If this is the first page you clicked on check back to the first day of the ninety-two day chronological reading plan of the New Testament. "DAY ONE" If you want the whole plan day by day and not wait find it here at Shalom in the wilderness
Day Seven: Mark 2
This day is a short reading with a lot going on. Over the next three days of notes there is a theme going on which starts at the end of this reading. This theme of focus is the Sabbath. Since the Sabbath is a highly questioned day of rest since Jesus came to bring a new covenant there are some good points to come as far as honoring the Sabbath, for you and me this could be different but the reality son of man is the lord of the Sabbath. Again we all have our own convictions and experiences through prayer in which we are directed by faith to please and honor heavenly father.
Jesus will continue to be judged no matter what he says or does. Sounds like the ways of today. So many people from all over to hear his message that where he was there was no room to fit through the door so a man who was paralyzed was taken and dropped from the roof and dropped him in, in order to receive healing. This is where people question once again because they can't believe their eyes and are astonished as to what is said to heal the man. It is not impossible for anything, we know this in these times by all the technology and medical breakthroughs. Jesus simply explains that saying your sins are forgiven is easier then saying get up and walk to someone who has not walked. We know, as believers and followers that sin is the biggest burden of pain in this world. It is by our sinful nature as individuals that each day could be better mentally, physically and emotionally. The more we continue to hurt ourselves or others, knowingly or not the longer it takes to get passed it when we face it. How many times did you say I will start not doing something tomorrow? We can account that sin is hurtful to us, others, and father Yah. The idea is simple really, sin hurts because it is rebellious, and spiteful in nature since you do it knowing it is wrong. If you can not find anything wrong about it then is it a sin? Surely if it is rebellious or against the word of God then it must be. Just because you can not always justify why it is wrong doesn't mean some of the things we do or say aren't. This story shows that some people are unfamiliar with why anyone other than God can forgive sins, but we all have to learn to forgive, it is something we must do in order to lay down our burden. We need to forgive others of their trespasses against us in order to live in peace with ourselves and heavenly father.
Jesus actively seeks followers, still now as before, if we are accepting his offer to follow him, he asks us to drop who we are and come with him, to be who we were meant to be. In this chapter he calls on Levi, a tax collector which apparently was a pretty horrible thing in those times. I don't see how one person was any worse then the other since judgement on others is a sinful nature as well. Anyway, this is where the first verse I would like to highlight is. It shows that Jesus came to heal us, the world needed him because it was sick. He sacrificed himself for those who needed it, which is technically everyone, but to make a point Jesus speaks about those who do not get treatment or go to the doctor's unless they need to go for a follow up or they have a health concern they need to address.
Mark 2: 16-17-
On a final note for the discussion, this is the beginning of some messages about the Sabbath that will become reoccurring for the next few readings. What I feel is important is that here they are seen by some others (Pharisees) that take the day of rest to the extent and seriousness of death for even speaking of doing something. I think nowadays we consider rest different as well as labor on our days off. No one cooked dinner or helped others it seems like reading over these stories. Hard to believe but it's true. Here all the disciples and Jesus were doing was gathering a little bit of grain heads for something to eat. (by gathering I do not mean labor I mean casually plucking the heads of grain off) The pharisees get so upset they call Jesus out and you know what Jesus did? He did like he always does when judgement was passed or his authority was questioned by is choice in action, he told a story. These stories are not to generally to say hey this guy did this therefore I can do this. He is saying what do you think you need to do when you are in this situation and you need to eat?! You eat. No it's not OK to steal but this is not the message. the message is more favorably towards that we are going to need to do certain things but we can still honor God by doing them. The story of David and his companions taking consecrated bread meant only for priests was probably for the fact that King David was the King and the Pharisees subject to the King therefore they may have justified him being the King making it alright though, in the eyes of Jesus why is it fine for him and not anyone else to bless God and eat what he provides each day? I believe he leaves it up to us as free will as he does with everything including believing in him and loving him. It is our choice by conviction what we feel is Sabbath to us. How do we personally rest to honor God? Can we not honor him everyday and not just on the day of rest anyway?
Mark 2-
Day Seven: Mark 2
This day is a short reading with a lot going on. Over the next three days of notes there is a theme going on which starts at the end of this reading. This theme of focus is the Sabbath. Since the Sabbath is a highly questioned day of rest since Jesus came to bring a new covenant there are some good points to come as far as honoring the Sabbath, for you and me this could be different but the reality son of man is the lord of the Sabbath. Again we all have our own convictions and experiences through prayer in which we are directed by faith to please and honor heavenly father.
Jesus will continue to be judged no matter what he says or does. Sounds like the ways of today. So many people from all over to hear his message that where he was there was no room to fit through the door so a man who was paralyzed was taken and dropped from the roof and dropped him in, in order to receive healing. This is where people question once again because they can't believe their eyes and are astonished as to what is said to heal the man. It is not impossible for anything, we know this in these times by all the technology and medical breakthroughs. Jesus simply explains that saying your sins are forgiven is easier then saying get up and walk to someone who has not walked. We know, as believers and followers that sin is the biggest burden of pain in this world. It is by our sinful nature as individuals that each day could be better mentally, physically and emotionally. The more we continue to hurt ourselves or others, knowingly or not the longer it takes to get passed it when we face it. How many times did you say I will start not doing something tomorrow? We can account that sin is hurtful to us, others, and father Yah. The idea is simple really, sin hurts because it is rebellious, and spiteful in nature since you do it knowing it is wrong. If you can not find anything wrong about it then is it a sin? Surely if it is rebellious or against the word of God then it must be. Just because you can not always justify why it is wrong doesn't mean some of the things we do or say aren't. This story shows that some people are unfamiliar with why anyone other than God can forgive sins, but we all have to learn to forgive, it is something we must do in order to lay down our burden. We need to forgive others of their trespasses against us in order to live in peace with ourselves and heavenly father.
Jesus actively seeks followers, still now as before, if we are accepting his offer to follow him, he asks us to drop who we are and come with him, to be who we were meant to be. In this chapter he calls on Levi, a tax collector which apparently was a pretty horrible thing in those times. I don't see how one person was any worse then the other since judgement on others is a sinful nature as well. Anyway, this is where the first verse I would like to highlight is. It shows that Jesus came to heal us, the world needed him because it was sick. He sacrificed himself for those who needed it, which is technically everyone, but to make a point Jesus speaks about those who do not get treatment or go to the doctor's unless they need to go for a follow up or they have a health concern they need to address.
Mark 2: 16-17-
16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."The next part we see reference to the parable as seen in Luke 5: 36-39 about the old/new cloth as well as the old/new wine skins again. This story is told again on a different account but still where Jesus is questioned about fasting and why John's disciples fast and his do not. After they question in their hearts Jesus knowing their thoughts tells them that while he is there they should break bread with him and when he is gone there will be plenty of time to fast since the bridegroom is only there for a short time. You can refer to "Day Five's" reading for the whole take on the parable.
On a final note for the discussion, this is the beginning of some messages about the Sabbath that will become reoccurring for the next few readings. What I feel is important is that here they are seen by some others (Pharisees) that take the day of rest to the extent and seriousness of death for even speaking of doing something. I think nowadays we consider rest different as well as labor on our days off. No one cooked dinner or helped others it seems like reading over these stories. Hard to believe but it's true. Here all the disciples and Jesus were doing was gathering a little bit of grain heads for something to eat. (by gathering I do not mean labor I mean casually plucking the heads of grain off) The pharisees get so upset they call Jesus out and you know what Jesus did? He did like he always does when judgement was passed or his authority was questioned by is choice in action, he told a story. These stories are not to generally to say hey this guy did this therefore I can do this. He is saying what do you think you need to do when you are in this situation and you need to eat?! You eat. No it's not OK to steal but this is not the message. the message is more favorably towards that we are going to need to do certain things but we can still honor God by doing them. The story of David and his companions taking consecrated bread meant only for priests was probably for the fact that King David was the King and the Pharisees subject to the King therefore they may have justified him being the King making it alright though, in the eyes of Jesus why is it fine for him and not anyone else to bless God and eat what he provides each day? I believe he leaves it up to us as free will as he does with everything including believing in him and loving him. It is our choice by conviction what we feel is Sabbath to us. How do we personally rest to honor God? Can we not honor him everyday and not just on the day of rest anyway?
Mark 2-
27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man,not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
