Christ is getting closer to the cross. This chapter will highlight a woman’s sacrifice, Peter’s failure and Christ’s obedience.
Mark 14 Verse by Verse
Reply
A Prayer Prompted by Mark 14
Dear Father in heaven,
What can we ever say or do to thank you for your great love for us? In truth, we can never repay you, and can never match Christ’s sacrifice, which was offered for our sins.
The best we can do is give you our lives, our abilities and our possessions and ask you to use us to accomplish your will.
Help us to express complete obedience to you without relying on ourselves.
Like the woman in the story of the fragrant ointment, help us to offer you all that we have.
Like Jesus in the garden, help us to see that your will for us is better than our own will, whatever that may be.
Help us to live our the words, “Thy will be done.”
In Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Mark 13 Verse by Verse
Christ’s Olivet Discourse is shorter in Mark than it was in Matthew. It is still the longest continuous passage of teaching by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.
A Prayer Prompted by Mark 13
Heavenly Father,
Jesus has clearly told us to watch and be ready for his return.
Your word repeatedly reminds us that he is coming soon. We do not want to neglect that major biblical point.
Help us to watch and be ready. Help us to be zealous for good works while we wait. Help us to be faithful to worship you, live for you and encourage one another till Jesus comes.
In Christ,
Amen.
No one knows – Mark 13:32-37
Jesus wants us all to be alert and ready for his coming. In Mark 13:32-37 he says,
32 But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.
Jesus draws an analogy between the kind of constant awareness and expectation he wants from us and the doorkeeper to a house. In this case the doorkeeper’s master has gone off on a journey and may come back at any time. When Jesus compares this to his own return, he points out that he, our master, might come at any moment, even in the middle of the night. No one knows when he will arrive.
I happen to be an advocate of the pretribulation rapture view of Christ’s coming, which, among other things, seems to make the most sense of this passage. Though I know plenty of wonderful Christians who disagree, I do hope they at least see the importance of our constant preparedness and sense of expectation. For example, one of my former professors, who holds different views on end-times prophecy from me, still says in his commentary on this passage,
The reference to all four watches, including the second and third watches when people avoided travel, underlines the fact that Jesus’ return may happen when it is least expected, and emphasizes that Jesus’ followers are always “on duty”: they must always, constantly, be alert, prepared for Jesus’ sudden, unexpected return.
– Eckhard Schnabel, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary *
In a day when people are not overly enthusiastic about Bible prophecy, there is a constant danger to shift toward a lack of enthusiasm. Let’s not forget that the New Testament emphasizes that Jesus is coming soon. Let’s be like the faithful doorkeeper in Christ’s comparison who is ready to open the door at any time, even at an unexpected moment. In other words, at any and every time, Jesus might realistically be expected.
No one knows when Jesus will return. This means we should always be ready.
* Eckhard Schnabel, 2017. Mark, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. (Downers Grove, IVP Academic), 339.
Mark 12 Verse by Verse
Jesus is in Jerusalem. It is the final week running up to his crucifixion. He will criticize spiritual showiness while encouraging us to practice complete love and commitment to God.
A Prayer Prompted by Mark 12
Heavenly Father,
We learn from Jesus in this chapter that our lives need to be totally committed to you. Help us to love you with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind and all of our strength.
Help us to love our neighbor as ourselves – to put the needs of others, even our enemies, on the same level as our own.
Help us to be good citizens, faithful taxpayers, loyal participants in the life of our earthly community.
But help us also to remember that we owe you so much more – that in fact we personally belong to you.
Help us never to desire a reputation for being more godly or more spiritual than we really are.
Jesus was an example of humility and we will do well if we continuously follow him in that – knowing that he is truly God and the author of our salvation.
In Christ’s name we pray,
Amen.
