READING: Mark 10 – Divorce, Children, Rich Ruler, Death & Resurrection, Zebedee’s Sons’s Request, Blind Man                   Archives are here  

Pharisees tried to draw Jesus into controversy over divorce; instead, He talked about marriage as it was from the beginning. God made male and female. A man should leave his parents and join his wife; two become one. In every divorce, someone sins, though it was permitted by Moses “Because of your hardness of heart.” Some are stricter than Moses. Listen to Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 as well as to Jesus. 

The disciples asked about this privately. As they talked, people in the house brought children to Jesus. The disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let children come to me; don’t stop them; the kingdom of God belongs to them.”  

A man ran to Jesus, knelt before Him, and asked, “Good Teacher, how can I inherit eternal life?” Jesus asked why he called Him good; only God is good. Did Jesus ask to see if he would confess Him as God.) Jesus added, “You know the commandments,” and listed murder, adultery, theft, false witness, fraud, and honoring parents. The man said, “I kept these from my youth.” Jesus said, “You lack this. Give all to the poor and have treasure in heaven, and follow me.” He went away, preferring earthly treasures over heavenly. 

Jesus said it is difficult for a rich person to enter heaven; “It Is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.” Peter said we left everything to follow You. Jesus said they would be richly rewarded now, with persecutions, and have eternal life in the age to come.” 

The sons of Zebedee asked Jesus to do for them whatever they asked. He said, “What do you want me to do?” They said, “For one of us to sit on Your right hand and the other on Your left in Your glory.” Jesus said, “You do not know what you’re asking. Can you drink my cup and endure my baptism?” They said they could, but Jesus said it is not mine to give; “It is for those to whom the Father gives it.” 

The other ten were indignant when they heard of this. Jesus said, you are all thinking like the Gentiles. “Among you, those who want to be first must be the servant of all. Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” 

Jesus showed His service as they passed through Jericho and a blind man called, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” Some tried to shut him up, but he cried louder. Jesus said, “Bring him to me.” They said, He is calling for you. The blind man jumped up and threw his cloak aside (something no blind man does!) and came to Jesus, who asked, “What do you want?” He replied, “Let me see!” Jesus gave him his sight. 

Jesus was still serving as He approached Jerusalem to die. 

How are we serving those around us? 

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PRAY FOR YOURSELF 

Father in Heaven, how can I inherit eternal life? The rich man who asked this of Jesus was not willing to have treasures in heaven; he preferred to have his treasures on earth. I am tempted in this as well; but I ask for Your guidance in this to keep me honest with you. This is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Your Son, and my precious Savior, AMEN!  

MY PRAYER FOR YOU (and for myself)  

Holy Father my prayer for all who read this and for myself, is that we meditate on all that is said in the Scriptures about divorce. We are told that God hates divorce, yet Ezra and Nehemiah insisted that those who had married pagans separate from them. Paul said to remain with them IF they are willing to live with you; if they leave, you are not bound to that marriage. There are so many ramifications to the Scriptures that address divorce and remarriage, we need the wisdom of Solomon to sift through all passages. God created marriage for the benefit of man and woman. Let us live together in peace. I offer this prayer for myself, and for all who read this, in the precious name of Jesus, I pray, AMEN!