Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Observation:

The apostles left the choice of Judas’ replacement to God.

Application:

Casting lots isn’t a term we hear that often nowadays, but the concept is quite simple.  Toss a cube, stones or maybe some sticks to make a choice.  The apostles decided they needed to replace Judas and after narrowing the choices to two, they cast lots.  Maybe they each had a rock with Matthias on one side and Joseph on the other, they tossed their rock and then tallied it up to see who the new apostle would be.  Although it’s not clear what specific method they used, it is clear that they left the choice to God.  They weren’t playing a game of chance to make the decision.  They prayed and asked for God’s guidance in making the choice between the two. Then, placing their trust in God, they cast their lots.

I know of a church that uses the same concept that the apostles used to choose a new pastor.  They narrow the selection down to a few names, pray for guidance, put the names in a hat and then select a name from the hat. The first time I heard of this I was so surprised that they would leave such a big decision to chance!  But, they weren’t – they were leaving it to God.  What an amazing examples of trust in God!

I can think of a time recently when I struggled over a decision.  I discussed options with people whom I trust, narrowed the choices and prayed for guidance.  I then made a choice and lately I’ve been wondering if it’s the right one.  What would have happened if I had just cast lots like the apostles?  If I had really trusted God completely and left the choice to Him via a coin toss, would the choice have been the same? While I’ll never know that answer, I can see a lot more coin tossing in my future.

Prayer:

Lord, You are the Creator of all and amazingly creative. I’m constantly amazed at Your creation, from the smallest to the largest. All I have to do is look around me each day to see You.  Thank you for all You have created and for revealing Yourself to me in new ways each day. Thank you for Your loving guidance when I have to make choices. Forgive me for times when I haven’t gone to You for guidance or haven’t listened for your answers. Help me to place my trust completely in You – to be humble enough to toss a coin.

Observation:

My NIV Bible says these verses may not exist in early manuscripts and Mark 16 probably  ended with verse 8.  So why are these verses here?

Application:

This isn’t a typical SOAP devotion, but I was just so taken with the possibility that verses 9 – 20 maybe shouldn’t even be there.  I’ve read these verses before along with the disclaimer found in my NIV Bible “The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9 -20″.  But I’ve never really thought much about it.

Now it’s important to note that I’m a firm believer in Sola Scriptura or Scripture Alone.  According to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, this means, “The Bible is God’s inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine.”  It seems that the possibility that the Mark 16 verses may not belong goes against Sola Scriptura, so I decided to do a bit of research.

We no longer have actual original texts of the Bible, however there are copied manuscripts from which we derive our current translations.  Let’s first talk about those.  Imagine you are making a copy of one of the books of the Bible.  You would be doing it by hand, of course.  After all, there were no printing presses, computers and spell-check back in those days.  You would also be a believer and know that it was God’s true word!  It was an honor to copy God’s Word so there is no doubt that you would take great care in making the copy.  You would check and re-check each letter and word and probably have someone else check as well. The point here is that the chance of error made by man is very, very low! Of course, it’s still possible, but that’s where God steps in — it is His book after all

Now, back to Mark 16.  In the case of the Book of Mark, some of the oldest Greek manuscripts end at Mark 16:8. Many Bible scholars also look at the style, vocabulary and content and believe there is some discontinuity with the rest of Mark.  It’s probable that the extra verses were added as Mark was read alongside the other gospels.  Now this is all very scholarly and interesting, but what does that mean about the reliability of the Book of Mark and the Bible as a whole?

Let’s look at the events in Mark 16:9-20.  We read about Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene and the Eleven.  We read about the Great Commission given by Jesus to go out into the world and tell the good news.  Finally, it ends with Jesus ascension into heaven.  All of these events are mirrored in at least one of the other gospels.

This lends itself to the explanation of how these verses could have ended up in the book of Mark.  But, more importantly, we see that there are no contradictions or errors when we allow the Bible to be considered as a whole.  And that is the real point.  While there may be some minor errors from translation to translation, there are no places where key teachings are contradicted!  Sola Scriptura!!

The Bible tells us that “All Scripture is God-breathed”  (2 Tim 3:16) and “Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).  We can be sure that the Bible is God’s inerrant and infallible Word because He is God!

Prayer:

God, Your way is perfect and Your Word is flawless! (Psalm 18:30) Forgive me when I put the word of men before Your perfect Word. Thank You so much for giving me the Bible and for opening my heart to understand it. Thank You for the peace, comfort, guidance, joy, love and life-saving message I receive from Your Word. Please keep me in Your Word daily!  Help me finish the 5x5x5 reading plan especially when my commitment starts to wane and I’m tempted to do other things. Holy Spirit, please bring fresh meaning to the words and remind me of what You have already revealed to me.

We will also be moving into the book of Acts this week.  Acts is one my favorite books of the New Testament as we see the struggles and triumphs of the early church.  This book was written by Luke who also wrote the gospel of Luke and spans approximately 32 years.  Much of it will focus on the Holy Spirit and the ministries of Peter and Paul.

Enjoy another week in the Bible!

Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.

Observation:

The Pharisees, Herodians and many others didn’t like Jesus because He threatened their power.  They tried many times to catch Him saying something that wasn’t true according to Hebrew law.

Application:

I’m not very good at arguing.  I know what I want to say, but I just get flustered and lose track of what was said.  It also doesn’t help that I have a short temper.  I remember times when I was younger and certain kids at school knew just what buttons to push.  It didn’t really take much before I was just too angry to effectively make my case.  They knew how to “catch me in my words.”

There are times when God calls us to speak and He has definitely done that in my life — many times.  I used to worry that I would get caught up in my words and His message would get lost.  In fact, I’m sure there are times that has happened.  One day I realized that if I’m worried that I’ll mess up the message I’m supposed to speak that I’ve said the word “I” a lot of times!!  But if I remember that the message is HIS and HE has chosen to use one of HIS servants, the focus shifts to Him   Now that’s right where it should be!

I need to ask God for help and to let the words be His and not my own.  I need to ask Him to help me know when to speak, when to keep quiet and when to listen.  Not only will the message and the focus be right, but I won’t get caught up in my words.  Isaiah 55:11 tells us His Word “will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  All I need to do is trust Him and His Word.

Prayer:

Lord You are the King of glory who is strong and mighty (Psalm 24). Forgive me when I try and take the glory of your Word and make it my own. Lord, I don’t understand why you choose me to speak your Word, but I thank You for the honor.  Thank You for helping me to speak the right words and for knowing when to be quiet. Please humble me and empty me of my selfishness so that Your Word can shine and achieve it’s purpose.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,  saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.  If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

Observation:

Jesus gives His disciples simple but somewhat strange instructions.  They respond with obedience and carry out His instructions.

Application:

“Because I said so!”  Most parents have said those words to their child at some point or another.  I remember when my daughter was born how I was sure that I would never resort to those words.  I just knew I’d make the time to explain everything completely so my child would willingly and lovingly comply.  Then reality set in.  Sometimes I just didn’t have the time or the inclination to go through all the explanations.  Who would have guessed that a rebellious teenager would question even the simplest of requests?

I was looking for simple obedience and respect from my children just as Jesus is from us.  He has asked us to live the type of lives that are different from the rest of our society.  Lives that do not give in to the temptations of this world:  greed, sex, lying, idol worship and the list goes on.  It may seem like an odd request considering the world around us.  At the very least, it’s not an easy request.

But, Jesus has given us everything we need to live lives that are set apart if we just obey.  He doesn’t yell, “Because I said so!”  His love for us is perfect and much more patient than the love I’ve given to my family.  Through the Word, God gives us all the explanation and faith we need.  We just need to obey.

Prayer:

Precious Lord, You are my shepherd giving me everything I need (Psalm 23:1).  I am in awe at Your loving care. Forgive me for the times when I question you because I don’t understand your plan or am in too much of a hurry. Thank you for Your Word to guide me. While I long to always be obedient to You, I’m so often like a willful child.  Only You can help me to be obedient and I humbly ask that of You.

We will be slowing down a bit as we move into week three and Mark takes us into the final days of Jesus’ life.  The suffering and death of our Savior is never easy to read about, but it is necessary. Don’t shy away — experience this section of scripture just as fully as you’ve experienced what you’ve read so far. God will surely bless you and bring you into closer relationship with Him.

Keep up those prayers for each other — I will do the same!

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Observation:

Jesus knew that the man followed the law with his external actions but didn’t have inner obedience.  But, Jesus treats the man with compassion when he tells him what he should do.

Application:

We don’t have the benefit of Jesus walking with us physically on Earth, so the thought of Jesus looking at me with love just takes my breath away.  So how does Jesus look at me with love when He’s not physically here?  There have been times when He has done this with the hug of a family member, with the encouraging words of friends or a sermon from the pastor.  But, this time I felt that loving, comforting gaze upon me when I read the words in my Bible.

I had a couple of tough days right before I read Mark 10.  So many of the words spoke to me with new meaning and some old favorites reached out to me as well.  But, the Spirit led me to just the words I needed to hear – Jesus looks at me and loves me.  As I let those words tumble over me, I could feel the tension of the last few days melt away.  The peace that came over my was like a warm blanket on a cold winter’s day.

Prayer:

Jesus, You are such a loving Savior and I praise You with all my heart. Forgive me for those time I’ve tried to follow You with my external actions without having inner obedience.  Thank you for looking at me in my sinful state and loving me. Please help me to look at others the way You do.

“‘If you can?’”, said Jesus.  “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Observation:

A man wants Jesus to heal his son if He can.  Jesus responds by showing him that everything is possible for those who believe.

Application:

“Yes We Can!!”  I remember well the crowd in New Hampshire chanting that at Barack Obama’s 2008 concession speech as Hilary Clinton won that primary.  It was a very moving speech — and I’m not even an Obama supporter!!  “Yes We Can!!” became a part of Obama’s campaign from that point forward.  There wasn’t a major stop where his supporters weren’t chanting it and believing it.

How many times have I been asked to serve for the Lord and said, “Yes I Can!!”  More importantly how many times have I said, “umm..i don’t think so.”  Now I’m not saying that I should say yes every time I’m asked to serve.  But there are enough times when I haven’t prayerfully considered the request.  So many doubts start to plague my mind:  Will I have time?  Do I have the skills to do that?  What if I mess it up?  I’m not very comfortable doing that.  Why can’t they ask someone else?!?!

I can almost hear Jesus shouting, “Yes You Can — Through Me!!”  He tells us that everything is possible if we just believe.  That doesn’t mean everything will happen the way we want it when we ask Him.  But, it becomes possible if we do ask Him because He is God. Just imagine Him chanting, “Yes You Can!!” when we come to Him.  He will give us everything and everyone we need to complete the task if we just believe.

I can look back and see times where I didn’t believe and missed opportunities.  And times where I didn’t believe Jesus when He was cheering “Yes You Can!” for someone else — and I took the task meant for them.  I can also look back at some of the tasks I’ve done and know that He was totally in the mix.  I can see the people He sent to help or encourage me.  I can hear the answered prayer as I went to Him for guidance.

Prayer:

Lord, You are eternal.  You saw everything before it ever was or will be.  I’ll never fully understand what that means and I praise You because of it. Please forgive me for the times I didn’t come to You for answers when I had opportunities to serve.  Forgive me for opportunities missed and those I took that weren’t mine to have.  Jesus, thank You for the times when You cheered, “Yes You Can!!” and encouraged me to do Your work.  Thank You for giving me the skills needed for the job, the people needed to help me, and sending others to encourage me just when I needed it.  Thank You also for those times You were silent so that I wouldn’t take someone else’s work.  Spirit, help me to believe!  Help me to prayerful consider all options and listen for Your answer.

He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

Observation:

Jesus didn’t use a parable to tell His disciples about His upcoming suffering and death.  He spoke plainly so they would understand.

Application:

Some translations say that Jesus spoke freely , frankly, plainly, openly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable. We get the idea that Jesus really wants His disciples to understand — there is to be no question about His meaning on this topic!!

I have to admit that I sometimes struggle to speak plainly when I’m talking about God.  There are times I don’t always feel that I know enough about what the Bible says on the subject.  Other times I’m concerned about how my audience will hear what I’m saying and may judge me harshly.

More and more I’ve realized that the problem isn’t the message or my knowledge of the subject.  It’s my trust in God.  When I feel Him nudging me to speak up, I need to do so trusting that He will give me the words to speak His message.

Prayer:

Lord, Your name is majestic in all the earth and Your glory spreads across the heavens! (Psalm 8:1).  Forgive me for those times when I have gotten in the way of Your message because of my lack of trust. I’m so thankful that you see fit to use me to spread Your Word even with all my flaws. Your trust in me is amazing and humbling when I compare it to my trust in You. God, help me to speak plainly!  Build up my trust in You and humble me, Lord, so that I’m not in the way when you need to use me to speak Your truth.

Adoration – The first part of the prayer is adoring God. Really worship and praise Him because He IS!  It’s a time to get to know your Lord deeper as you focus on His attributes not His actions. Many of the Psalms can be a great source for inspiration.

Confession – It follows that after we worship Him we are humble and so confess our sins.  It’s never easy to bring to mind all the ways we have failed, but God already knows.  I imagine Him smiling tenderly as I tell Him what I’ve done and ask for His forgiveness.  When someone comes to me with a humble and contrite heart to confess and ask for forgiveness, our relationship grows closer. It’s the same with our Father in heaven.

Thanksgiving – Focus on what He has done for you — His actions.  It’s impossible to really remember all He has done.  But when we spend the time to really consider, it’s so much easier to see that a safe car ride, family, friends, our country, our homes, answered prayer and so much more is all from the hand of God.

Supplication – The final part of this prayer is for your needs and the needs of others.  I believe in boldly and humbly bringing our requests to God.  Be bold enough to ask for everything because God really wants us to invite Him into all aspects of our lives.  Be humble and acknowledge your need for Him to provide as He sees fit and in His time.

If you’re interested in engaging in this type of prayer and would like more information, check out what Discipleship Tools or Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship have to say about the ACTS of Prayer.