In Mark 13 Jesus describes the future to a few of His disciples. The picture He paints isn’t a beautiful one. He describes in mild detail the effects of sin on our world. There will be wars, earthquakes, food shortages, family strife, etc. And many will be persecuted for Jesus’ name sake….

But then it will get better! Jesus will return in all his Glory! Sin and all of it’s ill effects will be wiped away!

But we should be ready. We should be diligent. We must not assume we have more time. Jesus said it’s not for men to know the day or hour of His return, but to know that He will return. We should be diligent to watch, pray & look for His return. We should not east the days like lazy servants of a master are tempted to do, but we must make the most of every opportunity.

The message is this… We are not home yet! The curse of sin still plagues this planet. People hurt people. The planet groans under the weight of sin. We can not lay back idle while the world passes by as though the best Christ has to offer is a peaceful life now… No. He offers eternal life and while we breath, while we move, while we live we must labor diligently to see Him high and lifted up. We shouldn’t live as though we are retired… We must live preparing for His return.

Mark 12 starts out with the parable of the wicked tenants. They are wicked because they reject the authority of the owner to collect what is due and kill his son. (more on this parable can be found by clicking on the vodpod video to the right on my blog http://www.followjonathan.wordpress.com)

The parable carries over from the conversation in chapter 11 about authority. Jesus’ authority had been questioned by the religious leaders. This parable illustrates that the religious leaders had already rejected God’s authority and that they were like the tenants in this parable… Judgement was coming.

At the end of the parable Jesus tacks on a fuller statement about a cornerstone. He is quoting from Psalm 118. The meaning is that the leaders had rejected Him as the cornerstone (foundation and guideline) for their lives, but that even though he was rejected by them, He would still be the guideline by which their lives were judged.

Application: Many people reject Jesus. Even seemingly Christian people can conduct life under a set of rules apart from a relationship with Christ. Remember that Jesus is telling this parable within earshot of the Religious leaders of the day. They are simply living under rules and not in a relationship with Christ. The difference is deadly.

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of a believers life. The Holy Spirit is moving and working in each one of us to conform us to the image of Christ. To be confirmed to the image of Christ, we must accept God’s authority in our lives. What authority do you submit to? Is it a false standard of self imposed rules made by yourself and/ or others? Do you go which ever way the wind blows trysting your emotions to be your guide? Have you entrusted yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ to save you, change you, and transform you into His image through His work on the cross for your sins?

Near the end of Mark 10 we read the story of the rich young ruler. This man was seeking eternal life, but when Jesus told him to sell all that he had, he went away sorrowful. In short Jesus asked for a total commitment of his heart, but the man loved the comfort of his wealth more than he desired to follow Jesus. For this man the cost of discipleship was too much.

Don’t get me wrong we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. No one earns or can work for his or her salvation. I believe we are even made more in the image of Christ by His grace as we walk each day, not by our works. But discipleship does have a small cost to it. To truly be a disciple I need to forsake all things that would compete for my love and obedience to Christ. But to be honest this really doesn’t cost me anything.

I gave up my free agency on the singles market the day I married my wife. I forsook all other potential relationships for her. My marriage cost me my free agency. But I’ll be the first to tell you I got way more than I ever gave up! I’m glad married my beautiful wife and I wouldn’t trade her for anything. But in order to have an exclusive relationship you must give up all rights to whatever would compete for your attention. This is the cost of discipleship.

Though the cost is small, it is one that must be paid non-the-less. We must forsake all in order to follow Christ. What we get by following Christ by grace is more than we could ever afford or deserve, but requires that we let go of lesser treasures that do not satisfy in order to gain the ultimate treasure of trusting Christ (matt. 44-46).

The question is are you following Christ? Are you letting of the things that would become an idol in your heart? Have you given Christ your all, so that you might have the true joy of following Jesus?

Yes, there is a cost to discipleship, but it is not the price of admission, it is the price of exclusivity. Are you willing to pay it today?

In the middle of the passage the disciple begin to argue about who will be the greatest in the coming kingdom. Jesus knowing their hearts pulls up a small child and reminds the disciples that his kingdom is made of such. We are not to be fervent self-seekers, but rather ardent givers. We are to put others ahead of ourselves. In this way the first will be last and the last will be first. In essence everyone serves and gives to their ability, for God is not interested in what we have to bring him, but what he has to give us.

Sometimes we can fall into the pit of bitterness by thinking God owes us favor or respect over others. The truth is that we owe God more than we could ever pay for our salvation. To be part of hHis kingdom is reward in itself and to see others come into the kingdom and encourage one another along the way ought to be enough.

Mark 8 begins with Jesus feeding the 4000 with a few loaves and fish. He did a similar thing with a crowd of 5000 back in Mark 6. Soon after feeding the crowd he gets in a boat with His disciples and heads across the lake. They land and are immediately met with a group of religious leaders demanding a sign. It’s important that we pause here and reflect. For anyone serious about seeing If Jesus were the messiah or not, there were already plenty of signs. Jesus had fulfilled prophecy, healed people, fed massive crowds on a few loaves and some fish, and even taught in the synagogues. But still these leaders were looking for a sign. A sign not to believe him, not to follow him, but a sign to test him.

Jesus responds that their won’t be a sign and hops back in the boat with the disciples and they head off on the lake again. While in transit Jesus mutters, “beware the leaven of the Pharisees” (religious leaders). The disciples think it’s a backhanded rebuke for forgetting to bring the bread. Jesus reminds the that he fed the 5000 and 4000 with just a few loaves of bread and fish. He doesn’t want bread, he wants them to be aware that the kind of doubt that is constantly looking for a sign (though plenty are evident) is both dangerous and contagious.

The point: When you already know the will of God follow it with obedience, don’t keep testing. If God has called you to ministry, go. If You know Gods will but refuse to follow for the sake of testing, isn’t that disobedience? I’ve heard other pastors tell stories of how they put the fleece out before God wanting Him to confirm something in their life (the fleece story comes from judges 6:36-40 where Gideon, knowing the will of the Lord (v36), puts out a fleece to confirm what he already knows). I can understand this if they are uncertain about an issue and want to know that God is in it or if they doubt their own heart and wonder if their motives might be mixed and need clarity. But to know the will of God, or in the case of Jesus, to know by signs, wonders, and prophecy that Jesus is the Messiah and to still demand a sign is flat out disobedience.

This kind of disobedience is contagious and dangerous. Whole congregations can be lead astray by doubting the will of God and refusing to follow on faith in His promises.