Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Mark+012

 

Mark 12 English Standard Version (ESV)

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.”

 

REFLECTION

1. Jesus warned against those teachers of the Law who paraded themselves openly, whose prayers were a pious show, and whose greed was so great they would “devour widow’s houses”. Such men, Jesus said, “will be punished most severely.”  For contrast, Jesus praised a woman who freely placed her last coins in the treasury.
2. What a study in values. The greedy rich man, who always wanted more, and the poor widow willing to give all.  The “great man” viewed with respect by society, and the insignificant woman, held in high regard only by God.
3. While you may be neither rich nor poor, your choices are likely to be governed by the values expressed by one of these two. Which of the two will you choose to be most like?

 

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for reminding me not to be hypocritical like the scribes and Pharisees through today’s scriptures. Thank You for reminding me that I must devote myself to the pursuit of my faith, and if I want to be Your disciple, I must deny myself and take up my cross to follow You every day. Lord, thank You for keeping falsehood and lies away from me, so that I am not as rich as the rich people mentioned in the scriptures, nor as poor as the poor widow. Thank You for giving me my daily bread, so that I can follow You wholeheartedly. I would like to learn the spirit of this poor widow, dedicate all my best to You, and be willing to participate in Your ministry quietly, not to please others, but only to please You, please strengthen my will. Amen!

 

HYMN

My Worth Is Not In What I Own – https://youtu.be/05jKxv8ApuI

 

Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Mark+011

 
Mark 11 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Triumphal Entry

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ² and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” ⁴ And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. ⁵ And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. ⁷ And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. ⁸ And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. ⁹ And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

¹¹ And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

 

REFLECTION

1. The crowd shouted and waved and praised Jesus as their Messiah – the savior (v9-10).  But soon after, they became the crowd that wanted to nail Jesus on the cross.  It is easier to follow and praise God when everything seems to be going well, when God is meeting our expectations, and when faith is supported by those all around us.  The strength of our faith is tested when all of these supports and assumptions begin to fall away.
2. Has your faith in God been tested through changes of time, location, community?
3. Has anyone at church or cell group been going through this testing period and has not come out yet?  Write down his/her name on this page.  Commit to pray for him/her regularly for the whole month.  If possible, give him/her a call, write an email or send a card to encourage him/her and to accompany him/her to come through this process.

 

PRAYER

Lord, how sinful human nature is and how rebellious the heart is! Just as sweet and bitter waters spring from the same fountain, so do the words of blessing and cursing spring from the same mouth. Lord, those who cheered on You and praised You as the Messiah are also the murderers who shouted to crucify You! Lord, I will also meet such people in my life, please enable me to stand firm in my faith in such a crowd, and let me be like You to sympathize with them, love them, and pray for them, because they do not know what they are doing. Lord, please also have mercy on my weakness, walk with me, strengthen my dedication, don’t let me become such a person. I pray in Your victorious name. Amen!

 
HYMN

He Will Hold Me Fast – https://youtu.be/936BapRFHaQ

 

Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Mark+010

 
Mark 10 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Request of James and John

³⁵ And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” ³⁶ And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” ³⁸ Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹ And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” ⁴¹ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. ⁴² And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

REFLECTION

1. Jesus didn’t laugh or getting angry at James or John, but He did reject their requests.  We may want to ask for anything from God, but God wants to give us the best and not just anything we asked for.  So, it’s for our good that He may reject our requests.
2. Take a time to reflect.  Is there any prayer request of yours that God still hasn’t answered, or has refused?  Right now, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God, for He has or will have given you the best.
3. In the kingdom of Christ, “serving” is the way to success.  This is the model Christ left us.  Prayer is one of the services for believers.  Make this your prayer for today and always: “Lord, help me to pray faithfully daily for pastors, the church, our community, needs of brothers and sisters.”

 
PRAYER

Lord, thank You for speaking to me personally through today’s scriptures, admonishing me that being Your disciple is for serving and that I will be willing to pay the price. You are the Son of the living God, with a position of incomparable honour, but you came into the world in the form of a servant, humble and meek, and a servant of all. Lord, I would like to follow Your example, willing to bear Your burden, bear Your yoke, take up Your cross, and follow You. Only by doing this can I receive Your reward and have abundant life, because You have said that those who want to gain life will lose it, and those who lose their life for Your Word will gain life instead. Lord, please give me the extraordinary vision to understand what is most precious. Amen!

 
HYMN
Hear Our Prayer – https://youtu.be/t0aOG9AKbwg

 

Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Mark+009

 

Mark 9 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

¹⁴ And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵ And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. ¹⁶ And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”¹⁷ And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” ¹⁹ And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²² And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ²³ And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” ²⁵ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” ²⁶ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. ²⁸ And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁹ And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

 

REFLECTION

1. This passage clearly depicts Christ’s frustration with His disciples (v19), and the desperation of the father who believed, but doubted at the same time.
2. We are often like both this father and the disciples. We believe, yet doubt. We act in Jesus’ name, but at times fail completely.
3. This incident taught the disciples that they needed to serve God in constant conscious dependence on Him that expresses itself in prayer. Prayer serves to remind us who God is, and our dependence on Him. When we pray, we are reminded of who God is, and our faith is increased.
4. Which do you struggle with more—believing that Jesus can or that He wants to answer your prayers? Why?
5. Ask God to provide you with the encouragement you need in your life and to make you a channel of His grace to others.

 

PRAYER

Lord, I have often been like the father in the scriptures, believing, but not believing enough! Lord, have mercy on my weakness and little faith, please help me as You help this father. I have always acted in the flesh, and I have always been caught in sin and transgression. Lord, forgive my unrighteousness, forgive my transgressions, and may Your grace and love always be with me, so that my faith grows and my life transforms day by day. Please give me a strong and courageous heart, and think of Your grace in prayer every day; please walk with me in my busy life, so that I can understand that all things are possible for those who believe. As long as I rely on You and look to You, I will be able to experience Your power and be a good witness for You. Amen!

 

HYMN

Sweet Hour Of Prayer – https://youtu.be/sLV-imJxyo4

 

Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Mark+008

 

Mark 8 English Standard Version (ESV)

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

²⁷ And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸ And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰ And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

³⁴ And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his soul? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

 

REFLECTION

1. When Peter made this confession of faith “You are the Christ”, he has only taken the first step. The next step is a lifelong journey to live out this confession fully and authentically.
2. That’s the same with us. After our confession of faith, Jesus calls us to live a life to “deny himself and take up his cross and follow” Jesus.
3. In your journey of faith, which step have you taken? Are you still lingering at the first step?  Or are you walking toward the goal of being sanctified and made holy?  What is it that has kept you from moving ahead?  What are you afraid of?
4. Pray for courage and faith to walk on this journey. Ask for God’s guidance that you may willingly follow.

 

PRAYER

Lord, I am a man of little faith and cowardice! I lack the courage to deny myself, nor the strength to take up the heavy cross to follow You! My eyes are often drawn to the splendor of the world, and I am often indulged in the pleasures of sin and cannot extricate myself. As Paul described it, to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not. In my journey of faith, I have wandered many times, encountered ups and downs many times, and even fell, but You never forsaken me! You have been pulling me, step by step forward. Thank You, dear Lord Jesus, even though I am not worthy, You still love me. Please continue to pull me with Your loving cords, so that I have more courage and faith to follow You. Amen!

 

HYMN

Voice Of Truth – https://youtu.be/9cKm_mYVPQE