Out Front – Week Five

Welcome to Week Five of the fall semester of Bible Studies.Who doesn’t love a good backstory? Jesus’ disciples have a backstory, a whole existence filled with experiences and frames of reference that we know very little about. Besides their professions and some of their relationships, what we do know is that they were all Jews who grew up under the authority and teaching of the Pharisees. And what do we know about the Pharisees, what’s their backstory? They were legalists [Mark 3:4], they were complicit murderers [Mark 3:6], hypocrites, blind guides, greedy, self-indulgent, whitewashed tombs, lawless, serpents, a brood of vipers. [Matthew 23] Oh, yes, and they were self-righteous. Wow! No wonder the disciples have a fairly sketchy track-record of faith and practice. But when they break free from the tow of the Pharisees’ influence, when they fix their focus on Christ and Christ alone, the disciples live and exist for the glory of God. Not only is that what we will see in Chapter Six of the Gospel of Mark, it’s the truth by which we must live our lives today if we, too, are to live and exist for the glory of God.

Back at home …

Read Mark 6:1-6. This section of Scripture epitomizes the old adage that says, “Familiarity breeds contempt”. The people in Jesus’ hometown knew his backstory – or thought they did – and were skeptical of him because of it. After all, he was just a common laborer, a carpenter. His family tree wasn’t impressive – that’s for sure. In fact, when they said he was the son of his mother rather than the son of his father, they inferred that he was illegitimate. That certainly didn’t speak to his credibility, nor did the fact that he had received no formal training at the feet of the scribes. Who did he think he was? Well, Jesus knew who he was and from whom he was. “And he marveled because of their unbelief” [Mark 6:6]. As a man, Jesus was amazed that they couldn’t see that God’s hand was all over him. Come on! How else would he have been able to teach the way he did?How else could he have imparted such wisdom? As far as Jesus was concerned, the only – ONLY – reasonable explanation they should have had was that God had equipped and empowered him. Knowing his humble beginnings, they of all people should have figured that out. But they didn’t; their God was just too small.

  • The people in Jesus’ hometown seemed to believe that God only worked in and through the elite, the educated and the privileged. Have you ever thought you were beyond the reach of God’s promises because you were lacking in one of these areas? How is God too small in your life? Where have you tied the hands of God because of certain circumstances in your life or in your past? [Read Matthew 19:26]

The Apostles are sent …

Learning that God was big enough to be able to work in and through those who were under-bred, and even ill-bred, must have been good news for the apostles who were of humble beginnings themselves. But did that make them ready to be commissioned to cast out demons and heal the sick? They had questioned the Lord’s concern for their lives in Mark 4:38; they were afraid of him in Mark 4:41; they certainly vacillated in their faith throughout. And now Jesus was sending them out on their own? Whoa! They were far from perfect, far from consistent, far from the image of Christ.

I Corinthians 1:26-31

For consider your calling, brothers; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (27)But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (28)God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (29)so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (30)He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. (31)Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

“God wills to be with people, and He ordains them, in all their bewilderment and stubbornness – yes, even in their cowardice and betrayal – not only to partake of His life, but also to participate in His plan to tell the world about His provision. Everything in [this] section underscores this truth.” [CBS Commentary] Left to our own devices we will never be ready to fulfill our high calling or commission. Only by the grace and power of God can we succeed in both.

  • How did the experience in Jesus’ hometown serve the apostles who were sent out?
  • What encouragement do you glean from 1 Corinthians 1:26-31?
  • What attitudes about themselves do you imagine the apostles needed to abandon in order to be so successful? [Mark 6:13] What attitudes or believing did they need to embrace?
  • Obviously, Jesus wanted his apostles to have some skin in the game. Where are you playing it safe in your life – not getting involved – on the sidelines? What fear or unbelief is holding you back?

John the Baptist dies …

[Mark 6:14-29] Leviticus 18:16 and 20:21 condemn marriage to a brother’s wife while the brother is still alive. Herod flouted his disregard for this law by leaving his own wife and marrying Herodias, his living brother’s spouse. John called him on it. Herodias didn’t like it. In order to keep the peace at home, Herod imprisoned John, and after a twisted chain of events beheaded him. This is the only story in the Gospel of Mark that is not about Jesus or told by Jesus. But it definitely is a prophetic demonstration of what is ahead for our Lord and Savior. Both the life of John and that of Jesus were taken by political tyrants, cowards who caved under pressure, ordering horrific deaths of the innocent.

The placement of this account is very interesting, as well, and no doubt intentional. Tucked in between the apostles being sent out and their triumphant return, it bodes of the conceivable cost of discipleship. [Matthew 5:10] Following Christ is not onlyexercising authority over demons and miraculous healings; it’s also coming face to face with persecution, with contempt and sometimes even death. But this world is not our home. [John 14:1-3] Whatever we face, God preserves our souls unto eternal life. [Ephesians 1:13-14] And we can persevere through hardship – yes, persevere unto death – through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Without it, we would be as vulnerable to the pressures of the world as Herod and Pilot. Peter and the apostles in the Book of Acts were shackled and beaten, discredited and demeaned, and they rejoiced “that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” [Acts 5:41]. They were able to persevere, because they believed that they were preserved unto eternal life. [Philippians 3:8-11]

  • What role does the first and great commandment play in the perseverance of the saints? [Matthew 22:37-38]
  • Read Hebrews 10:32-39. How crucial is it to know that God has a reward prepared for those who endure?
  • How does the perseverance of the saints testify to God’s preservation?

Jesus feeds the five thousand and walks on water …

Jesus is moved to compassion to feed the multitude who had gathered to hear him teach. [Mark 6:33-34]Once again, his disciples shortchange Christ’s power and provision. Nevertheless, Jesus miraculously feeds a massive number of people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. As he did when he taught his disciples how to pray [Matthew 6:9-13], he looked up to heaven – acknowledged his Heavenly Father – and said a blessing over his meager supply. What followed was stunning. From two fish and five loaves of bread that were probably the size of pita breads, five thousand men were fed and 12 baskets “FULL” of leftovers were collected! What is equally remarkable was the testimony that “they all ate and were satisfied”. [Mark 6:42] Jesus didn’t whet their appetites; he satisfied them. He cared for the body and soul of each person present. What good news it is that “Jesus Christ isthesameyesterdayandtodayandforever”.[Heb 13:8]

  • What connection can you make between how the five thousand were satisfied and how complete a Savior Jesus Christ is? How does this account speak to how Christ will care for us today?

While Jesus dismisses the crowd, his disciples set sail for Bethsaida. They encounter some pretty rough winds and “were making headway painfully”. [Mark 6:48] Jesus sees this and walks on the water towards them. He had intended to pass by them, but at the sight of Jesus walking on the water they cried out in terror, “It is a ghost!” [Matthew `14:26] Jesus identified himself saying, “It is I.” In the Greek, the phrase “It is I” is identical to how God revealed Himself to Moses [Exodus 3:14, 6:6, Isaiah 48:12]. [CBS] So, not only was Jesus doing something unheard of (i.e. walking on the water), he took the name of God to be his own. This is huge! At Jesus’ command, Peter joined him on the water, only to sink into the sea after taking his eyes off the Lord. Even after seeing Jesus walk on the water, being empowered to do the same and hearing Jesus’ self-disclosure match that of Yahweh, the threatening circumstances that surrounded Peter were more real to him than the power and presence of Christ. [Matthew 14:30-32]

  • Read Exodus 33:19. Remembering that Jesus had intended to pass by his disciples in the boat, what might the parallel be between what God said to Moses and what Jesus was demonstratingfor the disciples?