Elders devotions: Missing the Point - Mark 15:31

Bible Passage: Mark 15:25-32

Key verse:      Mark 15:31     In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself !”

I cannot begin to imagine both the humiliation and hurt that Jesus must have felt as His own people hurled insults and mocked Him. Their words and curses must have felt like rocks and stones violently impacting His heart and soul. The physical pain of crucifixion must have been awful, but the mental torment and spiritual agony that He also endured must have been absolutely sickening.

Jesus had spent three years helping and healing His people. He taught them about God’s love and mercy. He preached to them about changing their ways and receiving abundant life. His message was challenging and radical, but His mission was about redemption and restoration. Unfortunately, His people missed the point, so instead of embracing Him, they executed their Christ.

Sadly, this is still going on in Christ’s churches today. Some of His own people will miss the point by making up their own ideas about who He was, and of what Jesus does in the world today. Even with so much information about Christ, His life, people, and community freely available to us today, there will still be those who will mock Him with their misconceptions and insult Jesus with their ideas. Holy Week will come and go, but they will not be one step closer to Christ because they will have missed the point of His Passion entirely.

Questions for personal reflection

How has Christ’s death affected my life? What has He done to challenge and change me?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, the point of Your Passion is at the heart of why we are Christians. You died for our sins, so we must come humbly to You to ask for mercy and forgiveness. Sometimes our pride gets in the way, or we take Your grace for granted. Help us to make this week holy in our lives by taking time to serve, honor, and glorify You for all that You accomplished on the Cross. In Your Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest Holy week drawing called “Christ Nouveau.” It’s a depiction of Christ Crucified in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the great Scottish artist who inspired Frank Lloyd Wright. If you would like to view a larger version of the image, please click here:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5072/6897826374_c074c38fbc_b.jpg

Presbyterian Devotions: Touching Jesus

Mark 5:27-28 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."

Many years ago, when I went to the 428 Gospel Club in Glasgow, Scotland, a friend of mine used to sing a song about the story of the woman who touched the hem of Christ’s garment. Every Wednesday evening, the people at the club used to ask Ian to play his guitar and sing this song. The chorus went along the lines of:

“If I could just touch the hem of His garment, if I could just touch some part of His clothes,

I know I’d be healed, my sins all forgiven. If I could just touch Him, I know I’d be whole.”

It was a beautiful song and it always touched the hearts of everyone who heard Ian sing it. Even now, as I remember those nights from more than thirty years ago, I can still hear in my mind Ian’s tenor voice and the wonderful way he rhythmically played his guitar.

It’s also a wonderful story of faith. We may never know her name, but so long as the Gospel is preached throughout the earth, the courageous faith of the woman in the crowd will remain as an example of perseverance and belief, persistence and hope. She did not wish to bring attention to herself because she felt so unworthy, but Jesus transforms the miraculous moment into something greater than she anticipated. Christ not only heals her completely, He also lovingly calls her ‘Daughter.’ She is a part of His Family and God’s Kingdom. She is welcomed into His heart and blessed beyond belief.

It’s the start of a new week and all of us have many responsibilities and tasks to fulfill. We may feel daunted by the stress and pressure that another week will bring. At some point, we will need to be spiritually refreshed and require encouragement. To find them, all we need to do is to push through the pressure and take time to touch Jesus with our hearts, minds, and prayers. If we can just touch Him, we know we’ll be whole.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for allowing Your Spirit to be present in our lives. In the midst of all our busy-ness throughout this coming week, be our Guide, our Comforter, and Healer. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.