Mark 3-20

 Jesus, the Great ‘I Am’, broke assumptions and man made ideas about what the kingdom is all about. He demonstrated compassion outside the boundaries of what many thought was acceptable. Jesus responded with a clear message of who He was and is, giving us insight on how we should be living. For me, I’m learning that I have lived in my comfort zone, expecting comforts to continue. I have looked for safe places and safe people, with made up boundaries to protect myself. But God may have something different in mind as He leads. I want to be open to see, hear and taste of His goodness. 

“The scribe or Pharisee will say, “I didn’t kill anybody.” Or “I didn’t commit adultery.” But the issue is: What kind of person am I? Can I come to the place where I love people so much —for example, I love the women I see, meet, and deal with so much —that I would not use them to excite my lusting or in any other way? Because the real issue is: How do you think about people? Where do they stand in my heart and mind? That is where spiritual formation really takes hold. It’s not about external proprieties or improprieties but about the development of the inner person in Christlikeness.” - Excerpt, The Kingdom Life by Dallas Willard

“This story about hearing has a double meaning. On the surface, it is a story about making “the deaf to hear and the mute to speak” (Mark 7:37). On a deeper level, it is the disciples’ story. They were like the deaf man, unable to hear what Jesus taught, particularly what he taught about the inclusion of the Gentiles in the kingdom. They were not only blind; they were also deaf. They needed Jesus to open their ears so they could hear. Until they could hear and embrace what he taught, they could not clearly proclaim (speak) the truths of the kingdom. Just as Jesus took the man aside to address his condition, so he took the disciples aside to Gentile territory to address their attitudes toward the Gentiles.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford