Second Tuesday of Lent: Lent 2014

Lenten Devotional
Mark 1-3

I was not able to write on yesterday's reading due to travel and attending a conference.  I wish this was not so as that reading was on the death and resurrection of Jesus.  The most important of all aspects of the Christian Gospel.  This is the foundation of our faith and hope.  None the less, today we start into a new Gospel.  Mark is the shortest of the four gospels and believed to be the first one written.  It is also believed to be the foundation of Matthew and Luke.  But as Matthew has a specific picture of Jesus' life, Mark also has a specific picture to help us see Jesus.

The one thing we see early is that Mark speeds the story faster than any of the other gospels.  Along with John, Mark does not retell the birth story.  He starts the gospel (Good News) of Jesus with the work and ministry of John the Baptist.  Then Jesus is sent to the wilderness for fasting and temptation.  Then Jesus starts calling disciples to follow Him.  Then people start following after Him due to the healing and forgiveness offered.  

The crowed following makes us think about in a time when there where numerous healers and prophetic voices floating around the Jewish circles, but Jesus was able to draw a crowd among all these voices.  Yes people followed some of these others, but they did not last after the gifts and the good things left.  Today, we have many voices calling around the world and people wanting followers.  The message of Jesus is still one of the most empowering to people.  I have heard stories of missionaries in India that the gospel is spreading fast.  It is due to the fact that through Christ, people are elevated out of the cast system and given value as a person.  They are able to have positions of value and jobs of meaning.  People are seen as valuable in the eyes of Christ and through His message.

The church in America and the west does not seem to be drawing crowds with the same message.  In fact, many people are running away from the church in droves.  Others do not even want to hear from Jesus people.  Why are people running away?  Why do people not want to hear the message?  

At a conference I attend in the fall, the question was put forward about the holiness of the church.  If the holiness of Jesus attracted crowds and people, what does this say about the holiness of the church?  This was a hard to hear when it was presented.  It is still hard to think about.  I believe when we come back to be followers of Christ and treat people with value as a Child of God, the people will hear and come to faith to follow with us in the life of Christ.