Word@Work 130 - Mark 11:18-19
Published: Fri, 05/23/08
Word@Work from BeaconLight
Read Mark 11:18-19 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city. (NIV)
The truth has interesting properties. Those who submit to it are blessed: but those who resist it, are not only cursed themselves, they want to destroy the truth-tellers. Whistle blowers are rarely appreciated. In this phase of Jesus' ministry he was calling time on centuries of religious farce, and graphically predicting the judgement to come.
At that the crowds recognised the authority of the Teacher, so the false teachers of Israel saw their authority ebbing away. A 'catch 22' situation had developed around the clerical elite: if they killed the popular Jesus, public disorder would threaten their carefully negotiated power base under the Roman occupation; but if they did not, their accepted powerbase among the Jews would disintegrate. So they looked for a way to kill him that would please both Romans and Jews - and keep them in power.
It continues to be a religious problem. Political scheming is no way to serve the purpose of God (nor are office politics at work!), yet it has become the habit of our age. Every such manoeuvre is a diversion away from teaching the gospel. The astonishing thing is that the gospel is designed to be amazing, and when true amazement takes hold, we cannot see or hold anything else. It makes you wonder if those engaged in power-politics have ever understood how amazing the gospel is. The remedy is to repent and then immerse ourselves in the teaching of Jesus - the amazement will refocus every other ambition.
Prayer: Dear Father God. Thank you that the teaching of Jesus is designed to amaze me. Help me to let the wonder of His truth reset the focus of my ambition; in the family, the workplace and the church. May I be more concerned about how Jesus comes across than how to project myself. For Christ's sake, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
The truth has interesting properties. Those who submit to it are blessed: but those who resist it, are not only cursed themselves, they want to destroy the truth-tellers. Whistle blowers are rarely appreciated. In this phase of Jesus' ministry he was calling time on centuries of religious farce, and graphically predicting the judgement to come.
At that the crowds recognised the authority of the Teacher, so the false teachers of Israel saw their authority ebbing away. A 'catch 22' situation had developed around the clerical elite: if they killed the popular Jesus, public disorder would threaten their carefully negotiated power base under the Roman occupation; but if they did not, their accepted powerbase among the Jews would disintegrate. So they looked for a way to kill him that would please both Romans and Jews - and keep them in power.
It continues to be a religious problem. Political scheming is no way to serve the purpose of God (nor are office politics at work!), yet it has become the habit of our age. Every such manoeuvre is a diversion away from teaching the gospel. The astonishing thing is that the gospel is designed to be amazing, and when true amazement takes hold, we cannot see or hold anything else. It makes you wonder if those engaged in power-politics have ever understood how amazing the gospel is. The remedy is to repent and then immerse ourselves in the teaching of Jesus - the amazement will refocus every other ambition.
Prayer: Dear Father God. Thank you that the teaching of Jesus is designed to amaze me. Help me to let the wonder of His truth reset the focus of my ambition; in the family, the workplace and the church. May I be more concerned about how Jesus comes across than how to project myself. For Christ's sake, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
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W@W130 | Word@Work 2008 © Dr Paul Adams | Provided by BeaconLight
Contact us at wordatwork@beaconlight.co.uk
Your next Word@Work will be sent on Tuesday, May 27, 2008.
Contact us at wordatwork@beaconlight.co.uk
Your next Word@Work will be sent on Tuesday, May 27, 2008.