Day 17 - Mark 12-14

After Jesus told the parable of the tenants, the Pharisees did have some insight. They perceived that the parable was about them (12:12). Perception isn't enough! It wasn't enough that the Pharisees understood that Jesus was talking about them in the parable. They should have responded in repentance, but instead they plotted as to how they could get Jesus arrested. The same is true with us. As we read God's Word, it is not enough for us to understand what we read. We must also act in accordance with what we understand. Without both perception and obedience, our perception does nothing but condemn us. For instance, just a few paragraphs later, Jesus taught that the greatest command was to love God with all your being and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself (12:29-31). It easy enough to understand what that is talking about, but we must also see to it that we submit ourselves to those commands in how we live our lives or else our understanding is pointless!

In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warns that "many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray" (13:6). Later, in vs22, He continues to warn about false christs and false prophets. This highlights the need for discernment among God's people. We must test all things and people according to the revealed will of God. One of those tests is when someone sets a date for the return of Christ. Jesus very plainly teaches that "concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (13:32). It is by this clear teaching that we can rightfully judge those who play around with foolish date-setting.

Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane (14:36) should be the pattern for all our praying. First, it is OK to ask the Father for the things that we desire, whether they be things that we don't have that we desire or things that are happening to us that we wish were not. Second, all our requests must be made in submission to the sovereign will of God in our lives. The reason for our submission is that God knows us and our needs far better than we do. Therefore, He is much better equipped to give us the things that we truly need to change us and mold us into people who reflect His glory. He is wise enough to know what we need and good enough to give it to us. He is also wise enough to know how much we can endure and compassionate enough to give us the grace to endure to the end! Father, not my will but Your will be done!

Peter's response to his denial of Jesus is also instructive for us. He demonstrated a godly sorrow that led to repentance. How do you react when the depth of your sin is made manifest to you? Are you filled with sorrow? Or do you simply shrug it off and go on with life? If there is sorrow in your heart, we must take care that this sorrow does not persist into despair. For what we will read in the next chapter gives us hope for forgiveness from sin. The sin over which Peter wept is the sin for which Jesus gave His life! The sin over which we should weep is not sin over which we should despair. Jesus Christ endured the judgment of that sin as He gave Himself up for us! Hallelujah! What a Savior!