Jesus experienced growing conflict as he began his journey to the city of Jerusalem. In Galilee, he displayed his lordship over nature, demons, disease, and even death, and the crowds welcomed him, at first, enthusiastically. However, among his own people, he was met with unbelief and rejection, and in the Gospel of Mark, this serves as the prelude to the execution of John the Baptist. More importantly, it becomes the pattern for what disciples of Jesus may expect when they preach the Gospel.
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The Ancient Beast
History repeats itself. It is littered with past efforts by tyrants and regimes to dominate the Earth. Each may experience some success, but so far, every empire that has appointed itself sovereign over humanity has floundered in the end. For example, the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar and Caesar’s imperial realm both ceased to exist thousands of years ago.
Unfortunately, the imperial effort never ceases, and today, we find the latest incarnation of the World Empire marching across the globe, imposing its will, seducing Christians, and subjugating nations that refuse to bow to its demands.
Continue readingTransitory Powers
Despite human pretensions, History demonstrates the impermanence of political power and governments. Rome endured for a thousand years, but its empire fell all the same. Like life itself, political power is fleeting, and regimes often collapse quickly and unexpectedly when their allotted time expires. Only the “Kingdom of God” will last forever.
Continue readingCounting the Cost
Jesus sent his twelve disciples to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom throughout the region. In the Gospel of Mark, this incident is followed by the execution of John the Baptist. His death serves as a warning to the would-be disciple that rejection will inevitably follow his or her decision to follow Jesus of Nazareth no matter where he leads. To walk in his footsteps, one must first COUNT THE COST to have any hope of seeing the journey through to the end.
Continue readingEmulating Jesus
Jesus admonished his disciples that if anyone wished to come after him, “Let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” This was more than metaphorical or hyperbolic language. It was said at the very time he was on his final journey to Jerusalem where he would demonstrate just what it meant to “take up the cross.”
The historical context shows just how challenging his words were. At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus began telling his disciples that he “MUST go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed and raised up the third day.”
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