Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” Mark 12:10-11

Our journey with Jesus with the disciple Mark has piqued my curiosity. Why did Mark pick these certain stories about Jesus? What about the order he put them in? What about these word pictures and quotes from the Old Testament? How about you? How curious would you consider yourself about the Bible, people and ideas?

The curious who sought Jesus had their whole world turned upside down. In parable after parable in the first ten chapters of Mark, Jesus challenged their thinking and traditions as he ministered. Now he’s changing up what he’s done even more by riding into Jerusalem in peace as King, and causing a scene clearing out the treachery in the temple courts. To begin these last few days of his life in Jerusalem Jesus speaks publicly with authority, on a few important topics, amazing all who listen. The first story is about a vineyard and the tenants. It’s a retelling of Isaiah 5, the same imagery: God the Father, Israel the tenants, the prophets rejected or killed. And when he quotes Psalm 118 for the punchline, his enemies know of what he’s accusing them.

Jesus makes the claim that he is the cornerstone from Psalm 118. The stone is a familiar image for God (Deut. 32:4, Psalm 18:31, Isaiah 17:10, 26:4, 20:29) and particularly how it points to the Messiah (Isaiah 28:16, Daniel 2:34-35,45, Acts 4:11, Eph 2:20). Jesus made it clear to the Jewish leaders (the builders) they had rejected him, and he became to them a stone of stumbling (Isaiah 8:14). The cornerstone is laid first at the head corner and governs every other corner and every angle in the entire building and thus determines the place every other stone is to be laid. Through his death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus became the chief cornerstone of the spiritual temple, the church. As Acts 2:36 says: “God has made Him both Lord and Christ.” There is salvation in no one else. It is God’s doing, and it is marvelous. We can seek him, there are still more points of history and etymology of the word and idea of the cornerstone. Join me in seeking to know more of Jesus, the chief cornerstone.

By Donna Burns

And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.  Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”  And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’  But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.  So, they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Mark 11:27-33

Have you ever thought or said, “Who do you think you are coming here and doing that?” This is what the judges, lawyers and teachers asked Jesus. He came riding the foal of a donkey into Jerusalem (like King David coming in peace) and then charging into the temple and causing a scene (calling it his Father’s house). They try to trap him by asking where he gets his authority, but he answers them with another question. Jesus doesn’t answer their question about his authority because in a traditional rabbinical exchange if a question was asked and wasn’t answered, the one asking was released from answering too. They neither answered or asked another question of Jesus, but went away plotting.

While the religious establishment reflected a lack of honor for Jesus, the Passover pilgrims were showing Jesus kingly honor. People along the road to Jerusalem sang “hosanna” to Jesus They. wanted him to be their King and save them on Sunday, but shouted for him to be crucified on Friday. What happened here? Did they know who he was and why he came? Maybe some did and some didn’t. They were hoping for what was in it for them, but not for God. They wanted Jesus to rule Rome but God’s plan was to rule in the hearts of all men. They were worshipping with their lips but not with their hearts.

Mark has authored for us a journey about Jesus’ authority and miracle ministry. Jesus has quietly gone around the Galilean countryside, but now he’s paraded into Jerusalem with jubilant fanfare. The Passover pilgrims, the religious establishment, and ourselves, we all must face the same question Jesus asked Peter, “who do you say I am?” Jesus has all authority on heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:11) Bring honor to God by giving him all authority in your life. Genuinely worship him by honoring him and others.

By Donna Burns

And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.  On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. Mark 11:11-14

Thousands made the pilgrimage to worship in the temple in Jerusalem on Passover, hundreds bought and sold animals for sacrificing. Jesus looked around at everything. He saw their hearts. He saw corruption, injustice, extortion, and detestable, degrading behaviors in the temple built to worship a pure and holy God. The gap between what was happening in the temple and what was meant to happen at the temple was so great. He left and came back the next day to deal with it in righteous anger. On the way he saw a fig tree with leaves, he was hungry but found no figs and cursed the tree.

Why would Mark put this story in his gospel which seemed so unlike Jesus’ character? Because greater things were happening. A new narrative was beginning. The teaching visual of the tree symbolized them. The disciples knew the metaphor of the fig well as learned Jews. The worship of Israel had leaves like the fig tree but was fruitless. The curse meant judgement was near, the destruction of the temple was Imminent and redemption nigh. No longer would sacrifices need to be made on the altar because Jesus himself was coming to Jerusalem to be the perfect Passover sacrifice once and for all. The old covenant was about to become the New Covenant in his blood, as Jesus told his disciples at the Last Supper. The temple curtain would be torn, a new relationship with God would begin, and the church of Christ followers would be born.

We don’t like to think of God bringing warning and judgement. But His holiness and hatred of sin demand it. He created us to enjoy pure love and fellowship in the garden. Sin changed it; Jesus came to bring us back to God. God desires our worship not for his benefit but for ours. Take a look at your life, is it like a tree that has fruit pasted on to it to look good at all times, or is there real fruit growing? Do you honor God with your lips but your actions are far from him? Just like Jesus saw the gap in Israel’s temple worship and what worship is intended to be, look at that gap in your own life between what God desires and what you offer him. Write down a couple steps you can take to honor God more and make your worship of him more pure and holy.

By Donna Burns

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”  And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10:46-52

There he sat, day after day. Begging, thinking. Begging, hearing stories of Jesus’ healing miracles. Begging yet again another day and contemplating what he might do if Jesus ever came his way. If Jesus healed other blind people, he could heal him. Bartimaeus was not too proud to cry out to him. When Jesus did come by, Bartimaeus caused a huge disturbance. He was determined to have Jesus meet his desperate need, relieve him of his dire circumstances, and take away his darkness. This Galilean was not just some celebrity he hoped to encounter but the very King himself, the Son of David, from whom he hoped to plead for mercy.

Bartimaeus lived at the bottom of his society. Bringing his need to Jesus was his only way up. In contrast, the disciples of Jesus thought they had position and status by being close to Jesus, privileged to be the select few. They were even discussing who was the greatest. Jesus made many attempts to help them “see” and understand, and even had to ask Peter, “who do you say I am?” But Bartimaeus knew his need, he was at the end of himself. He immediately recognized Jesus as the Son of David, quickly came running when he called, was instantly healed and unselfishly followed him.

We all desperately need Jesus, whether we realize our need(s) or not. And do we realize too, that only the Son of God can take care of our deepest, most profound needs. Jesus knows your needs, is listening, and desires to bring you up out of your darkness into his light. Have you come to the end of yourself? What do you want him to do for you? Run to Jesus with your needs, big or small. Reflect on where Jesus has been with you in your areas of need. Cry out to him for mercy for the needs you still feel need to be met. Rejoice and thank him for the ways he has shown you mercy. Follow him in gratitude.

By Donna Burns

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”  And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. Mark 8:27-30 

Jesus took his disciples to a beautiful hillside country, away from their opposition, to reflect, review and refresh. Scattered all around them in Caesarea Philippi were magnificent palaces to Roman governors, temples to Syrian gods, the supposed birthplaces of Greek gods and Jewish history from the mouth of the Jordan River. It is as if Jesus is giving his disciples a test of all he’d taught them: setting himself against a background of world religions and asking them who he is before his crucifixion. Peter responds personally, with a profound confession that has echoed down through the centuries. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus affirms that it was revealed to Peter by the Father Himself, giving divine authority (Matthew 16:16-17).

Stop and look at what the world and people around you say about Jesus. If we stood on top of Lookout Mountain, the Denver landscape would reveal the domes of world religions, Buddhist temples, Islamic mosques, Mormon spires, and centers of cultural humanism. There is a plethora of philosophies and worldviews competing for allegiance. One has to fight intentionally to hold on to a Biblical worldview in a post-modern, post-Christian, post-truth world. Everyone has an opinion, and as much as people try to ignore Jesus, push him off to the margins of life or completely out of it, he still proves himself to be God and the most central and controversial person in human history.

Test yourself. Let Jesus ask you, “Who do you say I am?” What is competing for your attention, and distracting you from encountering Jesus face to face and confessing him as Lord? Jesus asks each of us, and demands a personal verdict. As you review your daily routine, does it match up with what you believe? Does what you confess about Jesus match how you’re living? Take time now to acknowledge God’s work in you and to confess him as the reigning King and Lord of your life. Be faithful in declaring Jesus is Lord to the world. How you follow matters. They will know we are Christians by our love.

By Donna Burns

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash,  And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips,

    but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God) — then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:1-13

Mark brings us to a critical point of his gospel story in chapter seven. The Scribes and Pharisees have kept the Law (the 10 Commandments and the Pentateuch) and the interpretations of it, handed down for centuries, called the Oral Law. They confront Jesus with the fact that his disciples are not keeping their rules, the way they perceive religion, goodness and service before God. Tension builds as Jesus answers them by quoting Isaiah 29:13 where the prophet accuses God’s people of worshipping with their lips but their hearts were far away. He accuses them of being the same, hypocrites (serving God outwardly but disobeying God inwardly) and idolaters (their word was more important than God’s word and took its place). There was the Pharisees’ way and there was Jesus’ way and the two were very different.

In our culture today there are basically two ways of understanding the world. In one, the world says the problem is “out there” and the answer is what a man can do. In the other, the Bible says the problem is in our hearts and the answer is what Christ has done! One says the world is wonderful and people are good. The Bible says because we are sinners, we sin and need a Savior. People tend to see themselves in charge (better than God). But if we think of salvation, we see ourselves as God does: in desperate need of a new birth, a clean heart, and a new life. Every human heart has the root of every human sin in it. And, as those men of long ago that Jesus addressed, it is entirely possible to look great on the outside while being dead on the inside.

Let’s make it personal. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” When the Lord examines your heart, what does He see? A person trusting in what you do or a humble sinner trusting in what Jesus has done? Someone basing life on the latest thoughts and trends or on the Word of God? Mark is going right for the heart. Look at yours. Like the Pharisees it’s easy to adopt do’s and don’ts to the detriment of a close relationship with Jesus, and a life being changed by God’s power and bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,. Titus 3:4-7

By Donna Burns

And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.  And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”  Mark 6:7-11

Mark recounts in his gospel not only the testimony of Peter but alludes to the history of the nation of Israel and their leader Moses. Chapter after chapter follow the footsteps of God’s people leaving Egypt. Story after story shares God’s power, provision and protection. The people were rescued (parting of Red Sea/calming the storm), the people were fed (manna from heaven/feeding 5,000), the people instructed (Jesus teaches on the mountainside/ten commandments given).

Jesus choosing the twelve and sending them out two by two bears the images of Deuteronomy 1:15 when Moses chose leaders over Israel and Deuteronomy 19:15 where two was the number needed to establish a witness. He charges the twelve to take nothing (as Israel was charged when leaving Egypt in haste). To wear only sandals and one tunic (to be in the same position as Israel to trust totally in God’s faithfulness for provision). But, the disciples are charged to take a staff, the symbol of authority. Moses carried one. Now, Jesus is giving his authority and power to them. He is inviting his disciples to lead others on a new kind of Exodus. On his journey, Jesus experienced rejection from family, church and state (Mark 2 and 3). Shaking the dust off the feet was a warning to those rejecting God (Isaiah 52:2, Nehemiah 5:14). When trials and rejection come, remember the great I AM is the Lord God.

Jesus gives us new life, new bread, a new Kingdom. He also gives us the same power and authority he gave his first disciples (Matthew 28:18-19). We are given the same assignment to show others the way out of the bondage of sin (1 Peter 2:9). God has equipped each believer in Jesus with spiritual gifts for the task (Hebrews 13:20-22). Take the spiritual gifts survey on South’s website to help find out what your gifts are or give you new insights on how to use them. For more about Mark following Israel’s narrative, check out the books by Joel Marcus, The Way of the Lord: Christological Exegesis of the Old Testament in the Gospel of Mark and Rikki E. Watts, Isaiah’s New Exodus in Mark.

By Donna Burns

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis^[a] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Mark 5:14-20

If all the works Jesus did were put into books the world could not contain them (John 21:25). We have in Mark’s gospel some specially selected miracles written in a special arrangement. Mark tells how Jesus calmed the wind and the sea (4:39), how he saved a man from unclean spirits (5:13), healed a woman from a hemorrhage of twelve years (5:34), and raised a child from the dead (5:41). Mark wants us to know that Jesus has all power and authority, over all things, for all time – the physical world, demons, disease and death. These miracles cause us to marvel at the majesty of God just like the people who witnessed them.

The healed man cured from unclean spirits was now in his right mind (5:15). He had his life again, the life God intended him to have when he was created. God also had a plan for the man. The man’s grateful response to Jesus was a desire to be with him and go where he went. Jesus did not let him but instructed him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you”. And the man went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis (ten townships!) what great things Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed. (Mark 5:19-20) Because this man experienced Jesus‘ mercy, he had a message and a mission to Roman citizens.

Picture yourself bowing down at the feet of Jesus, recognizing his Lordship. What is your response to the great things Jesus has done for you, and the mercy he has shown on you? Take time to listen to what he is saying. Marvel at the distance he has come for you. He has a plan for your life, a mission like his, to rescue the perishing, care for the dying, and lift up the fallen. He invites us to be like him and show compassion like he did. Mark picked these miracles to build our faith in Jesus as the Christ the Son of God. John, the disciple, said “and believing in him you might have life in his name” (John 20:31). With whom can you share the mercy, the love, and the life that has been given you by Jesus?

By Donna Burns