Mark 14
COMMENTARY:
: 7 For you have the poor with you always, and when so ever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always. (4434 “poor” [ptochos] means beggar, asking alms, destitute of wealth, lowly, afflicted, needy, of little value, inferior, lacking in anything, or relatively worthless.)
DEVOTION: Jesus was one who had a concern for those who had little or nothing. HE watched as a widow put into the offering all that she had. HE commented that she would be blessed. Those who gave more were doing it for show and they wouldn’t be blessed.
On this occasion Jesus allowed a woman to take rich perfume and pour it over HIM. There was no small stir in the group that was with HIM. They thought it should be used for another purpose. They thought HE should have NEVER allowed her to waste such a expensive perfume. They started to complain against her.
Jesus defended her action. In fact, HE stated that it would be recorded in the Bible for the whole world to know what she had done. Where ever the gospel was preached that would be a part of the sermon. She would be famous.
Now those of us who are in the church today need to make sure our attitude is right toward those who are destitute of wealth. We can have a healthy attitude or a bad attitude. Sometimes we think that they should just get themselves up off the floor and start working. That might be true of some but not all. Some of them are working or can’t find work that can support their families and they just need a little help to make ends meet. These people should be helped by the church on a regular basis.
Then there are the lazy poor who the LORD made a comment that if they didn’t work they shouldn’t eat. God doesn’t approve of laziness but HE is concerned about the poor. We have to use our Godly wisdom to see which category those who attend our churches fall into and help those who need the extra help and encourage those who are lazy to get off their couch and go to work.
Our government here in America seems to like to put anyone they can into the lazy category and pay their way. That is wrong. Remember the church must have a different attitude. It should have a Biblical attitude and policy for those who are genuinely poor and in need of help.
CHALLENGE: If you know of someone who is genuinely poor and needs a little help take them some food or offer to buy some clothes that are necessary. God will bless you for your actions if done for the right people with a right attitude. We do have the poor ALWAYS with us!!!
: 14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say you to the goodman of the house. The Master says, where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the Passover with MY disciples? (3617 “goodman” [oikodespotes] means householder, master of the house, a master whose sphere of authority is the household estate and its appurtenances, or landowner.)
DEVOTION: Our houses have to be available to the LORD. Here is the disciples walking up to a man and saying “The Teacher asks….” That was all that had to be said to this man and he took him into a chamber for them to have the last supper together before the resurrection.
We are to be a people who are given to hospitality. Our home should be a place where people can come and feel at home. There should be times of warm fellowship in our homes.
Some people are more given to this part of the Christian life than others. Many think their homes are not good enough to entertain other believers. That is not what should happen. We should have our homes kept in a Godly manner. Does that mean our homes will always be perfect for guests to drop in? NO. But it does mean that we could entertain angels unaware. We should not be a people that never have people in our house.
One of the churches I have helped in the past had individuals that NEVER invited their pastor to come visit them. In fact, they didn’t want him in their home. That is sad. Pastors should be in the homes of each of their members at least once a year. That could include regular attendees.
Children should be able to invite friends to their house to show them what a Christian home looks like.
CHALLENGE: We are to be available at all times to be used of the LORD. I have the keys to a few people’s homes for me to come anything and spend time with them. It is an encouragement to me.
: 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. (5215 “hymn” [humneo] means to sing the praise of, to sing, or sing psalms from the Jewish Scriptures.)
DEVOTION: We live in an age of culture wars in the church. There are some who would have us sing only the hymns in the hymnbooks. There are others who would have us only sing contemporary music. Some want to sing out of the hymnbooks, while others want to see the song on a screen. There are even books written about these battles.
The disciples ate the final Passover with the LORD before his death. After the supper was done they sang a psalm before leaving the room.
The children of Israel sang at all their special occasions. Each of the feasts had their own songs. They had songs for winning battles. David wrote many songs that he sang to the sheep as he watched them. He also sang for king Saul. Throughout the Word of God we find the people of God singing.
The LORD wants us to sing praise to his name on a regular basis. When we enter into a service that honors the LORD we should come with a song on our hearts. The Bible says that in heaven we will be singing a new song. Many times in a worship service we can watch others who are attending. One of the things we can observe is how they sing praises to the LORD. Many sing with very little enthusiasm. The expressions on their faces look like they are being tormented. Some don’t even sing. It is sad.
Our services should be so loud that they hear us in the streets. One of the greatest experiences we have is to join a large group who likes to sing. When we attend conferences with large amounts of people there is singing that carries into the streets.
We can pray that we are prepared to sing the new song in heaven with our good singing here on the earth. For some people it will be a new experience. That is sad also. Sing to the LORD!!!
CHALLENGE: Make a joyful noise unto the LORD each time you worship HIM. The LORD understands if you are not on key but HE still wants to hear your praises. One thought that is encouraging to me is that in heaven we will all sing on key. Praise HIS name!!!
: 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak. (332 “curse” [anathematize] means bind with an oath, to devote to destruction, to declare one’s self liable to the severest divine penalties.)
DEVOTION: There are many believers who had a habit of using bad language before they became a believer. Many homes have parents that use this type of language all the time some children are growing up. Some homes even teach their children to use this type of language on purpose.
Peter was a fisherman before the LORD called him. It was probably a habit that he developed in that profession. Now he has been following Jesus around for three and a half years. He has gone on missions trips with Jesus. He has watched Jesus confront those who wanted to kill HIM. He has witnessed the many miracles the LORD had provided.
Now we have him confronted by some people in the courtyard of the High Priest. He was in the enemy’s camp. He was warming himself by their fire waiting to see what was going to happen to Jesus.
Remember Jesus had told him earlier that he was going to deny HIM three times before the night was over. Well, he denied it would happen.
Guess what, we do things we think we would never do as we follow the LORD. Peter denied the LORD the third time by using language he shouldn’t have used. He reverted back to the time before he was a follower of the LORD.
When confronted what would we have done? Do we have bad language in our past? Are we still using it at present? Is it a way that we deny the LORD even now?
CHALLENGE: Our language needs to be just like what Jesus would use.
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