13 min
Mark #53 - The King of The Jews Daily Read
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- Christianity
Mark 15:16-32 (NIV)
Today’s passage brings us to Jesus’ crucifixion. This is the most decisive moment in the story of our faith, and at the same time the most uncomfortable moment in all of the gospels too. This is especially the case for us as modern readers. It’s difficult to think about, but the closest thing to it in our culture’s memory is the lynchings of innocent black people on this very soil. The lies, the rhetoric of the powerful inciting violent mobs to carry out brutal murder. It’s horrific. It’s the kind of thing that led God to bring the flood way back in Genesis—the destruction of humanity by humanity, through hate, abuse, and murder. It’s the reason why the temple sacrifices existed. It’s the problem that we were never able to solve on our own—our sinfulness, our desire to define good and evil for ourselves.
If we’re honest, a lot of us would rather not have to think about those kinds of scenes. It’s painful. We know that in some way we are complicit. We know that it’s a part of our story, and our stomachs turn at the thought. Yet it was this act, of allowing evil to pile up onto the body of Christ that provides both the place forgiveness of sins and healing balm for our wounds.
As you listen to today’s passage, allow yourself to be placed in the scene. It won’t take too much work to see, hear, smell and touch but it will be difficult. We invite you to allow yourself to engage those senses, to bring your heart and mind into focus. You’ll want to listen with some amount of quiet and space to enter in fully, so take a second to find that.
----------REFLECT----------
1. What emotions came up in you as you listened?
2. Have you ever participated in evil? Scripture tells us that the terror of these actions happening to Jesus who was utterly innocent was the moment when all evil was summed up and poured out upon Jesus. We are participants in this story. Sit in the presence of that reality now.
3. Have you ever been mistreated, insulted, spat on, mocked, abused, beated, neglected? Have you suffered evil? Scripture tells us that every thorn, bruise, tear of the skin, lash on the back, word that was hurled, nail that was hammered, every minute that he was suspended there was an act of sacred empathy. Jesus suffers with us… So that when he takes the weight of pain and death into the grave and defeats it there he takes our pain and death with him. Sit in the presence of that reality now.
----------GO DEEPER----------
Bible Project: Mark Overview >>
Bible Project: The Gospel >>
Bible Project: Gospel of the Kingdom >>
----------CONNECT----------
Find an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Start an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Learn More >>
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dailyread/message
Mark 15:16-32 (NIV)
Today’s passage brings us to Jesus’ crucifixion. This is the most decisive moment in the story of our faith, and at the same time the most uncomfortable moment in all of the gospels too. This is especially the case for us as modern readers. It’s difficult to think about, but the closest thing to it in our culture’s memory is the lynchings of innocent black people on this very soil. The lies, the rhetoric of the powerful inciting violent mobs to carry out brutal murder. It’s horrific. It’s the kind of thing that led God to bring the flood way back in Genesis—the destruction of humanity by humanity, through hate, abuse, and murder. It’s the reason why the temple sacrifices existed. It’s the problem that we were never able to solve on our own—our sinfulness, our desire to define good and evil for ourselves.
If we’re honest, a lot of us would rather not have to think about those kinds of scenes. It’s painful. We know that in some way we are complicit. We know that it’s a part of our story, and our stomachs turn at the thought. Yet it was this act, of allowing evil to pile up onto the body of Christ that provides both the place forgiveness of sins and healing balm for our wounds.
As you listen to today’s passage, allow yourself to be placed in the scene. It won’t take too much work to see, hear, smell and touch but it will be difficult. We invite you to allow yourself to engage those senses, to bring your heart and mind into focus. You’ll want to listen with some amount of quiet and space to enter in fully, so take a second to find that.
----------REFLECT----------
1. What emotions came up in you as you listened?
2. Have you ever participated in evil? Scripture tells us that the terror of these actions happening to Jesus who was utterly innocent was the moment when all evil was summed up and poured out upon Jesus. We are participants in this story. Sit in the presence of that reality now.
3. Have you ever been mistreated, insulted, spat on, mocked, abused, beated, neglected? Have you suffered evil? Scripture tells us that every thorn, bruise, tear of the skin, lash on the back, word that was hurled, nail that was hammered, every minute that he was suspended there was an act of sacred empathy. Jesus suffers with us… So that when he takes the weight of pain and death into the grave and defeats it there he takes our pain and death with him. Sit in the presence of that reality now.
----------GO DEEPER----------
Bible Project: Mark Overview >>
Bible Project: The Gospel >>
Bible Project: Gospel of the Kingdom >>
----------CONNECT----------
Find an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Start an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Learn More >>
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dailyread/message
13 min