I found myself lately feeling a void, knowing that void is lack of reading scripture – I’ve not been reading enough about Jesus lately, especially feeling that it’s so important around Lent and Holy week. I need to avoid the void. I know I have been busy. Wow.

There’s lots of projects that I’ve fallen behind on, my photo albums, my yard clean up, dishes, my sewing pile… they wait for me  and I will at least get a load of dishes in – thank God for the dishwasher. But the project of pursuing the real void of scripture is this moments feeling and feeding. And so I have the morning this morning to get back to a quiet spot – while awaiting another influx of busy – busy busy is how I run…

Scripture is always waiting for us to engage – always ready to teach. God perseveres awaiting us and as scripture comes alive for us, we come more alive in absorbing it. I am excited about this stretch of time into Holy Week to learn and breath… And I am appreciative of this time coming into Holy Week where I may be more intentional in my devotion to devotion.

I’ve picked up in Jesus’s journey today in the passages where He’s being questioned – and surely knowing Jesus, He did not run away from questioning but used it as a tool to share the good news of His coming. The questioners wanted to engage – some wanted to trap Him in being something – and others wanted just to be pleased that somebody stood up to the authorities who are portrayed as “higher than mighty” in attitude. Well, Jesus’s attitude was always – “don’t you know Whom I AM? Let me introduce myself….”

In the conversation (Mark 12:18-27) that Jesus had about ressurection and the dead becoming living – Jesus was apt in both replying to their worldly thought of what happens to married couples – and using the heavenly point that God Himself talked to Moses and spoke of Moses and Jacob and Abraham as “living” – therefore God – and thus Jesus – DO teach ressurection – life again and forever.

In the conversation (Mark 12:28-34) that Jesus had about the scribe rechecking his knowledge of the commandments, to love God – love one’s neighbor –  “And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” – well Jesus certainly adds that double meaning (I could chuckle) response at the end: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” – well TRUE – that sentiment of LOVE in it’s purest Godly form – to God – from God – to others, AND that Jesus Himself is standing next to the person – Jesus HIMSELF being the key to the Kingdom of God – both spritually/mentally – and physcially by His sacrifice.  Double blessing of being close to Jesus.

In the last section here (Mark 12:35-37), Jesus both asks a question that was not asked of him but needed to be asked – “how can David both call “Lord” to both His God (Father) as LORD – and to God (Christ) as SON… Hmmm…  Jesus is using this passage to make the people think – that it IS said that a Christ – the Christ – must come – and under David’s line – and therefore perhaps one should open one’s attitude that this time could be NOW…  The common folk heard Jesus being real and being realistic and being bold – as well as seeing Him tell in the form of a thought-provoking question – that both commoners and higher up scribes and pharasees coudl all ponder… We can snicker in the knowledge that Jesus as not incognito but unrealized – and Jesus knew that He was there for this time – and yet we can also be in awe that Jesus, God Himself, would humble himself down to earth to be in a postion where others might get their noses bent out of shape by being bombarded with questions – but Jesus uses this example to show how important that HE, the Christ came ALL THE WAY down here to be here.

Jesus came to us – surely we can come to Him.

Jesus came to us first – we can listen – and fill in our voids with His Good gifts of thought and of hope.

Amen

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Mark 12 NKJV

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

37 Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

And the common people heard Him gladly.​