Mark 14

This chapter is a greater reminder of how the Bible has both divine and human origins.  While I fully believe the Bible is inspired by God, I also believe He allowed the original author's voices to be heard in the text.  

To fully appreciate Mark 14, you have to understand its origin.  Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark, was a companion of the apostle Peter.  In many senses, the Gospel of Mark could be viewed as Peter's gospel.  If this is Peter's gospel, he's certainly not trying to make himself look good.   This is something I appreciate about the Bible.  It makes no effort to make its heroes look any less flawed than they actually are.  And in telling his gospel of the life of Jesus, Peter makes no effort to white wash his own mistakes.

What Does This Tell Me About God? (1-11)

Jesus is worth all of our worship.

The first section of this passage tells us the story of a woman who makes a massive sacrifice to honor Jesus.  This creates a large controversy between the disciples.  They believe her sacrifice could have been used for a greater purpose.  Jesus makes it clear there is no greater sacrifice than to honor our Lord.  

For each of us personally, we need to ask, "What price is too great to worship our Lord?"

The woman in the passage felt nothing was too great.  Why do we see often see things differently?

What Does This Tell Me About Myself?

I am far too much like Peter.

Like Peter, I am far too often quick to make big promises to Jesus which I don't follow through on. In this passage, Peter both swears he will never deny Jesus, and he denies Jesus.  

Unfortunately, this story feels all too familiar.  I have done the same thing, and I've done it more times than I wish to acknowledge.  

It's so easy in safe contexts to make huge commitments and pledges.  At the Last Supper, Peter made an amazing confession to never deny Jesus. Unfortunately, when we enter real life, keeping those commitments is far more difficult than making those commitments.

The thing I appreciate most about Mark 14 is that Peter was open and honest about his own failings.  He knew he could have and should have done a better job of standing firm for Christ.  He doesn't white wash his own story.  He acknowledges his own failings.

Prayer

Lord help me to be honest with myself.  I don't want to make promises I can't keep. Nor do I desire to deny you.

Lord help me to be like the woman who would choose to sacrifice her greatest of possessions to honor you.  You are worthy of all of I have. You are worthy of all I can give.  Help me to live with honesty and sacrificially.

Help me to honestly offer my life to you. 

 SEAN CHANDLER  |  Associate Pastor 

 Sean has been a part of the association of Hill Country Bible Churches for over twenty years. He received Christ as a youth while attending Hill Country Bible Church Austin. He attended Hill Country Bible Church NW from 1989 to 2002. At that time he began attending HCBC Pflugerville. He served as a student ministry intern there for two years. In 2008, Sean graduated from Columbia International University with a double major in Bible and Bible teaching. Sean married his wife, Jennifer, in 2006. Their first child, Liam, was born in 2012.

He blogs regularly at seanchandler.net.