Category: Christ Stream

Posted on

June 2

 

Mark 14

We are in the Christ Stream and reading from the Modern English Version this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Jesus, do not let us forget how much we matter to you.  Your willingness to suffer; your “passion” is proof of your determination to redeem us. Increase our faith and love so that you – our Savior are our greatest joy and passion in return.  Amen.
 
This chapter contains the events leading up to the crucifixion. Jesus is in his final days before he is laid in a tomb and the world, at all levels, is about to change forever.
 

plot to kill Jesus – The elders, chief priests, scribes were from this point beyond determined to have Jesus killed. [Matt. 26 gives slightly more detail if you are curious to compare] About a month prior they were musing the topic rather seriously.  Killing Jesus had first crossed their minds almost a year before. Now, with a few days before Passover, it was a manic decision. They would lose their pompous positions and their world would crumble permanently (as they saw it) if the didn’t rid Jesus quickly; THIS WEEK.

 
anointing in Bethany – a sinful woman (Lk. 7:37 makes this most obvious) breaks open a bottle of costly perfume and pours the entire contents over Jesus. It was what we would call a $55,000.- offering in current rates. Would you have done this? Would you have grumbled like the Pharisees? No one knew He was going to rise from the dead – they had heard but did anyone know ?. They didn’t know he was the one who would be eternally referred to as the second person of the Trinity. They didn’t know that this man getting doted on in virtual worship was the Creator at work (Colossians 1:16 – check it!) and right there in the flesh in front of them. How would you react to $55k being poured out.  The Pharisees mocked that it could have been given to the poor v.s. expended on a religious person. Gee, have you ever heard a phoney leader pontificate about caring for the poor when they are loaded personally and, in truth, don’t care about the poor at all?!  It happens all the time!
 
betrayal by Judas – This happens and it’s painfully comical that Judas thinks he is pulling this stunt off, that he is going to be “set financially”, that Jesus is not going to find out, and Judas is doing the intelligent thing.  The prior story is a woman who loves Jesus with no regard for cost. Here is a poser who has spent three years with Jesus, he thinks very little of it here on the brink, and for Judas, it is all about the cost. What can he get.  btw, Judas is still bitterly regretting his decision today.
 
preparation for Passover – This prescription by Jesus is rather telling (if Judas thinks he can keep something a secret from Jesus). Here is Jesus sending them ahead for the Passover and Jesus predicts every step of the journey to the upper room. It’s amazing. If any of us want to know how to prepare for the future, why consult anyone else but Jesus?  Just a thought!
 
a betrayer called out – Jesus calls it spot on that someone at the table was a ‘rat’; pardon the NYCity term.  Crazy to think that Judas doesn’t fess up and beg for mercy.  There’s no smart way to analyze this.  There’s no smart way to turn against Jesus either, people.  Jesus final line here makes the blood run cold: “It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”
 
The Lord’s Supper – Lk 22:15ff is a bit more descriptive, It has the “do this in remembrance of me” part that we recite each communion…. once a month for most of us – so we remember
what Jesus did for us.  Matt and Mark have a very similar rendition of this part. All that to say, the new covenant was upon them.  Jesus body and blood was the matter of the new covenant. The old covenant was not sufficient. It was sustaining, but no one was saved from it. This was needed to verify that Salvation is bought and brought to us through Jesus. And we are to remember this!
 
Peter’s denial foretold – This was a tough one that is a key pillar is Peter’s pilgrimage. He personally thought he was the most committed disciple. Jesus wanted him to know that God’s grace is what we hinge out souls and our destiny upon – not personal resolve or grit. Peter might have known better to just hear and listen and take it in v.s. try to rebutt Jesus.  I mean, Jesus knows all.  He knows us far beyond what we do.  He saw through Judas, he called it for the disciples so they could prepare the Passover. Jesus knows. But Peter tries to correct Jesus. (can you hear the “wrong answer” buzzer? I can.  Oh well, this only ground it in deeper that Peter needs to trust Jesus, not himself.  He’ll know by midnight.
 
Prayer in Gethsemane – In case anyone hasn’t heard, “Gethse – mah-nee” is Hebrew for ‘olive press’.  Jesus went to pray here and this same olive garden can be visited today.  It is among the most prominent and painful prayers we ever read.  Jesus is so sorrowful. And the disciples penchant and sleepiness could probably be attributed to denial that led to depression that couldn’t be acknowledged – thus the oppressive sleepiness.  They feel asleep three times on Jesus!  Then “some guests” arrive . . . !
 
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus – Judas arrives leading the soldiers and chief priests and alerted these thugs who Jesus was … his code was to kiss Jesus.  Hmmm. He did. They had found this threat, this “false leader” and they arrested Jesus.
Pause and think: who is committed to you? The one who kisses you? The one who denies and curses and swears he doesn’t know you? It appeared that Peter wasn’t committed and that Judas was… not all who scream are untrue to you.  Not all who kiss you, care about you. Point to ponder here!
 
The Young Man who Fled – this is an illustration how quickly everyone wanted to get away from Jesus.  Not only were false Messiahs killed – their followers were killed also. This was the typical tactic to crush a rebellion. He is as determined to get out of there as Joseph was to get away from Potiphar’s wife when he jumped out of his own coat in Genesis 39:12.  This man
does the same and more.  Peter takes a swing at the high priest’s slave and cuts his ear off. Again, he is committed to defend Jesus and is willing to prove it and does. Jn. 18:10 tells that it’s Peter who did this.  The others don’t specify.
 
Jesus before the Sanhedrin – Peter is following but keeping his distance as the phoney and illegal trial progesses.  The proceedings are illicit. The testimonies are rigged.  The story line doesn’t add up or line up.  The testimonies don’t agree.  Come come gentlemen, you are trying to conVICT an innocent man who is not a CONvict.  Good luck jokers.  All the same the false trial begins and they are soon brutally abusing Jesus.
 
Peter denies knowing Jesus – The High Priest’s maid pegged Peter.  She recognized him, deciphered his accent as a Galilean, she rallied others to call it what it was.  Peter panicked and swore and denied the obvious three times just before the rooster crowed.  This is the reality. But the truth is far more important. Jesus called it exactly as it was going to happen.  The finale~ here is Jesus can be trusted and believed and invested in and poured out upon and followed and adhered to and ingested.  Is He worth it? yes.  Are we? No, but He is.     Haleluia
Posted on

May 26

 

Mark 12-13

We are in the Christ Stream and reading from the New International Version this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord Jesus, just as you ARE the revelation of God, your words are revelation to us. You just simply tell us what we need to know.  As you told your disciples in John, “i call you friends”, we are assured that there is no truer friend than you.  We are grateful.  Amen.
 

12 – The parable of the vineyard, wherein the tenants who were entrusted to care for it, figures prominently since Matthew/Mark/Luke all include this parable. When the Son comes on behalf of the owner and they kill Him too, it’s a “dead” giveaway that Jesus is talking about the leaders of Jerusalem who have been entrusted to be the ones to spiritually care for Israel and her people. For the Israeli Nation were the Light to the Gentiles. This “vineyard” figures in religious history to heal and refresh the nations. The leaders are in charge and they are derelict and they know it and this story hits them in the heart; “ka-zing!” and they don’t like it.  If it was false, they wouldn’t care, but since it’s true, they want Him arrested. Notice that they don’t arrest Him however because, like Saul 1000 years ago, they care about public opinion – and this is their chief concern.

-Know that the question about paying taxes to Caesar is coming from people who detest Caesar. Again, it was another trick question.  They forget who they are fooling with, don’t they? He throws it right back at them and they at least have the courtesy to be amazed with everyone else.  A subtle hint that reflects to today in a not so gentle manner is the clear insinuation that the government is not to be making dictates about religion, religious activity, or the religious convictions of people.
-The “Marriage at the Resurrection” question serves a few purposes in Jesus’ bloc of teaching here. There are a few “faiths gone awry” in this world that have man made ideas about family on earth and what family in heaven is and they project the lust-driven opinions of earth onto what life in heaven is going to be.  This is wrong.  When Jesus replies that we will be like the angels in heaven, it is a comment that eternally echoes both forward and backward in time.  The Sadducees asked this question about marriage in the resurrection when they flatly did not believe in the resurrection!!  The construction of the question is absurd to begin with: A widow marrying the next brother and then the next brother working through a whole family of seven brothers … come on guys, eeeesh! They needed to get their act together and try following Jesus instead of trying to frustrate Jesus. They were in GREAT error.
-Just a tip here: when someone asks “which commandment is the greatest?” it’s a clear clue that they likely aren’t obeying the commandments nor do they care to. Though this particular inquisitor may have asked with a clear conscience.  But in general, it’s as dumb as asking which holes in the boat should we patch before we launch? the ones in the front or the rear?…or portside? which?  Either ALL the holes are patched or the boat is going to the ocean floor, ding-bat!  What kind of question is this?  Jesus constructed a rather cordial and pertinent reply and after that –> no one  d a r e d  ask him any more questions. Their plans were revealing their bleak hearts and not getting Jesus in any trouble like they had hoped.
-the remainder of ch. 12 was further revelation of the teachers of the law and their dubious agenda, their hypocrisy, their arrogance, selfishness, crime and cruelty. Jesus nailed them. And He was telling this to the whole crowd.  Pretty gutsy of Jesus.
 
13 – Jesus gave signs and told us what was going to happen: imminently in Jerusalem and eschatalogically [End Times matters] for the earth and in history.  Jesus warns of deceivers, false messiahs,  wars, earthquakes, famines, persecution, worldwide evangelism along with family strife, distress like the world has never known, there will be signs in the skies, and the Return of Christ Jesus will be a giant event.  Amid all the cataclysmic events, know that the Word of the Lord will stand fast and hold true.    And finally be reminded that no one knows or even can know the day or hour that Christ will return.  So pay attention. And like the occupation of a watchman whose job is to WATCH. We too must watch for the Return of Christ.   Come Lord Jesus.
Posted on

May 19



Mark 10-11

We are in the Christ Stream today reading about Palm Sunday and more. We are using the Common English Bible this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for sharing your endless wisdom, your mind, your life and your eternal home with us.  Amen

 
1 – In case anyone is wondering: Jesus is in the final days – week or two at the most – of His life/ministry before He is crucified. It is the Springtime. If we put our calendar transparently right on top of the local calendar of the era and region we would be calling the month April. If you are into calendars, the Julian and the Gregorian and (it’s a laborious study so we will simply mention it here) The year is 29 A.D.
-Fascinating little study about the dates. But, on to Jesus’ march to Jerusalem. He has just come far south. He is still east of the Jordan and getting mashed in by a crowd again, He is teaching and some Pharisees are there. They ask him if divorce is permitted by law.  It’s always amusing when someone asks a question and they are not really on a quest to get their question answered. These Pharisees are tramps! They were the type to divorce and give out easy divorces for … a wife burning the food, for casually stating “she isn’t attractive to me anymore”. They treated women below dogs. And so over the years, most of these clowns had turned their wives into skittish, cowering ladies who lived with little value in their own minds so their own husbands were not drawn to them anymore. They don’t care that the Law forbids divorce. They are just trying to set up a situation where Jesus seems pitted against Moses. Makes one shake their head to watch these guys get “owned” or exposed like crooks in broad daylight. I like to say that Jesus tied them in a knot and left them baking in the sun. OK, that’s not very nice 🙁
Next we see Jesus blessing little children, and the disciples rebuke this. For them, children are a segue to nothing. They can’t be added to the “vital contacts” list. Jesus, always ready to create a teachable moment, does so and portrays “the child” as the ones who access God far more readily for they come to God for love. They come purely. No finesse, no secondary or hidden agenda. No attempt to deceive or be dubious. They just come to Jesus because they want HIM. Adults rarely do that, though children always do. And we better learn something here.

~Then there comes a rich young ruler; he has wealth, youth, time, and power. He wants to add Jesus’ wisdom to his arsenal AND have eternal life. Jesus basically says to him, that Jesus is to be the number one priority in his life. We’ve met people who glance over Jesus’ statement here and declare they can never follow Jesus. This is paper-thin scholarship. Just a few verses later

Jesus tells his disciples that ALL things are possible with God. Jesus asserts that those who serve Him wholeheartedly will be rewarded accordingly and they can “take that to the bank”.
-He tells of his Passion again – remember Jesus does this five times during this season of His ministry –  James and Johns’ little “I’m #1” squabble is turned into a teaching lesson for service. Interesting that Christians lead the world in service because of this passage right here!
-in the blind Bartimaeus story, notice that when Jesus calls to him, he throws off his mantle. This mantle was a cloak that was sanctioned by the government meaning he was ‘cleared’ to beg. BarT- throwing it away as soon as he hears Jesus’ voice means he KNOWS he will be healed. Do we come to Jesus’ with that confidence?!
 
11 – The triumphal entry is the event that is commemorated each Palm Sunday the world over. ‘Pretty bold of him to go straight to the Temple and bash all the bookkeepers and kaBoom the bazaar that had developed into an eternal fundraiser. To charge people for praying was disgusting and Jesus’ made is statement didn’t He.??  The fig tree incident can be analyzed for a lifetime, I’ll just pick one facet and say this, “we need to be producing something for God’s sake. Jesus is hungry and wants a fig. Are we going to be coming to God empty handed forever? Come on! He tells us to be full of faith and quick to forgive. Let’s do what we are told here.
-It ends today with the Temple leaders coming to him again with a question that is just a ploy to ensnarl Him. Again, their “question” is no quest. Jesus throws it right back at them and they fall dumbfoundedly silent.  This whole interchange is actually taught in law schools today for it’s brilliance and quick reply that exposes what is really going on.
-Looking over the two chapters today, let’s not come to Jesus with our “educated agenda”, let’s come like Bartimaeus and the children with our needs before us and excitement to be with Him.