Today's Reading and some ancient thoughts....

Mark 14:26-72

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."

29 Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not."

30 And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

31 But he said emphatically, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." And they all said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."

33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.

34 And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."

35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?

38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.

40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

41 And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard."

45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed him.

46 And they laid hands on him and seized him.

47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

48 And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?

49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled."

50 And they all left him and fled.

Hilary of Poitiers: Although he was obedient, it was a voluntary obedience. The only begotten Son humbled himself, obeyed his Father even to the death of the cross. But was it as human or as a Gos that he was subjected to the Father? His subjection is not a sign merely of temporal obedience, for His allegiance is eternal. Rather it was an instance in time of the dispensation of the eternal mystery of him humbling. His actual humbling occurred within time. Yet in its very unpretentiousness it displays the eternal mystery of His humiliation. (On The Trinity 11.30)

Augustine: To show sufferers they need not despair, the True Savior became the Good Teacher by Himself epitomizing the truth in His own person. He participated in our suffering in an empathetic way, knowing that through human frailty sorrow might steal in upon our hearts amid afflictions, and knowing that we would overcome itif we yield to God's will above our own, mindful that God knows best those whose well-being He superintends. (The Harmony of the Gospels 3.4.14)

radaph: how often do I pray for "His will" to be done in my life... after dropping a laundry list of demands and requests upon Him? Is it thrown in as a spiritual soliliqouy - kind of like "In Jesus Name" - because of being indoctrinated into the "right" way to pray? Or shared with the humility that recognizes the depth of the Father's Love (because that is who He is, after all) and a willingness to walk through any fiery furnace, sleep in any den full of lions, challenge any mob of false prophets, or carry any cross based upon a belief that being with Him in the midst of those circumstances will always be better then outside of them without Him? That's the HEART of the matter....

Today's Reading.... and another blog that you might like....

http://aarondtaylor.blogspot.com/2010/03/ruth-was-illegal-immigrant-so-does-that.html

Mark 14:1-25

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,

2 for they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people."

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.

4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that?

5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.

6 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.

8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.

9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

Judas to Betray Jesus

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.

11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him,

14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'

15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us."

16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve.

18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."

19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, "Is it I?"

20 He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.

21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."

Institution of the Lord's Supper

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body."

23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.

24 And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

try this for some thought provoking reading...

http://aarondtaylor.blogspot.com/2010/03/ruth-was-illegal-immigrant-so-does-that.html

Today's Reading

OK.... I really will post some additional thoughts later today...

Blessings as you live life and pursue God in the midst of it!

Mark 13:14-37

The Abomination of Desolation

14 "But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out,

16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!

18 Pray that it may not happen in winter.

19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.

20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

21 And then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it.

22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

The Coming of the Son of Man

24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,

25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.

29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.

30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day or Hour

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."

Today's Reading

I'll post some additional thoughts later....

Mark 13:1-13

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!"

2 And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

Signs of the Close of the Age

3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

4 "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?"

5 And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray.

6 Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray.

7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 "But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.

10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.

13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

From Tuesday Morning by Tom Baynard....

Help me understand this. Jesus told the Pharisee that if he were to list all the Law and the Prophets, these two commandments would be at the top of the list. In fact, Jesus said that everything in the Law and the Prophets hangs on these two commandments, at least in terms of importance. Does this mean that loving God and loving others is more important than obeying the Ten Commandments? If so, Moses, step down. Isaiah, step down. Major Prophets, step down. Minor Prophets, step down. Love, step up!

In 1972 I was appointed dean of students at a Christian College in Oklahoma. One of my colleagues was a resident director for one of our men’s dormitories. At that time he was a graduate student in philosophy at a major university and was very bright. I was new in my position, and he and I often discussed the student conduct code at our school—rules that had remained relatively unchanged for at least 15 years. To say that our student guidelines were dated is an understatement. But that was the way things were in 1972.

American involvement in the Viet Nam War had reached a peak in 1968, but the impact of the war on college and university campuses was still being felt four years later. While thousands of young Americans were dying each year in Nam, schools like ours were dealing with issues like the length of a guy’s hair and whether or not we could show Hollywood motion pictures on campus.

One day my colleague said he had a new thought about campus regulations. He said, “Tom, I know how to solve our problem. Let’s eliminate the student handbook completely.” I replied, “Right.” “No,” he said. “We can replace it with a biblical guideline that will apply to every kind of student behavior.” That got my attention. I asked him where he got the idea. “St Augustine,” he said. “Good source,” I replied. And what did Augustine say? He said, “Love God and do whatever you want.”

I wonder if Augustine might have thought differently if he were serving as a dean of students at a co-ed college or university in the 21^st Century. But his point was a good one. If people acted from hearts that loved God and loved others, our nation and world would be entirely different places than they are now.

Jesus knew that in a matter of hours his disciples would be leaderless. His mind was focused on Calvary. Their minds were focused on other things, like a new kingdom on earth where Jesus would reign as David had reigned centuries earlier. Jesus knew that his men would face disappointment and loss. He knew that the one thing that could hold them steady was a genuine love for God and a love for each other. Jesus believed this so deeply that he left them with a command. Here is how John remembered it:

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I

have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another

will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

(John 13:34, 35 NLT)

Jesus did not say, “Love me as much as you love each other.” And he did not say, “Love each other as much as you love me.” He said, “Love each other as much as I love you.” Some have called this the Impossible Commandment. They are right, of course. Without God’s love dwelling in our hearts, we cannot love others as in the same way that Jesus loves us. And how does God’s love dwell in our hearts? Through the power of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Christ. And how do we receive that Spirit? Through faith! Jesus was right: Loving God and loving each other is still the Greatest Commandment

Today's Reading and some thoughts from the ancient fathers of the faith...

Mark 12:28-44

The Great Commandment

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.

33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, "'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.'

37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?" And the great throng heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

38 And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces

39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,

40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

The Widow's Offering

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.

42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.

43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."

"To love God Truly is to love God with all that you are as body, soul, and spirit." Gregory of Nyssa

Athanasius: Since Go d is one, it is ridiculous to suppose that there could still be another "Lord" of heaven and earth in addition to the Lord who is one. There is simply no room for a second Lord of all if the one true God fills all things in the compass of heaven and earth.

Today's Reading

Mark 12:1-27

The Parable of the Tenants

1 And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country.

2 When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully.

5 And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed.

6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

7 But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

8 And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.

10 Have you not read this Scripture: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

11 this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

12 And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.

14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?"

15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."

16 And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's."

17 Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying,

19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.

20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring.

21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise.

22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died.

23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife."

24 Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?

25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong."