The (Nearly) Naked Disciple

 

Mark 14:51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Only the Gospel of Mark includes this story that seems so out of place in the Passion of the Christ. Jesus had been praying in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas betrayed him to the mob with a kiss. One of the disciples, probably Peter, tried to defend Jesus but the Lord told him to put down his sword and all the disciples fled away into the night. Jesus is taken to the home of the High Priest for questioning and only Mark tells us about the young man clothed in a bed sheet who tried to follow. The crowd grabbed him but caught only his sheet. The poor young man ran away into the night through the streets of Jerusalem naked!

Who was he and why did Mark include this rather comical story in the midst of such a serious scene? Some way it was the fulfillment of Bible prophecy: “ ‘and he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day,’ declares the LORD,” (Amos 2:16) but the Bible itself never makes that claim.

For centuries Christians have suspected the young man was John Mark, the author of this gospel and disciple of both Peter and Paul. Many believe the Last Supper took place in the home of John Mark’s mother, Mary (See Acts 12:12, 13) and that’s the first place Judas would have gone with the mob to find Jesus. Mark, aroused from his sleep, wrapped only in a sheet ran through the streets of Jerusalem to the Garden to warn Jesus. But it was too late. Robbed of his robe, Mark too ran away into the night with the other disciples.

Peter tried to save Jesus with his sword. Mark, the nearly naked disciple tried to warn Jesus but Peter lost his sword and Mark lost his bed sheet. What they and the heavily armed crowd didn’t understand is Jesus willingly went to his death. He loved us that much!

 

Christmas Trees and Easter Eggs

 

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus and Easter commemorates the season of his death, burial and resurrection but are they based on fact? No serious scholar doubts Jesus of Nazareth had a birthday and a day on which he died but how certain are we of those exact dates?

Frankly, Christmas Day was chosen on the basis of convenience. Of course there is no doubt Jesus was born but the exact date is completely lost in antiquity. In fact, the Bible says Jesus was born while Herod the Great reigned but Herod died in 4 B.C.! It’s more than likely that Jesus was born around 6 B.C. but, as for the day or the month, that’s anyone’s guess. The earliest Christians didn’t celebrate Christmas and much later, when some of them wanted to create a holiday to celebrate his birth, they chose an existing pagan holiday and “sanctified” it with new meaning.

On the other hand, while “Easter” with its bunnies and eggs was also a pagan holiday, the timing is pure coincidence. The events surrounding the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus were linked to the Jewish feast, Passover, and have been celebrated every Sunday from the very beginning of Christianity.

Passover celebrates the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery (Exodus chapter 12). On the night of the 10th plague, the Israelites sacrificed a lamb and painted its blood on the doorposts of their houses. The “death angel” passed-over their homes when he saw the blood sparing those within. Blood represents life and it took the sacrifice of an innocent life to set them free. Likewise, the historical Jesus died on the eve of an historical Passover giving his life to set us free.

Since Passover is a lunar holiday, the date on our calendar varies from year to year. Likewise Christians have been divided about whether to celebrate the anniversary on the actual date of the event (which would fall on different days of the week) or to always link it to the actual day, Sunday. Here, in the West, it is traditionally celebrated on “Resurrection Sunday” and while we honor the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus every week (as Christians have from the beginning) it is especially heart-warming to celebrate Resurrection Sunday knowing it is firmly based in historical fact.

Looking for some place to worship on Easter? Why not visit the Canyon View Church of Christ in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego? Won’t you join us Sunday, March 31st? We’ll enjoy coffee and breakfast breads starting at 9:00 AM with a special presentation for all of the adult classes in the auditorium to follow at 9:30. Worship will joyfully begin at 10:00.

The Fashionable Sloth

 

Yawn.

One of the most memorable characters from the book of Proverbs is the “sluggard.” He is a lazy man. He can’t leave his house because “the sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

“As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.”

“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth,” (Proverbs 26:13-16).

The sages of the middle-ages called sloth “the first deadly sin.” Sloth, in modern vernacular, means “laziness.” We might think of laziness as a weakness or common fault, but would we call it a sin? (See Proverbs 6:6-11.)

My first observation is that laziness doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of activity. Heaven knows we’re packing more and more into already too busy lives but is it purposeful activity? Are we moving towards a goal or are we just bouncing off the walls? Do we believe it because we’ve heard something so often we accept it as truth or do we believe (and behave) because we have discovered a precious truth?

Second, sloth prevents us from escaping lazy preoccupations and paying attention to the things that have eternal significance. For example, for the lazy of the world, love is something that “just happens.” We “fall in love” and we “fall out of love.” Marriages are based on phileo (friendship love) or eros (erotic love) with the result when the attraction is over, so is the relationship.

Christian lovers are attracted to each other and they are friends with each other but marriage is based on agape (a love that is controlled by the will). Agape can never be lazy. It is proactive and involved. It works. It builds. It does. Therefore, if love is something we should do, then lazy people, who are unwilling to put forth the effort to love, should be justly condemned!

Let’s look at another example. Unfortunately, many Christians have just enough gospel to make them miserable, but not enough to make them joyful. They know enough about the biblical message to keep them from doing those things the world is tempting them to do; but they do not have enough of a commitment to God to do those things through which they might experience the fullness of His joy! I am convinced more people will be condemned at the Judgment because of sins of omission than commission.

Tony Campolo wrote, “Sloth deadens, but the Spirit gives life. Sloth thrives on feelings of inferiority, but the Spirit gives us the assurance that we are the children of God. Sloth is self-centered, but the Spirit creates a burning desire to change the world. Sloth leaves us bored and empty, but in the Spirit we find the fullness of God’s joy.”

 

Unwrap the Package!

dove

I really believe Dr. Luke’s second book, “Acts of the Apostles,” is misnamed. There were 12 apostles (not counting Paul) and Dr. Luke’s book really only focuses on two of them: Peter and Paul. We might call the fifth book of the New Testament, “Acts of Some of the Apostles.” (Remember Luke didn’t name his book so we are free to call it anything appropriate.) However, I think a better title would be “Acts of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is mentioned over 60 times in Acts!

Talking about the Holy Spirit makes some people uncomfortable. The old King James translation talks about the “Holy Ghost” and that makes us even more uncomfortable. Some of the pioneers of the Restoration Movement even denied the Holy Spirit was anything more than God’s power at work. Others equated the indwelling Spirit as simply incorporating the word of God into our lives through reading the Bible!

So what can we expect from having a relationship with the Holy Spirit? First, this relationship is available to every single Christian. The Spirit was poured out upon the earth on the day of Pentecost and every baptized Christian (is there any other kind?) receives forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Second, the work of the Holy Spirit is to make us holy. Something that is “holy” has been (1) set apart (2) for God’s purposes. We are forgiven (justified) when we become Christians. We become holy (sanctified) through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Third, the Spirit fills us with power. Some people try to wait to become Christians until they are “better” people. That’s like trying to cut a log with a chainsaw without ever firing it up! The Spirit gives us the power to live holy lives and makes real change possible.
The Holy Spirit is God’s gift but can you imagine someone receiving a lovely birthday presentwrapped in shiny paper and topped with a beautiful bow. What would you think if the birthday boy simply set the package on the shelf for all to see but never opened it? We have received the gift of the Holy Spirit but many, many people have never taken the time to open the package!Fourth, the Holy Spirit gives us assurance. Satan often takes the form of a nagging voice: “You’re really not a very good Christian.” (Christians aren’t perfect – they’re just forgiven!) The presence of the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee of our salvation. (See 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14.)

So how do we do that? First, say “Thank you!” God has given you this special gift. Worship is an attitude of gratitude. Second, just like a GPS won’t help you reach your destination unless you refer to it; learn to listen for the Spirit’s voice. Third, “let go and let God.” It’s time to relax and start turning our troubles over the God. Finally, the best place to see the Holy Spirit is in the rearview mirror. Take time to remember and reflect on what God has done in the past. He spoke to the fathers. He rescued Israel. He gave us his Son to show us the way and now He has given us his precious Holy Spirit to empower us in his service.