Readings from Mark – M-5:1-20; T-5:21-43; W-6:1-29; Th-6:30-44; F-6:45-56
As we continue to wrestle with the question, “Who is this?” in this first section of Mark, I want to introduce a prayer practice. The practice involves praying with your imagination. God has given you a beautiful imagination. Allow it to take you into deeper places of prayer and reflection and bring you into a deeper call of following Jesus. To pray with your imagination you simply allow yourself to be part of the story and observe it from different points of view. I’ve provided some prompts for this practice for the first few readings this week. Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to know more about this practice.
Jesus is King. He has ultimate authority. Are we willing to relinquish the control we think we have in order to allow him to be in complete control? We see different people wrestling with who Jesus is as we see the narrative unfold. Allow these stories to challenge your understanding of who Jesus is and what it means to be his follower.
Monday, 5:1-20 – This is one of the most jarring stories in the Gospel. Allow your imagination to bring you into the story: You’ve been following Jesus for a few months now and you’re halfway out of the boat with you hear screaming. You turn to see a wild man with unnatural strength running right for the boat. He’s naked, bleeding, and now at the feet of your teacher. “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?!” You get back into the boat and watch from a safer distance. As this man talks about himself he seamlessly moves between the plural and the singular. You hear the full exchange and you are baffled by who this is who has invited you to follow him. This man is now clothed and in his right mind, pigs are in the sea, and the towns people are now terrified of your teacher because whatever power he has is greater than whatever tormented this man. Jesus, who apparently has ultimate authority, complied with their pleading, and got into the boat to leave their region. You were surprised when Jesus invited you to follow him and even more surprised at the cast of characters he’s invited along. You begin to adjust your emotions and prepare for this guy to join your ranks when he pleads with Jesus to let him join. Jesus takes a different approach here; he sends him with a mission to tell his story.
What terrifies you about Jesus?
Place yourself in the position of the sane man being sent: Where are you more sane because of Jesus? Are you able to tell that story to others? Take a moment to write your story down and share it with a trusted friend.
Tuesday, 5:21-43 – In the opening scene we have another person falling at the feet of Jesus (a sign of worship). This is another great story to allow your imagination to guide you into prayerful reflection. Here are some prompts for this prayer practice:
Jairus – You feel the desperation of your daughter’s sickness and looming death. You’ve come to the one person who seems to be able to do something about it and he doesn’t seem to move with the urgency you need. This impure woman stops him and takes his attention away from your urgent request. In the same moment when Jesus calls this impure woman “Daughter” and says her faith has healed her people from your house come and announce that your daughter is dead. How do you hear “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”? How do you feel as Jesus addresses the people in your house? How do you respond to their laughter? When have you laughed at the absurdity of what Jesus can do? Take a moment to feel the emotions of reconciliation and redemption Jesus brings to your house. This is what the Kingdom is all about. Where can you bring that redemption and reconciliation for others?
The woman with the issue of bleeding – Take some of these same steps for entering the story from her perspective. What kind of faith does this take? You are impure because of your bleeding and not supposed to be near crowds of people. You risk making Jesus impure by touching him, even his clothes. What does it feel like when Jesus stops and asks who touched him? Take a moment to feel the emotions of the woman as she feels the disease leave her body and her faith celebrated. This is what the Kingdom is all about. Where can you bring that redemption and reconciliation for others?
One of the disciples – You’ve been following Jesus and seen him do incredible things in this short time. He just brought a legion of demons to its knees and cast them into pigs. He’s healed the sick. He speaks and teaches with an authority unheard of by anyone. You question his lack of urgency with Jairus and the absurdity of his question of who touched him. You’re invited to Jairus’s house and see him resuscitate a young girl and restore her to her family. Jesus has called you to follow him, to be like him, to do what he does. What is he going to require of you? He makes a lot of comments about faith and belief. Where do you struggle to have faith and belief? You’re following him to be part of his Kingdom movement. What will it look like for you to continue the work he is doing in whatever capacity you have to do it?
Wednesday, 6:1-29 – Staying in the same prayer practice with our imagination, allow yourself to ask the question “Who is this?” with each of these stories. Be a passive observer who is able to stand and observe the contrast in leadership between Jesus and Herod. Be in Jesus’s hometown as he provides remarkable teaching and miracles. What feelings do you have in how people respond to Jesus? How does it feel that Jesus couldn’t do any miracles because of their lack of faith? As Jesus begins to send out the twelve, what nervous excitement do you sense in them as they anticipate encountering impure spirits? You’ve been with Jesus for a while now. What kind of leader do you experience him to be? What is his character? How does he interact with others? How does he use his power and authority?
By contrast, Herod is nervous about the powers around him. He takes what and who he wants. He surrounds himself with people who can enhance his greatness. Mark flowers over the “dancing” that Herodias’s daughter does and leaves it to your imagination. Herod’s appetite is filled and he offers her whatever she would like. Because the lives of others are not precious to Herod he delivers John’s head on a platter. Hold these images of Herod in your mind as you reflect on who Jesus is in the previous passages and in the ones to come.
Thursday, 6:30-44 – Jesus finds a quiet place to finally rest but the crowds find out where he’s resting and flock to him. How does Jesus respond to this disruption? Jesus places his character as a king on full display in this passage. Place Jesus in contrast with Herod (and any number of modern political leaders today). What is his attitude toward the people? How does he respond?
Place yourself in the position of this letters first hearers. Jesus is presented as the King of Kings who has greater power than Nero, who is killing your friends and wants to kill you. We’ve seen Jesus’s kingly identity on display with demons, disease, and nature in submission to him. When you look at the surrounding world, you feel lost and in need of direction. Hope wells up in you as you are reminded who the true king is. Then you get to this passage and you hear some very familiar words, “He gave thanks and broke the loaves…to distribute to the people” (v41). While feeling lost in this world, you are reminded that the one who invites you to the table, takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and distributes it. Jesus truly is the host, and you are gathered at his table. How will the Lord’s Supper bring you peace this week knowing that the King over all creation is the one who breaks the bread and gives it to you for nourishment?
Friday, 6:45-56– Throughout the Bible, God shows up and is present to people in different forms, often as an angelic being of sorts. The person’s natural response is fear and God’s response is almost always, “Do not be afraid.” I can’t help but wonder if this scene is invoking the imagery of God’s Spirit hovering over the waters in Genesis. “Who is this?” is the question we keep coming back to. This is the King who brought order to the creation and under his rule all things are at peace. Where do you find yourself straining at your oar? Are you willing to look up to the one who walks in peace?