November 01, 2021: SOAP #4351:  Psalm 121; Mark 9-10

SCRIPTURE:  Mark (NIV) 9:31 …he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”
Mark (NIV) 10:32 …Again, he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

OBSERVATION: In each of the chapters assigned for my reading today, Jesus prepares His disciples for what is about to happen to Him in Jerusalem. Yet knowing what was ahead, He continued to move forward.  Jesus spoke of the suffering and death awaiting him, but also of the resurrection that would follow!  The suffering and death were only for a season that would be followed by great victory!

APPLICATION:  We tend to think of death as final.  But clearly, Jesus did not think of His death as final.  Death is the only way to get to the resurrection!!!  The disciples should have remembered everything Jesus had said! 

I also need to remember EVERYTHING God has spoken to me.  What God has told me will be the light in dark places.  It will increase my faith and lift my attitude. 

PRAYER: Jesus, you knew that the disciples would be greatly affected by your suffering and death, so you told them about the third day!  It seems they forgot.  But you have given me your Holy Spirit to remind me of the things you have said.  (John 14:26)   Thank you.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!