Sheep without the Shepherd

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

SHEEP WITHOUT THE SHEPHERD

Mark 6:32-34

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

NIV

Once again we see Jesus causing crowds even when he was trying to get away alone with his twelve so they could eat and rest from their most excellent adventure. But the wonderful truth in this passage is about the compassion Jesus had on those people. We also can see that unless people are exposed to the great teachings of Jesus they are simply like sheep without a shepherd. As for the most part we in this modern cultural living in a suburban setting have never actually been around sheep with enough to know how they are without a shepherd. But from all the accounts and metaphors about sheep and shepherds throughout the Bible we can get a fairly clear picture of the meaning here. It has been said that sheep are not the smartest animal in the field. Without the shepherd to watch over them, to lead them to green pastures, they might well either starve to death or wander off into some dangerous place and either hurt themselves or get killed by a predator. Without the teaching of Jesus people are the same way, they will starve to death or be killed by the predator. It does not matter how smart or intelligent people may think they are, without the teaching of Jesus they are sheep without a shepherd. Man cannot live on material things, bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. As much as people try to attain to a high place, a comfortable lifestyle, investing for their future, having great educations, degrees of honor, positions of importance, new homes, cars, boats, motorcycles, planes, and all the other material good of this world, they are lost sheep without the teachings of Jesus and because of that their destiny is death, both physical and spiritual. Those of us who have gathered around Jesus and have sat and heard his teaching know him as our “Good Shepherd” who lead us to those green pastures, and makes us to lie down beside still waters, and he restores our souls. We do not live for or because of all the material goods of this world, bread alone, but we live because of every word that comes from the mouth of God. We are saved by our Shepherd from all harm, even from death itself. We live in total safety and within the greenest of pastures, eating our full measure. In that kind of setting sheep are bound to increase in number and so must we as well. So it is clear we should beget more sheep that are members of the great flock of Jesus. Everyone should be able to experience his compassion and teaching. No one needs to be a sheep without the Shepherd. 

Talk about a Crowd

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

TALK ABOUT A CROWD

Mark 6:30-31

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." 

NIV

We are back to the point where Jesus had sent them out without any provisions to towns nearby to preach the good news, drive out demons, anoint people with oil and heal them. Now they have returned and have been telling Jesus all about their adventures. But this time of sharing was quite confusing because of all the people coming and going. Not sure what that what that was all about except that Jesus always caused a crowd. But maybe part of this crowd was because of the twelve and what they had done in all those nearby towns. Maybe a bunch of people were following them, people who needed healing or just watchers, those looking for miracles. Whenever the power of God is at work crowds will appear. Whenever there are people who God uses to display his power people will gather around them either seeking what they have to just to be near them in hopes of being healed. We could just about bet that the churches of today which are struggling just to keep their doors open are not seeing the power of God at work in their midst. That may be a bit judgmental, but it might just be the truth. If the power of God is at work in a group of believers, there would be a pretty good chance a crowd would gather. People would be coming and going, there would be a great deal of activity around those who are being used by the power of God. Men can busy themselves with a whole lot of human activity trying to be the light of the world. Men can come up with a wide range of programs and outreach “Ministries” in an attempt to gather a crowd, but it is the power of God which will do the trick. If we what crowds to gather around our buildings, crowding in filling up all the spaces, so we do not even have a chance to eat, to catch our breath, the have a chance for a little rest, then we must get to a point where we give up our human efforts and seek the power of God to be at work in us. We might not be going town to town, we might not be driving out demons, that might be a little weird, but we might see people be healed from all sorts of illnesses and that alone would draw a crowd when that news got out. Of course we could preach the good news in our neighborhoods. We could tell our next door neighbor about Jesus. If the power of God was at work in us we might even start anointing those neighbors who are sick with heal and heal them. Now, talk about a crowd. 

Traps

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

TRAPS

Mark 6:24-29

24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered. 25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." 26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

NIV

So we come to the conclusion of this story about John, Herod, Herodias and her daughter. It is interesting that when corrected about very bad behavior, when her way of life was threatened, Herodias retaliated with putting away he who threatened her. Herod also was catch in a trap he could not escape because of his desire to please this young woman. Sin has it way of making things far worse than they should be. Herodias could have accepted John’s warning and repented. But of course that was not going to happen. Herod could have just applauded and told the dancing daughter how good she was, but that did not happen. Herod could have told his wife to keep her thoughts to herself, that he was the King and John had the right to declare the truth about them, he was a man of God and Herod was not going bring any danger upon him, but of course that did not happen. A trap was set and Herod was catch. Maybe we are not in those kinds of situations, but nevertheless traps are being set for us to fall into. We need to always be aware of whatever kind of trap is being set to snare us, putting us in a situation which could cause us to act ungodly. In the example set before us here, it could be a trap for us whenever we are corrected about our behavior. We have the choice to admit fault, repent, seek forgiveness and more forward in our relationship with who we offended and with God. We could also retaliate by defending our behavior and trying to cut off the head of who corrected us. Well not actually beheading, them but when we return fire, finding fault in them, it is much the same thing. We need to be aware of those traps staying clear of behaviors which would allow those traps to be set in the first place. Is there a truth we can learn from the trap setter? Could we ever be the one to entice another into bad behavior? Traps are not good, for the trapper or the trapped. Right relationships are not built through deception or deceit. Unwillingness to forgive, such as Herodias was, only breeds revenge in some manner. What kind of relationship could Herod and Herodias have had based on this story? There is much for us to learn here, but perhaps the most important thing is to live so as to be trap free. 

What Will We Give?

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

WHAT WILL WE GIVE?

Mark 6:21-23

21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." 23 And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

Temptation comes in many forms, but for Herod it was this young beautiful daughter of the wife of his brother who he took for himself and married. The sinister temptation thickens as now he shows his desire for this younger version of Herodias. For a man, a king who is willing to give anything, up to half his kingdom had to have been so entangled with temptation. This oath was not just because she danced well, but for an alternative motive. Surely Herod wanted more than this dance. Are we willing to give up anything in order to enjoy the pleasure temptations have to offer? Surely this sin Herod was involved in is far greater than those small temptations we are faced with. But are they? What pleasure do we derive from gossip? Are we willing to give up being trustworthy in order to be first to tell another? What pleasure do we obtain from harboring any ill will toward another? What are we willing to give in order to feel this kind of hate? We will we give in order to have the feeling of envy or jealousy? What is worth giving so we can hoard as much money as possible, or having treasures here on earth? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to enjoy the pleasures of un-forgiveness? What will we give so we can feel prideful or that we are better than orders or the feeling of superiority? How much will we give in order to enjoy a judgmental attitude? The list of modern day temptations is as long as our list can be. The truth is all temptations are for the purpose of self-gratification. Herod was looking for some sort of self-gratification from his oath. If it was not the pleasures of this young woman, it was the pleasure of making himself “look good” in front of his dinner guests, or some other reason we could only guess at. Whenever we give in to temptation, whatever it is, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to us, we have to give something up. Are we bold enough to say it out loud? Are we brazen enough to admit what we are willing to give in order to satisfy our need? Or do we try to ignore what we will give up as we face our temptation with a yielding will? Surely we would not give up the whole of our kingdom, but maybe up to half.  What will we give?

Speak up

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

SPEAK UP

Mark 6:16-20

16 But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!" 17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

NIV

This is the beginning of a longer narrative which deals with a situation slightly prior to where we are in the story with Jesus. If people were thinking Jesus was John rose from the dead, one of them was Herod because he had John not only killed but beheaded. It is not really easy for a man to rise from the dead without his head, but Herod must have thought it was possible. This is the beginning of the story as to how the beheading of John came to be. Herod was a powerful man and in his day was able to control the life and death of anyone under his authority, of which John surely lived. But John was not going to sit still and watch a man, even a powerful man live in such a way that he defiled God, without calling it to his attention. But it was not Herod who got really upset over what John said, it was the woman, Philips wife, who had married Herod to gain whatever she thought was to gain. Not only was Herod doing what was unlawful, so was Herodias. We have heard that phrase about a woman’s scorned and this appears to be all about that. Yet the truth here lies with the fact John could not keep silent about what was going on. John was standing up for what he knew was righteous in the sight of God and speaking out about what was unrighteous in the sight of God. Was John the only one God has called to speak out for his righteous ways?  Do any of us have that kind of courage? Do any of us have that kind of faith? Do we have that kind of strength of character to speak out for our righteous God and his ways, even at a cost to our own self? Sure we may not get beheaded, but we might get fired from our job. We might be shunned by our family if we speak up for God when unrighteous acts are being played out. We might even be seen as a nut case, a Jesus freak, a weirdo, or a self-righteous hypocrite. But what if people actually thought of us a righteous and holy person, like Herod thought of John? We still might receive some kind of retaliation for standing up for God can and calling sin as sin. On a personal note, I was once part of a small social group of believers, until one night the men were talking about cars, and one said that he loves to take his new powerful BMW on a certain expressway and take it up to 130 MPH. I mentioned that was sin, breaking the law like that. That was the last evening I was a part of that social group of believers; I never got invited to attend anymore gatherings. Have I stopped being like that?( back to third person) Are we afraid of the consequences of what will happen if we do stand up for God and against unrighteous behavior? If we want to be heard, speak up!

He is who He is

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

HE IS WHO HE IS

Mark 6:14-15

14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying,"John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 15 Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."

NIV

It is amazing how people want to put their faith in anyone other than the one who is standing right there in front of them. Why did those people want to think Jesus was someone else? We are going to see the narrative about Herod killing John, but why would people rather he be John then Jesus? Were the stories about what John did already bigger than what Jesus was doing? What about Elijah, a man long gone with his stories having been passed down through the generations? Did the stories become greater than what actually happened? Did they think Elijah returned, riding back in the chariot of fire, having never died? Still others believed him to be just a prophet. Why did so many want him to be someone other than who he was, the Messiah? Do people today what Jesus to be someone other than who he is? If people try to make him out to be someone other than the Son of God, it seems it would be due to them not wanting to have to admit the truth about him and about want he has said. When Jesus said, He was the Light, the Truth and the Way, and that no man could come to the Father except through him, that might cause people to refuse him as the Son of God. When Jesus said that in order for people enter the kingdom of God, to get into heaven, they had to be born again, it might be cause for people to reject him for who he is. If they say he is someone else, and then want he said is not that important, because he is just another man. True a special man, with great powers, but still just a man. True a man with great wisdom, but still just a man. Admitting he is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and not by a man could be a really good reason to change everything about how people think and behave. We who believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior, the divine sacrifice for our sin, the redeemer and the Lord of everything, have experienced that kind of change. Jesus changes everything. Those who enjoy their ways more than anything want Jesus to be someone else. But he is not John, he is not Elijah, he is not just a prophet, he is Jesus and he changes everything. He is who he is. 

Go and Preach

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

GO AND PREACH

Mark 6:12-13

12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

NIV

Jesus told them to and they did it. These twelve were ordinary men who Jesus had called to himself and empowered them to preach that people should repent. He empowered them to drive out demons and to anoint sick people with oil and heal them. It is amazing to think these ordinary men had such extraordinary power. Yet is it that extraordinary? If we are supposed to apply all the scripture to our lives today then should we not also have the power? If we have Jesus living in our hearts, which of course he is not actually physically living inside of us, but is actually at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, we should have that same power those twelve had. It was Jesus who told us if we ask anything in his name the Father would give it to us. Why are we so weak? Why are we not preaching that people should repent? We try all sorts of methods based on the cultural we live in. We try to explain that people will know to repent just because we live a good life in front of them. Maybe some people think putting a fish symbol on the back of their car will cause people to repent or drive the demons out of them. But then as they speed by maybe they cause more demons. Maybe some think building a “non-church” church building will cause people to repent, or maybe the demons will just leave people as they drive by. Why can’t we just tell people who do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior they need to repent? Why can’t we simple tell demons to get out of those people who are possessed by them? Why can’t we just anoint people with oil and see them healed? Why did those twelve have so much faith they just went out and did it? Are we lacking that kind of faith? Are we afraid if we try to do that and fail we will look foolish? Maybe if we actually acted on faith, people would actually see God at work and repent, be released, freed from demons and be healed. Do we think that what we pay the Pastor to do? Shepherds do not beget sheep, sheep beget sheep. We are the ones who should be going out telling people to repent, driving out demons and anointing people with oil and healing them. We are supposed to go and preach.