Old Sandals

What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.   Mark 12:9

The vineyard has been given to the world—to the Gentiles.  We are no less accountable than were the Jews.  We are, this side of the Incarnation, more accountable.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.  Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”   Mark 11:12-14

I sometimes wonder—do I have any fruit?  It’s not about reading and studying theology, although that is important.  It is more about praying and doing.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.   Mark 10:21

Jesus loved him.  Loved him.  “Sell what you have and come, take up the cross.”  It would have been hard enough to hear, “Sell what you have”.  But then also to hear, “Now take up your cross”.  Would I have responded differently?

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them to a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. Mark 9:2

“And we beheld his glory…”

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?   Mark 8:36-37

This is not a rhetorical question.  Each of us is compelled to give an answer.

People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”   Mark 7:37

Physically deaf.  Spiritually deaf.

Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.   Mark 6:5

He marveled.  It was an amazing thing, their unbelief.

But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her,  “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”   Mark 5:33-34

Our faith without God’s power (grace) counts for nothing.  God’s power without our faith counts for nothing.

The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,  and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.   Mark 4:26-28

I only know that it’s growing.  I don’t know how.  To God be the glory!

And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.”  Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  Mark 3:3-5

He was angry with the Pharisees, and grieved by their hard-heartedness.  Hard-heartedness is a choice we make.  It’s the only choice we make, and that not apart from the grace of God.  The man with the withered hand stepped forward.  He stretched out his hand.  He could have refused.  He could have said to himself, “It won’t do any good.  What’s the use?”  But he stretched it out—as crippled and deformed as it was—he stretched it out.  And the Lord healed him.

Did he make the right choice all on his own?  Did he deserve praise for making his choice?  No, of course not.  Yet, there is a divine-human interaction on display here that is everywhere in Scripture.