Mark 9

Scripture

 

Mark 9:35-37-35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Observation-What does it say?

Jesus reproved (corrected) His disciples after they were arguing with one another about who was the greatest. He told them that whoever wants to be first, must be a servant and used children to illustrate His point.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?Jesus loves the little children.I think it’s interesting how Jesus parallels humility and servanthood with children. There are other accounts in Scripture where Jesus had to correct His disciples on their view of children. Actually, the next chapter, Mark 10, shows another example of it. Life ApplicationServe with me and Jen in Kids Church!We must see and value children the way Jesus does. There is power in a child’s prayer, worship and praise (Psalm 8:2). Jesus also uses children to exemplify how we are to accept the Kingdom of God. (Mark 10:15)Why not be part of investing in the lives of our kids, not just at home, but also in our family at DSC? -Michelle Gaddi

Mark__8

Scripture

Mark‬ ‭8:11‬ ‭

“When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

Jesus had just finished feeding 4,000 men with only seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Immediately after that, Jesus and his disciples went on a boat, and crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha. There he was met by Pharisees who argued with Jesus and demanded that Jesus show them a miraculous sign to prove His authority. This troubled Jesus’ spirit. Why were these people always demanding a miraculous sign? So Jesus told them that he would not give their generation any such sign. Jesus then got back into the boat and left them to cross to the other side of the lake.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Some people say they must see to believe. But for a Christ Follower, you should believe, then you will see.

 

The Pharisees were jealous and had hardened hearts towards Jesus. They were constantly challenging Jesus and his authority and just waiting for the chance for Jesus to slip so they could pounce on him. They were too busy following religious traditions, waiting for their Messiah, when the actual Messiah was right underneath their noses all this time. Keep in mind that before arriving at Dalmanutha that day, Jesus had already been performing many miracles everywhere he went. He fed the thousands with just a few fish and loaves of bread (twice). He healed the lame and blind. He even casted out demons. Yet this wasn’t enough for the Pharisees. They wanted to see more! Let’s face it, no matter what miracle Jesus performed or how many more He performed wouldn’t change these Pharisees minds. Their hearts were hardened, and they wanted to bring Jesus down. The Pharisees were unwilling to take that step of faith and believe in Jesus and what He taught, therefore they did not see.

 

“Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”” John‬ ‭20:29‬ ‭

 

Life Application

 

Take that leap of faith. See what God can do!

 

Don’t get caught up waiting to see the next miracle before you decide to believe. You may miss out. Instead, I encourage you to take that next step. Trust in Jesus. Trust in His Word. See what God can do!

 

Father God, I pray for people who are struggling with their faith, struggling to believe. I pray for You to soften their hearts. I pray for their courage to believe. Whether it’s some financial hardship, health issue, relationship issue, family worries, or just a straight up faith issue. God, I pray that they would lift up all their concerns and worries up to You. May they put complete trust in You. May You reveal Yourself to them. Open their hearts and their eyes so that they may see all You have in store for them when they follow You. May you bless them with Your peace, comfort, and strength Lord. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

 

-Moses Gaddi

Mark 7

Scripture  Mark 7:32-35 

They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him.  Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”  And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. Observation-What does it say? In this chapter of Mark, he discusses tradition of religion and the idea of uncleanliness of the heart, as well as accepting “unclean” people.  He wraps up the chapter with the miraculous healing of a mute and deaf man.  Throughout the gospels, there are more than 30 miracles recorded, many of which were healing of people afflicted with chronic or debilitating pains, some were even brought back from death.  Each healing or miracle was done in somewhat of a special way.  In this particular healing Jesus gives the deaf man a wet willy and spits in his mouth.  Once, while healing a blind man, Jesus spits on the ground to make mud, then he puts the mud on the eyes of the blind man and tells him to wash it off (John 9).  He healed another blind man by spitting directly in his eyes (Mark 8).  And yet, two other blind men he healed by simply touching their eyes (Matthew 9).  Through his healings and miracles, Jesus fulfilled prophecies about him.  “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.  Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.  Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:5-6).  Not only did he heal physically, but he also heals us in the same ways spiritually. Understanding-What does it mean?  I remember being in the hospital after my first bad car accident when I was 18 year old.  After almost killing myself, I have a handful of very vague and fuzzy memories from the next week.  The first one being in my car, upside down, and realizing that I was hurt pretty badly.  The next one, I was trying to spell out someone’s name using my hands because I couldn’t talk.  There were a few others, but none of them really important enough to hold onto.  However, one memory that I will never forget, no matter how drugged I was, is the moment when they removed the tubes that had been feeding me and helping me breathe.  From a week of nearly all darkness, I remember coming out of the fog to someone telling me to try to swallow.  The next thing I know, it felt as if someone were ripping my stomach through my mouth, while punching me in the throat and cleaning my sinuses with acid all at the same time.  But, once the tubes were removed, it felt as if I were breathing for the first time.  It was both freeing and painful at the same time, like when you jump into an icy stream in the mountains.  This feeling is what I would imagine it was like to be miraculously healed.  After having spent their whole lives on mats, without sight or hearing, or with disfigured limbs, the people who were healed by Jesus were thrown into a life of full mobility in an instant, using muscles they had never used.  A feeling I imagine to be both freeing and painful, at the same time.  When God sets us on the path of healing, he can do it in many ways, whether it be spiritually or physically.  Either way, as we experience his power of healing, we will come to realize the power of his greatness in comparison to our weakness and brokenness.  A difference that can at times cause us to grieve.  But, when we are made complete in heaven, we will no longer experience the pain of this life (Revelation 21:3-5).  Our experience on earth will be seen from the perspective that it was the path that led us to a relationship with God.
Life Application 

Jesus, heal the blindness in my heart and allow me to see every day as important in my journey to you.  Heal my deaf spirit and allow me to shout your great name to those around me.  Forgive me for the times I have been ashamed of your name.  Help me to share your story of healing.

 

-Tyler Galloway