The Cross Awaits

Mark 10:32-34, 9:30-32 and 8:31-33

They were going up to Jerusalem
with Jesus leading the way.
The disciples were amazed with Jesus,
yet as they followed they were afraid.

For Jesus to go to Jerusalem
was not what the disciples thought best.
Why Jesus kept pushing forward
they could only venture a guess.

Though Jesus had tried to teach them
the disciples were still not aware
of what would be waiting for Jesus
upon His triumphant arrival there.

‘Rejection’ awaits Jesus
from the chief priests and the scribes.
Though they would seek to have Him killed,
Jesus would not run and hide.

‘Betrayal’ awaits Jesus
from one whom Jesus trusted as friend,
but this person would conspire to have Jesus
delivered into the hands of men.

‘Pain and suffering’ awaits Jesus.
He will be mocked, spit upon and killed,
but all these things must come to pass
so that prophesy may be fulfilled.

Jesus walked on ahead
left alone with His thoughts.
Though the disciples did not understand,
Jesus knew He would die on the cross.

Water Into Wine

John 2:1-11

Let me tell you about a friend of mine
who is able to turn water into wine,
and this miraculous testimony
took place at a wedding ceremony
.
When the wine at the feast was through
Jesus' mother asked Him what He could do.
Then she told the servants to listen to what He had to say
and whatever Jesus told them, they were to obey.

Jesus let His wishes be known,
put water in six waterpots made of stone.
The servants did what was asked of them
and filled the pots with water up to the brim.

Some of the new wine was taken to the host
and when he had tasted it he had to boast.
This is the beginning of miracles for Jesus of Galilee,
performed to demonstrate to us His great glory.

Now you can choose to believe it or not
but we can be looked at as being God's pots,
battered and worn vessels of clay
that can be used to get God's miracles underway.

What you might think to be even more odd
is that our water is the word of God,
where we too can be filled to the brim
with the gracious love that comes from Him.

But God's love is not ours to keep,
we are to share it with others that we meet
and our witness over the course of time
will lead others to Christ and become the wine.

Christ Onboard

When Jesus calms the wind and sea there is an obvious and not so obvious blessing. The disciples received the obvious blessing but what was the not so obvious blessing?

The new testament contains accounts of the teachings, miracles and blessings of Jesus during his life here on earth, some obvious and some not so obvious. An example of an obvious and not so obvious blessing of Jesus can be found in the calming of the sea. This account is recorded in the gospels of Matthew chapter 8, Mark chapter 4 and Luke chapter 8.

Jesus was asleep in the ship when a great wind storm suddenly appears creating waves large enough to fill the ship with water. The disciples awaken Jesus amid a state of panic and ask Jesus if he no longer cares about them. I love the way the King James bible translates their statement in Mark, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?". The disciples should have known that the safest place to be in times of trouble was by the side of Jesus, yet their faith was not strong enough to let Jesus sleep.

Jesus asks the disciples what happened to their faith as he calms the wind and the sea. The disciples respond in astonishment by asking each other "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?".

By comparing all three gospel accounts Mark records one particular statement that is not found in the other two gospels: "And there were also with him other little ships." In our study of this miracle it is easy to overlook this statement, and yet it has profound implications. ‘Other little ships', the ship that was carrying Jesus and the disciples was not the only ship on the sea, so therefore there were other ships in peril without Christ onboard when the storm suddenly arose.

When Jesus awoke he could have told his disciples that they were safe from harm with him onboard and left the storm to its rage or he could have lifted the ship and placed it safely on the shore, instead he calmed the wind and the sea. When the sea settled all of the ships on the sea were rescued from the rage of the storm, not just the ship carrying Jesus and his disciples.

In this account we have the obvious blessing of the disciples being rescued from the storm and the not so obvious blessing of all the other little ships on the sea being rescued from the storm too. And so this is how it can be even today. All of us are probably guilty of looking upon someone and questioning why did the Lord bless this awful sinner. Perhaps it could be that when the Lord blessed one of his faithful followers the blessing was so widespread that it blessed others too.


The Sea of Life
Mark 4:35-41

Sailing on the sea of life on a calm and peaceful day
when suddenly a storm arises and meets me along the way.
So I batten down the hatches hoping to make it through,
others are out on the sea and have to face it too.

Waves come crashing over and begin to fill my boat.
Soon it will be filled with water and can no longer stay afloat.
How am I going to keep from sinking and deal with this stress?
Does the Lord no longer care for me or is this some kind of a test?

However great the storm may be I can get through it with the Lord,
but what about those other ships that don't have Christ on board?
The presence of a storm does not mean we are out of God's will
for believers and nonbelievers alike will have to face life's ordeals.

Storms will expose the weakness that dwells within our heart.
If we keep our faith in Jesus, the storm will soon depart.
Jesus is my strength during the storms that I will have to face.
Satan may create distractions but Jesus will keep him in his place.

Peace and comfort will return when the storm subsides.
Regardless of the situation, God must still be glorified.
When the Lord calms the storm and has brought me through,
may those other ships on the water receive the blessing too.

The Mirror

When I get to heaven I hope to find a mirror for me there,
But it's not my own vanity that I am asking for this prayer.

After I hang my mirror In my heavenly home
I will thank my Lord and Saviour for the kindness He has shown.

Those whom I love I will then want to see,
So I will extend an invitation to come and visit me.

And when they come over I will look at them and say
Come and see the treasure the Lord has brought my way.