Chap 1: The Dance (Trinity) (Mark 1:9-11): Do you expect others to dance around you? Intro: Jesus didn't ride into Jerusalem like a king on a power war horse, but like a "nobody" on a colt, or a small donkey, fit for a child or a hobbit (Mark 11:1-10). In this way, Jesus let it be known that he was the One prophesied in Zech 9:9. The Excellency of Christ (Jonathan Edwards, 1738, Rev 5:5,6) John is told to look for a lion, but there in the midst of the throne is a lamb (Rev 5:5,6). Jesus' personality is a complete and beautiful whole. (above quote) Jesus Opened the Temple to the Unclean Pagans Jesus "went into/entered the temple courts" (Mark 11:11,15), the first area inside the temple door, which was the biggest section of the temple, and the only part where non-Jews were allowed. All the business operations were set up there. Thousands of people flooded into Jerusalem bringing and buying thousands of animals to be sacrificed. Josephus says that 255,000 lambs were bought, sold, and sacrificed in Passover week. And all tis was the place where the Gentiles were supposed to find God through quiet reflection and prayer. Jesus turned the place upside down (Mark 11:15-17). The whole crowd was amazed (Mark 11:18). Why? It was popularly believed that when the Messiah came he would purge the temple of foreigners. Instead, Jesus cleared the temple for the Gentiles--acting as their advocate. This was so subversive to the religious elite, since Jesus was challenging the sacrificial system altogether and saying that the Gentiles--the pagan, unwashed Gentiles--could now go directly to God in prayer, which challenged their bigoted exclusivity. The Temple Lost at Eden ... with No Way Back The story of the temple starts in the Garden of Eden, a place where the presence of God dwelled. It was paradise. In the presence of God there is shalom, absolute flourishing, fulfillment, joy, and bliss. But when the first humans decided to build their lives on things besides God, to let other things besides God give them their ultimate meaning and significance, paradise was lost, being guarded by " A Provisional Solution, 1st, through the Tabernacle, then the Temple In the middle of the temple was the holy of holies, covered by a thick veil to shield people from the shekinah presence of God, for God's immediate presence was fatal to human beings (Exo 33:20). "The tabernacle, the temple, and the whole sacrificial system--the only solution to the problem of the sword and the only access, however limited, to the presence of God--were only for the Israelites." (158) So when Jesus quoted Isa 56:7 to imply that the Gentiles could get access to the presence of God, the people were amazed. Yet the prophets promised " The Ultimate Solution: Jesus Had to Go Under the Sword Most people didn't see the answer in Isa 53:8 which speaks of the Messiah: " Fruitless Fig Tree, Temple, and Churches, Though Outwardly Very Busy Between Jesus' 2 visits to the temple (Mark 11:11,15), Mark records Jesus cursing a fig tree for being barren though it was not the season for figs (Mark 11:12-14). This looks quite bad for Jesus. But it was no fit of temper. Between Jesus' 2 visits to the temple, Jesus seized the opportunity to provide a private, memorable object lesson, a parable against hollow religiousity, with the fig tree as a visual aid. What's the lesson about? The fig tree wasn't doing its appointed job. The tree became a perfect metaphor for Israel and beyond that, for those claiming to be God's people but who do not bear fruit for him. The temple was religiously very busy, just like most churches are. But the busyness contained no spirituality. Nobody was actually praying. There may be outward growth without real heart change, and without real compassionate involvement with others. Jesus would clear the temple of all that fruitless activity. What a Christian Should Be: a Lion and a Lamb Jesus wants more than busyness; he wants the kind of character change that only comes from realizing that you have been ransomed. Are you angry, anxious, impatient, unforgiving, full of fears and worries, being busy with much religious activities? Jonathan Edwards says of the paradoxical character of Jesus that these same radically different traits that are normally never combined in any one person will be reproduced in you because you are in the presence of Jesus Christ. You're not just becoming nicer, or more disciplined, or more moral, for Jesus, who unites such apparent extremes of character into such an integrated and balanced whole, demands an extreme response from every one of us. He will force our hand at every turn. You'll be both a lamb but also a lion at the same time; both gentle and bold, both humble and aggressive, meek yet a conqueror. Through Jesus, and only through Him, we become a more complete person, the person we were designed to be, the person we were ransomed to be. We acquire the life and character of Jesus--the King who rides gently on a donkey, then boldly storms into the temple. Jesus is both the rest and the storm, both the victim and the wielder of the flaming sword, and you must accept him or reject him on the basis of both. Either you'll have to kill him or you'll have to crown him. The only thing you can't do is say, "What an interesting guy." The teachers of the law who began plotting to kill him (Mark 11:18) may have been dead wrong about him, but their reaction makes perfect sense. Keeping Jesus in the periphery of your life won't work. He can't remain there. Give yourself to Jesus--center your entire life on him--and let his power reproduce his character in you. Question: Are you both a lion and lamb at the same time?
Chap 2: The Gospel, The Call (Mark 1:14-20): Is your gospel good news or good advice?
Chap 3: The Healing (Mark 2:1-5): Are your sins against God or people (Ps 51:4)?
Chap 4: The Rest (Mark 2:23-3:6): Are you resting in your efforts for significance?
Chap 5: The Power (Mark 4:35-41): Do you enjoy goodness and calm in a storm?
Chap 6: The Waiting (Mark 5:21-43): Do you have peace when God delays?
Chap 7: The Stain (Mark 7:1-23): Do you feel unclean, insignificant?
Chap 8: The Approach (Mark 7:24-37): Do you know you’re a dog, yet loved?
Chap 9: The Turn (Mark 8:27-9:1): Why is forgiveness so hard?
Chap 10: The Mountain (Mark 9:2-29): What if you are filled with doubt?
Chap 11: The Trap (Mark 10:17-27): What is money to you?
Chap 12: The Ransom (Mark 10:45): Is Jesus all you want and need?
Quotes: "In Jesus we find infinite majesty yet complete humility, perfect justice yet boundless grace, absolute sovereignty yet utter submission, all sufficiency in himself yet entire trust and dependence on God." (155)
"Jesus was King, but he didn't fit into the world's categories of kingship. He brought together majesty and meekness." (154)
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