, without faith in Christ?

As I was picking up my things after teaching the Builders Class, I was asked this question by a member of the small group (Bible 101)that was coming into the same room at 10:45.

This question touches on the issue of Christianity and other religions and my first response would be to be in reference to some of my previous thoughts on the subject and the great comments added. You can find those posts here -

• Christianity and Other Religions
• Good News for All

I do not have anything additional to add to those thoughts other than these references from Our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules as a United Methodist congregation:

The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church: Article IX—Of the Justification of Man

We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

The Confession of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church: Article VIII—Reconciliation Through Christ

We believe God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. The offering Christ freely made on the cross is the perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, redeeming man from all sin, so that no other satisfaction is required.

The Confession of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church: Article IX—Justification and Regeneration

We believe we are never accounted righteous before God through our works or merit, but that penitent sinners are justified or accounted righteous before God only by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe regeneration is the renewal of man in righteousness through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature and experience newness of life. By this new birth the believer becomes reconciled to God and is enabled to serve him with the will and the affections.

We believe, although we have experienced regeneration, it is possible to depart from grace and fall into sin; and we may even then, by the grace of God, be renewed in righteousness.

How would you interpret these articles? How would you respond to this question?

Had the disciples heard of Jesus before?

I have had the opportunity to lead the Builders Sunday Morning Small Group for three weeks studying the gospel according to Mark. This question was shared during our time together.

When Jesus called the first disciples, had they heard of him before? Did they have any knowledge of this man who was asking them to leave their livelihood, family and friends and follow him?

This is a great question and one which I have not previously considered. I do not read a clear response one way or the other in the text of Mark. (Perhaps why this was a question in the first place)

I had never imagined the disciples having any previous knowledge about Jesus before he called them. It would make a little more sense why they would leave their nets and follow him if they had heard of him before. However, as a class member proposed, it may be that Jesus presence, tone, power and the work of the Holy Spirit was what compelled the disciples to follow - not just the words.

I think that whether the disciples had hard of Jesus before depends on how you decide to interpret this passage:

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-15, TNIV)

How far had Jesus teaching spread? How long had he been proclaiming the good news of God before encountering those who would become his disciples? Was Jesus well known before he began healing?

What do you think? How would you respond to this question?

Fresh Coffee

This week I brewed a pot of coffee unlike any coffee brewed at our house in quite a while - we have a clean coffee pot!

Now let me explain, the coffee maker that we have has an insulated pot which is great because it keeps the coffee warm without having to keep a warm burner on all the time, in fact it does not even have a burner. However, the downside to this arrangement is that the pot cannot go in the dishwasher and the top is small enough so that neither Nicole nor I could reach our hand inside to clean it. It has only been rinsed out prior to today and some coffee grunge had built up inside. Until now…

My brother, Jonathan, had a great suggestion for us - use a bottle brush (for a baby bottle). I never would have thought of this possibility, nor realized such a device existed. So I went online and ordered one. It arrived and I cleaned the inside of the pot this morning. It looks great!

It makes me think of the time when Jesus is talking to the religious leaders of the day and told them to clean the inside of the pot as well as the outside.

Luke 11:39-41, TNIV

Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

Matthew 23:26-26, TNIV

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

I understand these scriptures better today as a result of this experience.

Healing in the Name of Jesus

Why couldn’t / didn’t Peter heal in the name of the Holy Spirit? Acts 1:8 - Christ promises “power when the Holy Spirit comes upon [them]” Acts 3:6 - Peter heals in the name of Jesus.

I tried to find a reference about Jesus giving direction or instruction about healing in his name. The only reference that I could find was in Mark:

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly be rewarded. Mark 9:38-41, TNIV

In John 10:25, Jesus refers to his healing “in my Father’s name.” But I could not find a reference of any one healing in the name of the Holy Spirit. (By the way, when I say that I could not find it - I most often use the keyword search at http://www.tniv.info/bible/index.php which I have found to be quite usable and useful.)

My sense is that the power of healing is rooted in the power of the resurrection - Jesus’ conquering of death. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them, not necessarily that the power is of the Holy Spirit.

This the best response that I can formulate at this time, but I am a bit unsatisfied with it. What would you add?

This question came out of a young adult small group taster last Sunday morning in which I taught about the question “What is the Trinity?”