Mark 1:14-28

Day two of reading and journaling through Mark.  As I stated yesterday, we are following a model called SOAP in our journey.  SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer.

South's SOAP for the Day
S-Read Mark 1:14-28.
O-Jesus has authority over everything; men listen to him and demons obey him.
A-What part of your life do you have the hardest time giving Jesus authority over?
P-Pray for the ability to trust God to lead you.

When I read this section of Scripture, I can't but help let my imagination run.  Just imagine, sitting in the synagogue (think Jewish church), listening to Jesus teaching on a passage.  All is probably calm and quiet as Jesus speaks.  I would guess the people are on the edge of their seats and engaged and mesmerized by what Jesus is teaching more than they normally are.  They had to be for Mark to say, "he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law." And then, all of the sudden, some demon possessed dude starts screaming at the top of his lungs, "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US, JESUS OF NAZARETH?"  Think of the shock.  Think of the looks that people had when it happened.  If I were sitting there, I certainly would have jumped from the outburst at the very least. 

Then, in all of the commotion, you here the evil spirit say this: "Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"  Again, lets let our imagination run again here.  You are amazed at the teaching of this Jesus.  He is teaching with authority!  Then this evil spirit bursts into the conversation and says he is the Holy One of God.  What did he just say?  That's not something that happens every day.  Holy One means Messiah.  The Jewish people were continually waiting on God to send His messiah to restore Israel. If you are sitting there in the synagogue and you hear this proclamation, you are even more amazed.  

Then Jesus tells the spirit to be quiet and sends him packing from the man he had possessed.

At this point I am one of two things.  I am either running out the door screaming my head off from all that is transpiring, or, I'm running forward trying to figure out more about this Jesus.  If he is the Holy One, I'm in--just like the disciples he's called before this synagogue scene.  

But what does that mean?  That means, I give my life.  And that's hard to do, because I am selfish.  I like my stuff.  I like my life.  I like the comfort that is given to me because of where I live and so on and so on.  I like being in control.  I really struggle sometimes with answering the application question above.  I could easily name two or three areas.  There are many more.  That's the problem.  Jesus wants it all.  We have to be willing to go all in.

At the fear of this post getting to long, I have one more story and then I'll be done.  I just finished reading Seeing Through the Fog by Ed Dobson.  He's a writer/pastor who I enjoy reading.  In his book, he talks about one time when he was preaching on giving. 

I was teaching from 2 Corinthians about generosity: "and they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will" (2 Cor 8:5).  As I spoke I realized we had just received the offering prior to the start of the sermon.  And it dawned on me.  I asked one of the ushers to bring me an offering plate.  I told the congregation that when the offering plate was passed a few moments ago, they should have stood up and gotten in the offering plate.  The usher brought the offering plate, and for the rest of the sermon, I stood in the offering plate and spoke. 

I asked the congregation, "What are you holding back from the offering late?  What ares of your life need to get into the offering plate?"  Walking alone down the back hallway after the last service, I began asking myself, What am I holding back from the offering plate?  What areas of my life need to get into the plate?  Then I realized that my speaking and preaching should be in the offering plate.  I can take you to the very place in that back hallway where I  put those things in the offering plate for God.  I prayed, "I am now surrendering my speaking and preaching to You.  I'm putting it in the offering plate.  If the day comes when I can lo longer speak or preach, I want You to know that it's ok with me."  Several days later, one of the Sunday school classes gave me a photo of me standing in the offering plate.  At the bottom of the photo were the words my dad often spoke to me: "you are indispensable until your work on earth is done." (p.137-138)

Lord, help me put all of me in the offering plate.  May my life be indispensable for You and Your Kingdom while you give me life here on the earth.