Mark 14:10-11

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10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. ~ Mark 14:10-11

Today, we continue our study of Mark 14 where we have been studying lessons about worship from Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. True worship is defined by that which  defines us most. The type of worship that Mary displayed at Simon's house was the result of a heart transformed by entering into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In v.10 of today's passage we read, "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them."

In just one verse the scene makes a dramatic shift from an incredible display of adoration and worship back to the religious leaders and Judas who were plotting to kill the Lord Jesus. Unbeknown to the religious leaders, they were playing right into a plan that was devised by the Godhead before this world was created. 

We are told in Revelation 13:8 that it was from the foundation of the world that it was determined that the Lord Jesus would pay the penalty for man's sin. God is omniscient which means He knows everything. That does not mean He makes all things happen as they do. He allowed man to sin. Could He have prevented it? Absolutely, but if He had, we would all be robots with no will of our own. And, without a will, there is no choice. And, without choice, there is no love.

Before God laid the foundations of the world, He already knew that man would rebel against Him and inaugurate sin. Sin is the suspicion that God is not good. As a result man was condemned in his sinfulness. There was no hope to be found. God had to do something. So, He prepared a plan of salvation, a way for us to be reconciled back to Him through someone in His inner circle.

Shockingly, someone from another inner circle offered his services to betray the Lord Jesus. In context, Mark contrasts Mary’s devotion with the desire of Judas to make a little money. This was prophesied in Zechariah 11:12-13. It was not determined that Judas would do it, but we were told that the Lord Jesus would be betrayed for the amount of a common slave. 

What a contrast. Mary used her money to honor the Lord Jesus while Judas used the Lord Jesus to get some money. Mary anointed the Lord Jesus for His burial while the religious leaders and Judas arranged for His burial. The Lord Jesus recognized Mary for favoring Him over the poor while Judas seemed to favor the poor over the anointing of the Lord Jesus. Again, what a contrast.

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over."

The religious leaders were delighted to learn of that which motivated Judas to betray God: greed. Interestingly, the name "Judas" is a form of Judah which means "thank you." He didn't live up to His name did he? Judas' family name was Iscariot which reveals he was from the village of Kerioth, 23 miles south of Jerusalem. Judas was the only non-Galilean among the twelve apostles. 

After Judas learned that the Lord Jesus was not going to set up His Millennial kingdom on earth, he was quick to look for the best way to hand over the Lamb of God to the religious leaders for money. According to Matthew 26:15, Judas agreed to betray the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. According to Exodus 21:32, 30 pieces of silver was the price of a slave. 

I find it interesting that Judas Iscariot is always mentioned last whenever there's a listing of the twelve disciples in the New Testament. When Judas bargained with the leaders of Israel for the betrayal of the Lord Jesus, they considered the cost of the death of the Lord Jesus to be that of a slave. The Lord Jesus became the slave of God in order to free slaves from sin.

When considering the real price that was placed on the Lord Jesus, it is helpful to consider Philippians 2:5-11 which reads, "Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The Lord Jesus took on the form of a slave. The Greek word “doulos” was utilized by the Apostle Paul and it literally means "slave." The significance of the 30 pieces of silver not only ties the Old Testament to the New Testament but also reveals how the Lord Jesus was willing to humble Himself and offer Himself up upon the cross, to purchase what we could never afford. He was the only who could pay the worthy price for our forgiveness in the eyes of God. For that we worship Him.

Mark 14:6-9

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6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” ~ Mark 14:6-9

Today, we return to our study of the day when Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus anointed the Lord Jesus six days before His crucifixion. Previous to this, the Lord Jesus had told the disciples three times that He was going to Jerusalem to die, but, they didn't believe Him. In today's text, we learn that Mary of Bethany believed Him. For Mary, it made sense that the Lord Jesus was heading to Jerusalem to die. So, she anointed Him with the most expensive perfume, similar to the way the sacrificial lamb's were anointed six days before they were to be sacrificed in the Old Testament.

In v.6-7 of todays passage we read, "6 Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me."

The disciples felt that Mary's choice to pour the expensive spikenard on the Lord was a "waste," saying, "We could have used that to help the poor." But as the Lord Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me." In saying that, He was actually saying, "It is in your most vulnerable of moments that your heart is closest to me, make sure you act on that because that is worship."

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial."

The Lord Jesus equated Mary's worship with preparation for His burial. The recording of this act of worship was not shared by Mark in its chronological order. Due to that many miss the fact that it happened six days before the Lord Jesus was crucified. In John 12:1 we learn this incident happened six days before the Passover. This anointing happened on the Saturday before the following Friday when the Lord Jesus was crucified.  

This anointing of the Lord Jesus by Mary paralleled the anointing of the Passover lamb which was annually prepared for the Passover sacrifice. The anointing of the Passover lamb annually took place six days before he would be slaughtered. The anointing in those days was a way of inspecting the Passover Lamb before each Jewish family would bring it into their home to care for it and keep it blemish free. When Mary anointed the Lord Jesus six days before Passover, she drew attention to the many Passover lambs that had been faithfully anointed since the night of the Passover in Egypt so many years before. It also highlighted the fact that the Lord Jesus was the Passover Lamb who took away our sin once and for all.

 

Mary's many years of biblical training served her so well that she knew exactly what she was doing that faithful evening at Simon's the ex-leper's house. In addition, her pain served her in that monumental moment. When her brother, Lazarus, died, Mary experienced excruciating pain that informed her actions that night. In fact, before she arrived upon such good theology, Mary indirectly blamed the Lord Jesus for her brother's death. When the Lord Jesus had arrived in Bethany four days after Lazarus had died, Mary brought attention to His late arrival. This served her in her memorable actions many days following.

Our pain always speaks, and sometimes, the message doesn't make sense to us in the moment. Whatever our beliefs are, they are best recognized as we deal with our pain. It was at that point of greatest pain and confusion that the Lord Jesus came to Lazarus' tomb and asked that the stone covering the tomb be removed. When they removed the stone and the Lord Jesus called Lazarus to come forth, it was at that moment that it all began to make sense to Mary. It was on the heels of that most horrific experience that Mary began to truly worship the Lord Jesus. This led to Mary expending all she had to anoint the Lord Jesus with this most expensive spikenard perfume. 

There is a clear connection between our pain and our worship of the Lord Jesus. We have all been drawn to C.S. Lewis and his perspective on pain. Lewis had tasted pain in ways that few can relate to. He lost his mother at an early age, saw his dad emotionally abandon him, suffered from a respiratory illness as a teenager, fought and was wounded in World War I, and finally had to bury his wife, Joy. Through all of this, Lewis wrote about all of his heartache in his work, The Problem of Pain. In that work, Lewis penned one of his most famous lines ever. He wrote:

"Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

Locating and listening to God through the pain in our heart is a major step to getting to the place of worship. Instinctively, we avoid pain. To get to reality, we must visit our pain and let it do its work deep within us. It's design is to prepare our heart to experience God. We ordinarily do not do this because it hurts too much. So often we run from our pain, not realizing that it aids us in our pursuit of our Heavenly Father. It is through our brokenness that we see God’s true strength as He meets us right where we are in the moment. God uses our hurts so that He can clearly write the lessons of His grace on our hearts and set our affections on Him.

Once we locate the pain, we must visit it. We must feel it again and again, and, allow God to do His deepest work in us. Then through that pain, we must run to Him over and over and over. There is never a cry that the Lord ignores. Our pain aids us at anticipating and recognizing and hearing His voice. Our pain helps us feel, it helps us to be human, it helps us meet God, it helps us to know God more deeply. Pain unlocks our hearts to be embraced by God. 

When we live life by going through the motions, we do not feel. Our hearts remain locked up and the danger is that they may become cold and steely. I’m convinced that brokenness of heart yields a tenderness and a vulnerability that enables us to see God like never before.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

And here we are some 2,000 years removed in time, thousands of miles removed in geography. And, here we are in another culture, another language honoring this woman who gave, because her story with the Lord Jesus is included in this gospel.

Mark 14:1-5

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"1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly." ~ Mark 14:1-5

Today, we begin our study of Mark 14 where Mark does what he has done frequently throughout this Gospel; he brings together certain events and themes which occurred at various times during this week and deliberately places them side by side so that we might see the contrast between being with God or being against Him.  

Emphasized in today's passage is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who poured costly perfume over the head of the Lord Jesus. Mark does not give her name, but John tells us in his gospel, it was Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who seized this occasion to anoint the head of the Lord Jesus.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 'But not during the festival,' they said, 'or the people may riot.'"

These events took place during "the Passover week."  Passover was immediately followed by the the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The two celebrations were typically lumped together. So, sometimes those terms are used interchangeably because it speaks of an entire week of festivities.

In this context, the religious leaders were so enraged, they looked feverishly for opportunities to kill the Lord Jesus. But, as the Scriptures reveals, this was the unfolding of God's plan to redeem hopeless man. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is the apex of redemptive history and the ratification of the new covenant.

The cross was in view of the Passover lambs that were slaughtered in Egypt, whose death and blood provided protection from God's judgment. The cross of the Lord Jesus is explicitly prophesied in detail in the Old Testament, even down to the very things that happened to the Lord Jesus and the very words He said while on the cross. 

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head."

Simon the ex-leper was one of the people whom the Lord Jesus had healed. While gathered at his house, Mary was so grateful for the Lord Jesus that she sacrificed a jar of perfume. The alabaster flask was a hand-carved bottle made from soft marble. It contained oil of spikenard which came from India. Spikenard is a plant that has a root between three inches and twelve inches long. The smell of spikenard is earthy, spicy, and sweet. It was very hard to come by, so it was very expensive. Mary was so appreciative for all the Lord had done for her, especially raising her brother Lazarus from the dead, she had saved the spikenard for this event.

Again, the backdrop to this precious display of love from Mary was the hatred of the religious leaders of Israel which had reached its boiling point. The subtle message here is that liberation is experienced and accessed through our choice of recounting what the Lord Jesus has done for us and subsequently choosing to worship Him. If we have not experienced the Lord Jesus person and power, like Mary, we will not be worshippers of Him.

Worship shows up in our lives in many ways. It is ascribing worth to the Lord Jesus by valuing how He defines things and how He has worked in our lives. Worship is allowing Him to define us. Mary took a pound of very costly Indian perfume and poured it on the Lord Jesus.

Mary's heart was so filled with love, joy and gratitude that she broke the expensive jar full of perfume and pours it upon the Lord Jesus until its fragrance filled the whole house. According to the other gospel accounts, she anointed his head first, and the perfume ran down along his body until it covered his feet. A picture of the Old Testament sacrificial lamb six days before it was sacrificed at Passover. Then she unbound her hair and wiped up the excess perfume with it.

Mary had experienced love from the Lord Jesus through the raising of her brother from the dead. This drilled down deeply into her heart. As a result, she was deeply appreciative of the deep love of the Lord Jesus. So, she expressed her deep love to the Lord Jesus by pouring this expensive perfume on Him.

She spared no expense, she cared nothing for the customs of the day, entering into a supper where women were usually not welcome, letting down her hair in public, an unthinkable act in that culture, and openly expressing her love for the Lord Jesus. But that's how love acts. It is uncaring of cost and expense. 

In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly."

The  religious leaders who did not worship the Lord Jesus, were continually looking for a way to do away with Him. They were motivated accordingly because the Lord Jesus was a threat to their kingdom. They were their own gods. On the other hand, Mary was looking for a way to worship the Lord Jesus because she had experienced His goodness and kindness.

The religious leaders unknowingly cooperated with God’s plans. As always, God achieves His best purposes in the midst of the worst evil. Some in the group who gathered at Simon's house that evening complained about the actions of Mary. The perfume was worth about a year’s wages. They reasoned Mary could have devoted her resources to the poor, a more worthy cause in the minds of some of the disciples. In John's Gospel, we are told that it was Judas who raised objection, and, some of the other disciples agreed. Judas illustrates a very important principle: A man sees in his eyes that which is in his heart.

There will always be people who place a monetary value on things. They know the price of everything but the value of nothing. They think money is the answer. It is not! The Lord Jesus is the answer to all of our needs and wants. All of this underscores: what we love, we worship. 

True worship is defined by the priority we place on who God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. True worship is a matter of the heart expressed through the choices we make, allowing God to define us. When we encounter Him, He marks us, and He makes us more hungry for Him. Worship is a heart transformed expressing itself regardless of the cost. The transformation of heart included the pain of losing. Simon had lost all of his feeling due to his leprosy. Mary and Martha had lost their brother to death. Lazarus had gotten sick and died. This is what it looks like to have a personal relationship with God! This is worship!

Mark 13:32-37

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32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” ~ Mark 13:32-37

Today, we conclude our study of Mark 13 which is a short study given by the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Olives to His disciples on the end times. 

In v.32-33 of today's passage we read, "32 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."

When the Lord Jesus spoke these words, He did not know when His second coming would take place. Now, that He has ascended to the Father in heaven, I believe, He now knows that day and hour. For those who will find themselves in the Tribulation, and they have seen the abomination of desolation, as spelled out in the the books of Daniel and Revelation, they will be able to count three and a half years and know when the second coming will happen. They will be able to do this because in the middle of the 70th seven in Daniel 9:27 the abomination of desolation will occur in the newly built temple in Jerusalem.

Before His ascension, the Lord Jesus said "no one knows" when these events will happen, but for those who will be living on earth during the tribulation period, they will be able to count 1260 days beyond the abomination of desolation, and know for certain when the end will happen.  

When the Tribulation begins, the first half of that seven year period of time will be more peaceful than the second half. The Seventieth Seven of Daniel 9 will begin right after the rapture of the church. Nobody knows when the rapture will happen, it could be today. 

In v.33, the Lord Jesus tells us to "Be on guard!" and "Be alert!" which means to be about the Father's business and engaging in the battle for souls that we are waging right now. From our vantage point right now no one knows when the second coming will happen or even the Rapture. But, for those who live during the tribulation, they will be able to calculate the second coming of the Lord Jesus to the day.

In v.34-36 of today's passage we read, "34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping."

There are few topics that elicit as much interest, discussion and debate in Christians circles as the study of the end times. Trying to understand all the ins and outs of end time theology is quite a task. Today's passage is set during the time after the rapture of the church. The emphasis here is for those left on the earth after the Rapture. The clarion call of the Lord to them is to "watch." 

The Lord Jesus used an illustration taken from the Romans who in those days split twelve hours of the day into what they referred to as "watches." Four three-hour watches were appointed during which a soldier would watch for intrusion or attacks by the enemy while the others slept. The purpose for the doorkeeper was to keep watch for thieves and other criminals to protect their master’s property. The twelve-hour watch began with the first watch which was from six to nine in the evening; then, from nine to midnight was the second; then, from midnight until three in the morning was the third, and then, three until six am was the fourth watch.

Since no one knew when the Master was to return whether during the evening or at midnight or in the morning, the servants were to remain vigilant throughout that time period. I find it interesting that these "watches" are also mentioned in Mark 14-15, in the account that is given of the crucifixion and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 

In v.37 of today's passage we read, "What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!"

Obviously, the key word in this passage is "watch." Four times in today's text, the Lord Jesus instructs believers to stay alert. The final generation who will see all of these things come to fruition will need to be alert. And, for us who will not be on the earth during the Tribulation, we must engage, now, in the "snatching of the unsaved from the fires of Hell" as we are told in the letter written by the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, Jude. 

The word "snatching" means "to take by force." Not the force of this world, the force of another world that responds to prayer given on the behalf of the unsaved. This is the same word the Apostle Paul uses to describe the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4. When we meet somebody who is not believing in the Lord Jesus, we must go after them as if we were engaged in a very serious rescue operation because they are damned by their sin if they have not trusted in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of their sin. And, the best way to reach them is by being committed to praying for them, first. And then, by patiently bringing the truth to them. We bring the truth to them best by being defined by God's truth, by allowing our choices to be hemmed in by His truth.

Having said all of this, we must remember that in order to recognize the false, we, must be well-trained in the truth which sensitizes our souls to the needs of the struggling and the unsaved.

Mark 13:28-31

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"28 Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ~ Mark 13:28-31

Today, we continue our study of Mark 13 where in context the disciples have asked the Lord Jesus how they would know that the end had come. Of course, the disciples had no idea that they would not be on the earth when the end arrived, but the Lord Jesus, nevertheless, answered their question. He answered their question for the benefit of those who will be on the earth during the Tribulation and the end comes.

In v.28 of today's passage we read, "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near."

In order to help His followers to understand when the end will come, the Lord Jesus used an illustration from the fig tree. "As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near." When these events that the Lord Jesus had been accentuating in this chapter come to fruition, then the end will come. But, the main idea here is the certainty of the Word of God. Just as sure as summer follows winter, the Word of the Lord will come to pass. 

For us who are learning to be defined by the Lord Jesus, we are being convinced that He is trustworthy. Trust is a prevalent theme throughout the Bible, appearing 186 times. Trust is a vital part of our relationship with the Lord, and, to have a healthy relationship with Him, we must be in the habit of proving His Word. Of course, if we are not in His word and we do not know what He has said, we lack the vantage point to know whether He is trustworthy or not.

In v.29-30 of today's passage we read, "29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." 

Some people see the budding fig tree as a picture of nation of Israel becoming a nation again in 1948. I do not see it that way because the Lord Jesus in context has been describing the happenings of the Tribulation period. He was saying that the generation that sees the events of the Tribulation, they will know that the end will be near and the coming of the Lord Jesus to this earth will be very near.

In v.31 of today's passage we read, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."

Those words were given to undergird our faith in a time when it might appear that the Bible will be wrong and events appear to be going a different route. When it will seem that perhaps the biblical record is just a dream and cannot be trusted, the followers of the Lord Jesus must remember these words: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." 

His words represent His definition of things, and, His Word will endure for eternity. Sadly, we live in a world full of people who are trying to change the definitions to everything. In this we see the rebellion of man against the definitions of God. And, the sad part about it, man's rebellion will not stand. And, for those who refuse to be defined by God, It is sad.

To illustrate the point, we have learned that for many years, Naval Observatory astronomers “observed” the motion of the earth, in relation to the heavens, to accurately measure time. All clocks in this country were set in relation to these very precise measurements. It was God who made the Master Clock of the Universe! He set the heavens in motion and mankind learned how to use its wonderful accuracy. As marvelous as this Great Clock is, the story does not end here.

To illustrate the point, in the early 2000's, scientists discovered that time can be measure by light. Now, time is measured by counting the number of times mercury ions vibrate in a second. Optical frequencies regularly oscillate at one million-billion times per second. By using lasers and mercury ions, scientists have harnessed the most precise measurement of time. Optical clocks only slip by ONE SECOND EVERY 30 BILLION YEARS it is estimated! 

All of this is to say, the God of all of creation has given us a book that we might know Him, to really know Him. His word, the word of God is the most substantive thing in this world. If we do not spend meaningful time in it, we lose out. For it is the word that keeps us from capsizing in a world of torrential waters. We must be diligent to not let anyone or anything turn us aside from spending time in the Word of God searching for God Himself. Investment in the Word of God for ourselves, and investment of the word of God in the souls of people must be our top priority. This is what life is truly all about. Life is not about figuring out the mysteries of prophecy. No, this life is about figuring out the mystery of God.

Mark 13:21-27

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21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. 24 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens." ~ Mark 13:21-27

Today, we continue our study of Mark 13 where the Lord Jesus had been responding to the question of the disciples about the end times. It was Wednesday evening of the passion week before Friday when the Lord Jesus would be crucified. The answer the Lord Jesus gave was threefold. Having considered the first two of His threefold response, today, we will consider His third response, it will be a time of religious deceit.

In v.21-22 of today's passage we read, "21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.'"

The emphasis in today's passage is on seeing. In Hebrews 11:3 we read, "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not brought into being from anything observable." 

During the Tribulation it will be a time of world-wide religious deceit. The false messiahs and the false prophets will be the agents of the anti-christ who will openly rule and reign in that day. These will be people who will appear and perform signs and wonders. Those not defined by God's word will be taken in and deceived.

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time."

With the emphasis on what we see, the Lord encourages His hearers to evaluate out of the posture that is informed by the word of God. This is why we must be in the word daily, allowing it to frame up life for us. Even though there was clear application of these words for the first disciples, these words will be most applicable to those who will be on the earth at the end of time. We have not yet entered into the time of tribulation, but the birth pains have come. Wars, rumors of wars, disease, disasters, and famines abound. And, the persecution of God's people is on the rise. Therefore, we must take notice of the signs that are before us, and, we must be about the Father's business, looking for those areas He is working and being useful to Him in leading others to the Lord Jesus.

In v.24-25 of today's passage we read, "24 But in those days, following that distress, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken."

Most theologians believe that the anti-christ, in the middle of the Tribulation, will do something awful in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, causing those who will be in the habit daily of being there, to leave. Thus, the abomination that causes desolation will be realized. This is why most have always watched with great interest the possibility of the reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem.

At the end of time, as we know it, the Lord Jesus Christ will appear in the heavens with great power and glory. Previous to His appearing, volcanoes will erupt and tidal waves arise. The havoc on the earth at that time will be the result of the heavens being shaken and the lights will be turned off. The Lord Jesus will appear in the sky for all on earth to see. This will be the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The main difference between the rapture of the church and the second coming of the Lord Jesus will be the fact that His feet will touch the earth at the second coming. At the rapture of the church, we will be raised to meet the Lord in the air.

In v.26-27 of today's passage we read, "26 At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens."

The climax of all of human history will be the appearing of Jesus Christ as Lord, with great power and great glory. At the second coming, the angels will be engaged in the gathering of God's people to Himself.  The sign of the end will be return of the Son, in full power and full glory. According to Revelation 6 the people of the earth at that time will say to the mountains, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb." This, of course, will be unnecessary because they could have avoided having to suffer the wrath of God for themselves. 

All of this underscores the fact that salvation is a free gift for the taking. Of course, it came at a great cost for the Lord Jesus. He laid down His life for anyone willing and humble enough to receive the free gift. When man yielded to the sinful desires of this fallen world, it resulted in the disordering of our loves. When we trust the Lord Jesus, we are enabled to see love anew, and, our loves are rendered to what God intended them to be. For all of eternity, it will be His love for us that will capture our hearts in such a way that we will fully exist for His glory.

Mark 13:14-20

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14 "When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!   
18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. 20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them." ~ Mark 13:14-20

Today, we return to our study of Mark 13 where the main theme is the end times and when the Lord Jesus will return to the earth for a second time. According to Matthew's Gospel, today's passage is predicated upon the prophecy given in Daniel 9:24-27. In order to understand today's passage, we must have a working knowledge of Daniel 9:24-27 which reads...

"24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." ~ Daniel 9:24-27

This was a prophecy specifically about the nation of Israel. In that prophecy there were decreed 70 sevens which covers a 490 year period of time. When we multiply 70 x 7 we have 490, which is speaking of a prophecy which describes a 490 year period of time, specifically for the nation of Israel. As we read in Daniel 9:25-27, this prophecy is divided into three segments: 7 sevens = 49 years (Daniel 9:25), 62 sevens = 434 years (Daniel 9:25-26), and 1 seven  = 7 years (Daniel 9:27). When we add the totals, we have 490 years.

The first two segments (the 7 sevens and the 62 sevens) of time have already been fulfilled. The last seven which is a seven year period is yet to be fulfilled but the last seven is yet to be fulfilled. Most theologians refer to this 70th seven as the "Tribulation", although it is never described as such in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus does refer to the second half of this seven year period as "a time of great tribulation." In Jeremiah 30:7 it is referred to as "a time of Jacob's trouble." Of course, Jacob was Israel as an unbeliever and Israel is Jacob as a believer. So, the design of the Tribulation is to bring Israel to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

According to Daniel 9:25, from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild the temple (the issuing of the decree to restore occurred in Nehemiah 2:1-8 which was 444 BC and it was completed in 395 BC) until the messiah there will be 7 sevens (Jerusalem was completed in 395 BC which took 49 years or seven sevens) and 62 sevens which is 434 years (444 BC to the day the Lord Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey = 483 yrs). And, then there is the final seven.

According to Daniel 9:26, after the 62 sevens the messiah will be cut off March 30, 33 AD. And then, the prince is one who will destroy the city and the sanctuary (this occurred in A.D. 70 under the leadership of Titus). According to Daniel 9:27 the one seven is a 7 year period of time (this is a time of tribulation on earth as described by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24.)

According to Daniel 9:26-27, the ruler or the prince will make a covenant with the many including Israel for one seven. This prince will be the anti-christ who is mentioned in Daniel 11:21. In the middle of this seven the anti-christ will discontinue sacrifice and worship and he will break his covenant with Israel. This 70th seven or the tribulation period is also described in Revelation 6:1-8:2 (7 seals) 8:3-10:11 (7 trumpets) 16:1-16 (7 bowls).

According to today's passage, when the Abomination of Desolation happens, at the middle of the Tribulation, there will be three results: First, according to Mark 13:15-18, there will be immediate trouble to those believers who are in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. Second, as seen in Mark 13:19-20, there will be an outbreak of a world-wide time of unprecedented trouble. It will be a time of great economic difficulty. That will be the time that the people will be required to take the mark of the beast to eat. The third result, which we will consider tomorrow, as listed in Mark 13:21-23, there will be a time of incredible religious deceit.

As mentioned, the final seven of Daniel's prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. The world could enter that period at any moment. Before that event takes place, the rapture of the church must happen. During the Tribulation, it will be most difficult to believe in the Lord Jesus, partly due to the fact that with the rapture of the church, the influence of the Holy Spirit in this world will be much different than it is today. With that said, you can avoid the Tribulation simply by trusting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of your sin. If you have not done this, I encourage you to talk with God right now, tell Him that you know that you are a sinner in need of His salvation and ask Him to come into your life. 

In Romans 10:9-10 we read, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

Mark 13:6-13

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"6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9 You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." ~ Mark 13:6-13

Today, we return to our study of Mark 13 where the main subject is the End Times. The Lord Jesus and His Jewish disciples had just departed from the Temple in Jerusalem and now they are on the Mount of Olives where He is teaching them.

In v.6-8 of today's passage we read, "6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains." 

The first sign that the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples that end is near is that of false Christs. Since the time of the Lord Jesus, at least 64 different individuals have come claiming to be the Messiah. His word of warning to His disciples: "... do not be alarmed." We must be careful that it is the Jesus Christ of the Bible that we are following, or, we will end up following the wrong leader.

There's always been deception. As believers in Christ we should never be astonished or taken off guard that there is such a thing as spiritual warfare. And, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are engaged in a battle that is not for the kingdoms of this world. We are engaged in His battle which is for the eternal souls of people. 

The second threat leading up to the end is given in v.7-8, disasters like wars, famines, earthquakes, natural disasters, will occur. There have been wars and rumors of wars right from the very beginning. There are going to be famines and earthquakes in various places in the future, but, at the end of time, the escalation of these things will be a tip that we are near the end.

At the end of v.8, we are given a key phrase: "These are the beginning of birth pains." Five times in the Old Testament this very sentence is employed to speak of God's judgement upon sin. It speaks of it as the birth pangs of a woman, as God intervening in history in a very judicial and direct manner. It is a key phrase, because although we have always had wars, earthquakes, famines, that phrase "birth pangs" is a pull back the curtain type of statement. There are normal birth pains that happen, like wars and rumors of wars and famines and earthquakes. But, as when a woman is having a baby, when the contractions become more frequent and more intense, then we know the birth of the judgment of God in unbelieving man is close. 

In v.9-10 of today's passage we read, "9 You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations."

Right from the very first century these words were fulfilled. The book of Acts tells us how the Apostle Paul, and the other apostles, and the early Christians, were often beaten in the synagogues, dragged before governors and kings, and gave testimony before them, as was predicted by Jesus here in this passage.

In the middle of this statement about being brought before governors and kings, He says the gospel is to be preached, indicating that there is some tie between the two. This suggests when the gospel has penetrated a culture, those in positions of authority will be threatened. But this is not a sign of the end, because it has been going on through the whole course of the age, and will characterize the age until its end. 

After the church is raptured off the earth, during the Tribulation there will be two witnesses in Jerusalem who will do miraculous signs and will show great powers and when they die and when they're resurrected, the whole world in one instant will be able to see it. Then, there will be 144,000 Jewish Christian evangelists who will come on the scene. Then, at the end of the tribulation period God will send a special angelic messenger who will finish the job. At that time, "the gospel will be preached to all nations, then the end will come."

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."

This is a promise to persecuted believers. In Luke 21:15 we read, "None of your opponents will be able to refute your testimony." That’s what happened. Virtually all of the apostles were martyred; the last of them, John, ended up as an exile, a kind of permanent martyrdom. They were killed in a myriad of ways, but, that didn’t stop the spread of the Gospel. In the moment of their deaths, the Spirit of God was there to lift them above human strength, to say things that were basically generated out of their hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit. 

In v.12-13 of today's passage we read, "12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Superficial faith collapses under persecution. Authentic, God-given faith will endure, because the Holy Spirit will provide strength and grace to endure in the faith. "The end" here is talking about the end of a person's life. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to be faithful to death. 

"The one who stands firm to the end will be saved" means genuine faith in the God of the Bible will survive the test of the age. This does not mean we earn our salvation. Think of the slap in the face of the Lord Jesus this would be. If it meant that we earn our salvation, it would be saying that the work of Christ to earn our salvation was not enough. It is like saying, "Christ plus our good works equals salvation." If anyone believes that, well, you are not following the Jesus Christ of the Bible. The genuineness of our faith is not a product of none other than the presence of God in our lives. Anything is holy because God is there. God makes us holy, righteous and acceptable before Him. 

Mark 13:1-5

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1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his followers said to him, “Look, Teacher! How beautiful the buildings are! How big the stones are!” 2 Jesus said, “Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. Every stone will be thrown down to the ground.” 3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, opposite the Temple, he was alone with Peter, James, John, and Andrew. They asked Jesus, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are going to happen?” 5 Jesus began to answer them, “Be careful that no one fools you." (Mark 13:1-5)

Today, we transition into Mark 13 where the main theme is the teaching of the Lord Jesus on the End Times. This chapter begins with the temple. You see, I find it very interesting to discover that the Lord Jesus Himself never entered the temple itself. He only went into the outer court. Only selected priests were allowed into the temple sanctuary. And only the High Priest, once a year on the Day of Atonement, could go into the Holy of Holies in the inner sanctuary of the temple. 

The temple that existed when the Lord Jesus walked this earth was called the "second temple" because the "first temple," which had been built by Solomon, was completely destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC when they overthrew the kingdom of Judah and took the remaining Jews captive. After almost 60 years in captivity the Persian Emperor Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, led by a man named Zerubbabel. For this reason the second temple was also sometimes called “Zerubbabel’s Temple” because he was the one who began its construction.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his followers said to him, 'Look, Teacher! How beautiful the buildings are! How big the stones are!'"

Mark 13 is the longest section in Mark where the Lord Jesus preached a sermon. We call it the Olivet Discourse. The whole chapter is the message of the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Olives speaking about the End Times. 

One of the disciples, as they were leaving the temple, spoke of how big and beautiful the temple was. Right was that disciple about the temple for the temple complex was one-fifth of the total landmass of the city of ancient Jerusalem. The temple of their day covered thirty-six acres. It took eighty thousand laborers over eighty years to build the temple. The pinnacle of the temple or the southeast corner down to the Kidron Valley was 158 feet tall. It was huge. 

In v.2 of today's passage we read, "Jesus said, “Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. Every stone will be thrown down to the ground."

In response to the disciples statement about the temple, the Lord Jesus weaved together a near prediction of the destruction of the temple that happened in 70 AD, and, a far off prediction about the end of the world, the coming of the Antichrist, the great tribulation, all of the happenings on earth written in the book of Revelation. The Lord Jesus did this because these disciples were not thinking in terms of 2,000 years later, they were thinking in terms of like a week or a month from then. But, it is obvious that the Lord Jesus anticipated and knew there was going to be quite a length of time between the now at that time and the then that would come at the end of the world.  

The Jews believed that the existence of the temple in Jerusalem was the evidence of God's blessing upon the nation. But, the Lord Jesus said these stones, as great as they were, will be cast down, and the temple would be destroyed. His answer bothered Peter, James, John and Andrew, who later went to Him inquiring when will be the sign of these End Times. 

In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, opposite the Temple, he was alone with Peter, James, John, and Andrew. They asked Jesus, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are going to happen?"

The disciples had been with the Lord Jesus for three Passovers, and, for them to think that the dwelling place of God, the temple, was no longer going to be, it was difficult for them to believe and accept. In order to understand this passage, here in Mark 13, we must read Matthew 24-25 and Luke 21. God determined that each of the gospel writers would select certain things he wanted to emphasize. This was the Lord's way of giving us a more complete understanding of what the Lord Jesus taught that day.

Matthew makes a great deal over what happened to Israel. Luke is the only one who tells us of the fall of Jerusalem, and the subsequent captivity of the Jews and domination of the city by the Gentiles. Mark is the one who emphasizes the danger to faith which is going to arise in the age which follows the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "Jesus began to answer them, “Be careful that no one fools you."

The phrase "be careful" is the Greek means to see or to be very aware of or literally "stay awake." The word the Lord Jesus used for "fools" means to deceive or to cause to wander away from. The Lord Jesus was saying, "Deception will mark history, beware of it." 

As I am sure that you know, there is the law of motion that says, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." There's also that same law in the spiritual realm: every divine action brings an opposite satanic reaction. If there's truth, there's going to be lies. If there's veracity, there's going to be deception. 

We must be so attentive to the word of God that the deceptive powers of the enemy, which are increasingly great, must not distract us from the Lord Himself. In today's passage, the Lord Jesus was training the disciples to think like He. This is always  the beginning point of every believer's sanctification. You will remember that justification is a one time event. It is when we were made right with God by believing that His Son's death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin. Sanctification, on the other hand, is the process whereby God is changing us from the inside out, and He starts this process by correcting the way we think. It is through the process of sanctification that God imparts to us His culture and wisdom which enables us to recognize the deception of the enemy.

The disciples had long been taught wrongly to value the wrong thing, in this case the temple. You see, the value of the temple was who was inside it, the LORD Himself. He is to be our first love. He is to be our first God before all others. So, today, we do well to lay down our lives before Him, and, in so doing we do well to value nothing more than we do Him for that which we value the most will define us.

Mark 12:41-44

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41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two copper coins, which make less than a penny. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” ~ Mark 12:41-44

Today, we conclude our study of Mark 12 where the Lord Jesus and His disciples are in Jerusalem and it was the last week of His life on earth. In context, we have read about the contrast between the life defined by the flesh or religion and the life lived by faith in the God of the Bible.

The whole purpose of life is to be led to this ultimate truth: that God is the One who loves us and He is the only One who can fully satisfy us. The problem with this truth is we will not realize the fulness of it until we get to heaven and are snatched out of the sphere of the effects of sin upon us. 

God's love meets the deepest needs of our lives. I find that many resist this truth. We resist receiving love from God because we are so insistent that it come from people. But, when we try to meet our love needs by people, we discover those needs cannot be fully met by them. And, that reality leaves us feeling alone or lonely. We can be with people who are trying to love us with all their hearts and yet feel lonely. Love needs are met only by God Himself and the design of living in this fallen world is to be convinced of this most profound truth.

In v.41 of today's passage we read, "Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much."

The religious performance among the religious leaders of Israel had reached such an absurd level that some of them, before they made their contributions, actually summoned a trumpeter to go before them to get everybody's attention. Then they went up to the treasury and proudly deposited their coins, garnering the attention of all who were present.

In v.42-44 of today's passage we read, "42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two copper coins, which makes less than a penny. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.'"

Although there were many others who gave more, this one poor woman was the one who really caught the attention of God. She was the only one who moved the heart of the Lord Jesus. Her poverty in this world enabled her to see her rich status in the next. Even though her contribution to the kingdom of God was small, the equivalent of less than a penny today, this unnamed and unknown widow captured the attention of the Lord Jesus. She put in two tiny copper coins that added up to less than a penny; but because she loved the Lord her God with all her heart, all her soul, all her strength, and all her mind, she gave it. This led the Lord Jesus to say, "She has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury."

Religion, if we let it, will convince and enslave us to believe that God wants some kind of activity from us in order to be acceptable to Him. We think that the way to serve God is to do showy things, to win a lot of people to Christ, or to expend our energies in ways noticeable to others. Yet, the Scriptures tells us that the only thing that pleases God is the Lord Jesus Himself. 

God always looks at and accentuates to us our hearts. As we see with this woman, nobody was watching her, yet, God says the kingdom of God is advanced most by her heart response to Him. The Lord Jesus has always had an eye for the insignificant among us. But, who wants to choose insignificance?

The difference in this poor widow was she was being defined by the God who embraced her through her misery which enabled her to see as He does. This is one of those times when less is more. This widow is a clear example of the teaching that the Lord Jesus had previously given: "Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength." This "poor" woman "gave out of her poverty, she put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." The rich didn't miss a cent of what they gave that day, but, this poor woman didn't either! She didn't miss it because she was defined as complete or whole through the grace of God. 

Earlier, the Lord Jesus taught "whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it." It may look to some as if she had thrown away her "whole" life, but the Lord Jesus saw in her surrender what His call requires of us if we are to go deep with Him. She "lost" her whole life to gain intimacy and dependency upon the God of all creation. Giving our "all" means giving in ways that we will find discomforting. Perhaps the time to give more is when we feel least comfortable about giving more.

When we seem to be throwing away our lives, we’re saving it. We don't save it, it is made whole by having been made whole by the God of the Bible whom we are learning to trust with each and every passing day. It is then, we discover that we are being saved from constantly worrying about things that end up in the don’t matter and don’t last category, like the little money that we have. 

"The Lord Jesus Christ, though He was rich, became poor so that we through his poverty might become rich." The greatness of Christ is most profoundly understood in His willingness to stoop to take notice of the insignificant. Because the Son of God emptied Himself, therefore, we can say with Paul, "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us."