Change. It never stops. Is it possible that the rate of change is faster than ever these days? The internet, for example, has revolutionised many of our lives. Communications – written, spoken, face-to-face, one-to-one, in community and one to many – all this often happens over the internet now. Banking and payments, books, movies, TV shows, music to listen to, music notation to play, maps, notes, games, access to almost unlimited information, educational tools, coffee shop loyalty cards and more … all this is available on my phone wherever I have internet access. Also on my phone are the ever-watching eyes of big companies who want my business.
God, however, doesn’t change. That’s reassuring.
Our unchanging God is constantly at work in our ever-changing world, though. I’ve been reminded of late of the importance of keeping spiritually current as we participate in his work. Let me elaborate, referring to Mark 3:20-35 along the way.
Pursuing Purity
I feel sorry for those teachers of the Law back in Jesus’ day. Jesus blasted them, and rightly so. But they tried so hard…….. I’m looking at the sorry tale recorded in Mark 3:22-30 as I write this blog post.
The people of first century Israel had learnt their lesson … finally. After centuries of repeatedly turning from God to idols, being divinely disciplined, eventually repenting and a remnant returning to God and to the land, they had finally got their act together, or so it seemed. No more idolatry. The Law of God was kept to the nth degree. The teachers of the Law held prestigious positions in society, reflecting the value that the people placed on their role as guardians of the faith.
Then along came Jesus. “New wine in new wineskins,” he said (Mark 2:22). He “… 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 1:14b-15) The people were mesmerised, exclaiming, “A new teaching – and with authority!” (Mark 1:20) Jesus evicted evil spirits, healed people, claimed to be divine in roundabout ways … and made enemies amongst the religious leaders of the day.
That’s not the way God had worked in the past. Oh yes, Jesus had power. That was indisputable. But, the religious leaders surmised, it couldn’t be of God. This left them with the so-very-wrong conclusion that earned them Jesus’ scathing indictment: “… but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin” (Mark 3:29).
Those religious leaders had become so caught up in their vital roles as preservers of the purity of God’s people that they had lost focus of the God they served.
What about us? Do I ever find myself so caught up in a God-given role that I lose focus of the God I serve? Do I ever miss being a part of what he is doing here and now because I am committed to preserving the way he did things in the past?
I wonder, too, how these questions relate to brothers and sisters in a country I love in which Christian ministry is increasingly limited. Or to my role as a middle-aged woman with various limitations as opposed to the bouncy young woman who first visited that country 25 years ago.
One thing I do know is this: we need to keep spiritually current. May I keep my focus on my Lord, regularly taking time to put aside my own agenda and worship him, seeking him as each opportunity, threat or change of circumstance comes along.
A Mother’s Heart
Oh Mary, dear Mary, how your heart must have throbbed the day your son – your special son – ignored you. It seems, even, that he disowned you that day. Ouch.
I’m thinking, of course, of the time that Jesus’ mother and brothers tried “… to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind’” (Mark 3:21). Rather than go along with their well-meaning but oh-so-wrong intentions, Jesus identified those sitting around him that day as his mother and brothers. They were family, he said, and not his blood relatives waiting outside the door (Mark 3:34).
Mothers know best, right? Not only that, but Mary was hand-picked by God to raise the Messiah. Mary knew God, and had a good track record of submitting to and participating in his work.
And yet, on this occasion, she lost focus.
Mary was Jesus’ mother … but Jesus was Messiah. Mary was so focused on her God-given role that she lost focus of what matters … the work of her son, our Lord.
How often do I focus on the role God has given me rather than God himself? I love my role and value my calling. I have a reasonable track record in my walk with God. That’s all well and good. But may living out that role never get in the way of focusing on my Lord. May it never be that my futile efforts to bring about what I think is best be out of line with what he is doing right here right now.
Don’t worry. I’m not about to quit my role or anything. I’m just challenged to stay focused on him and be open to new ways he is working.
Devoted Disciples
“Then he (Jesus) looked at those seated in a circle round him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother’” (Mark 3:34-35).
Who was seated around Jesus in that emotion-charged house, outside which Jesus’ mother and brothers waited, and inside which Teachers of the Law steamed with indignation at Jesus’ stunning rebuke?
Most likely, it was Jesus’ 12 disciples. In Mark’s gospel, we read of Jesus choosing them from amongst all those who followed him right before this scene in the house. (See Mark 3:13-19.) We read, “He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:14-15).
Oh, those were the heady early days of the devoted disciples’ ministry. That was the season for them to ‘be with him’. The years ahead would be challenging. Judas Iscariot would betray Jesus, though his remorse would be pathetic and tragic. Peter would deny him though he would be restored. Later, Peter would be led unwillingly to his death in a way which would glorify God. Interestingly, the only disciple who seems to have lived a long and relatively settled life (until exile near the end) is the very one to whom Jesus entrusted the care of his beloved mother. Ah … Mary … I’m so pleased.
But all that was yet to come. At this stage in the tale, the twelve sat around Jesus watching, wondering, waiting…… And it was them that Jesus called family. Even, it must be noted, the one who would betray him.
What about us? I don’t know what is ahead, but I do know that, as we do God’s will, Jesus calls us ‘family’. And that massively motivates me to spend time in worship and prayer, looking to him to show me what he is doing in this day and hour, and asking how he would have me work with him.
Doing God’s Will
What does it mean to do the will of God? That is a topic for books rather than a paragraph at the tail end of a blog post. For now, let me just say that being still from time to time and looking to God for direction in the busyness of life is important.
The Teachers of the Law in Jesus’ day did things as they had always been done. And in so doing, they missed the coming of the very God they strove so ardently to serve.
Mary, mother of our Lord, was focused on her God-given mothering role. So much so that she unwittingly sought to stand in his way and keep him from his work.
The disciples, however, at this point in the story, were simply focused on Jesus, following him step-by-step in his work of preaching and powerful actions. And, that day, at least, they had it right.
What about us?